Will Installing Window Film Kill Indoor House Plants?

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Like other common misconceptions about window film, many people think it’s harmful to house plants. Luckily, that’s not the case. Just as home window film can help conserve energy, it can also help your house plants.

A Green Thumbs Up: How Window Film Helps House Plants Flourish

A Green Thumbs Up

Solar control window film only blocks UV rays – not the red and blue rays that your plants need to grow and flower. And some plants will actually do better with window tints and films, such as those that require less light — which typically have dark green leaves. Delicate plants will also do better with window film because it provides a more stable temperature.

So, for example, if you live in a hot climate during the summer, areas near sunny windows can get very hot and be harmful to delicate plants. Or even in normal circumstances, you may have certain plants that always seem to dry out or wilt on sunny days. Window film will help your greenery retain moisture better. Just remember that all plants – especially fussy ones – need time to adjust to a new environment, so if you see wilting or color loss after installing window film, you can relax. These issues should disappear after a few days.

Frequently Asked Questions About Solar Control Window Film and House Plants

Wondering how window film may affect your plants? While most plants do just fine with tinted window films, you may want a few more answers before you make any decisions.

Will Window Film Kill My House Plants?

In many cases where house plants are already receiving adequate light, adding window film to your home should not harm them. It may take the greenery a few days to adjust to the new lighting conditions, which may impact new plant growth and flowering at first.If you install an optically clear window film, such as UV Gard by Madico®, Inc., your plants should notice little difference. While a transparent window film filters out 99% of UV light, it still transmits 80% of visible light — plenty for your house plants.

For plants that typically wilt before the end of a sunny day, you may notice that they actually thrive even better once the window film is installed. By rejecting some of the bright light and heat that can cause delicate flowers and leaves to burn or lose moisture, window films create a more balanced environment for these types of plants.

If you’re concerned that adding window film to your home will damage your indoor plants, consider moving the plant to an area of your home with less sunlight for a few days to see how it responds. Remember that most plants are sensitive to changes in their environment, so make sure you leave the pot in the new spot long enough to see whether it bounces back. Additionally, most nurseries or local agricultural agencies can advise on the amount of light a particular plant should receive.

Will Frosted Window Film Affect My Plants?

Decorative frosted window film is an excellent option for homeowners who want a little more privacy or a more uniform appearance in a room. Since these films obscure views, many wonder if they also block too much light for their house plants. Frosted windows change the lighting conditions in the room because they diffuse and soften the sunlight that passes through them.

A popular frosted window film, Frost Matte by Madico, offers 67% visible light transmittance, providing adequate light for most indoor greenery. Expect your plants to take some time to adjust since the diffused light is a new, unfamiliar condition for them.

What Types of Plants Need More Light Than Others?

Typically, lighter leaves, or variegated plants, need more light than darker green plants. Darker leaves have higher chlorophyll concentrations, which makes them better able to use the available light for photosynthesis.

What Kind of Light Do Plants Need to Grow?

Contrary to popular belief, plants do not need ultraviolet (UV) light to grow. Plants require blue and red light, which are not a part of the UV color spectrum. Blue light encourages chlorophyll production, which helps the plants create strong and healthy stems and leaves. Red light helps during the early stages of a plant’s life, assisting with seed germination, bulb development and root growth. It also allows a plant to flower and produce fruit.

Plants also need some infrared (IR) light, on the opposite side of the spectrum from UV light. Exposure to adequate levels of far-red wavelengths can encourage blooming and healthy stem growth. However, too much infrared light can damage leaves, stems and flowers. Most window films filter out some infrared light, which we experience as heat. This feature gives homeowners tremendous energy savings. Plants susceptible to damage from hot climates and excessive infrared light will also appreciate it.

Glazes that block a low or moderate amount of IR energy should not deprive your plants of the far-red light they need. You can safely choose a window film that blocks up to 70% of heat energy.

Does Solar Control Window Film Block Natural Light?

Transparent solar window film specifically blocks harmful UV rays while still allowing natural light into your home. There are many styles and colors to choose from to achieve the perfect balance between natural light and UV protection in your home.

Tinted window films darken your windows to filter out more visible sunlight, which does block some red and blue light. The amount of visible light a film lets in depends on its visible light transmittance. A higher percentage means it allows more natural light to pass through, while a lower percentage blocks more sunlight.

In general, the best window film for plants offers 25% light transmittance or higher. Highly reflective or high opacity films may block more than that and should not be used for windows you plan on keeping potted plants near. However, most window films fall above 25% transmittance and let in plenty of natural sunlight. If your plants need lots of sun, consider a film that offers 50% or more light transmittance.

To find the perfect window film for your home, check out our Residential Window Film Selector tool and choose the qualities that are most important to you.

Other Benefits of Window Film for Your Home

Other Benefits of Window Film

By rejecting the sun’s solar energy, window film offers the following benefits for your home:

  • Improved home comfort and heat control: Installing window film on your home can help create a more comfortable environment by reducing the temperature in your home.
  • Reduced energy costs: By reducing the heat in the summer and reflecting light to keep your home warmer in the winter, you can conserve energy and reduce your air conditioning and heating bills throughout the year.
  • Furniture and furnishing fade protection: Reduced exposure to the sun can improve the longevity of your furniture, carpets, woodwork and other interior furnishings by offering significant fade protection.
  • Enhanced skin protection: By blocking up to 99% of harmful UV rays that lead to premature skin aging and skin cancer, solar control window film helps protect your skin.
  • Increased visibility: Window film also helps reduce glare to improve the visibility of your devices such as computers and TV screens.

As you can see, window film offers many benefits that make your home more comfortable and inviting, allowing you to enjoy the outdoor views without the negative consequences.

Find a Professional Window Film Installer Near You

Madico offers premium window films for homes and businesses made from high-quality adhesives and laminates. And our installers are highly trained to ensure a smooth installation that won’t bubble, peel or crack. We offer a manufacturer’s warranty on all products installed in North America.

Our products offer many advantages, from protecting your plants and building occupants to lowering your energy bills. If you’re interested in enjoying the many benefits of window film, we invite you to find a nearby dealer and check out Madico’s premium line of architectural window film, Sunscape. Your local Madico dealer can recommend home window film products that will meet the lighting requirements of your prized house plants, whether they love direct sunlight or shade.


Updated: 22/06/2021

   

Recycling at Home Saves Energy for Everyone

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It’s something we hear all the time. Our natural resources such as coal, oil and metals are dwindling, and the depletion of these resources destroys natural habitats. Despite the fact that many cities offer recycling programs to help combat this concern, people often feel recycling at home is more trouble than it’s worth. If you need a little more incentive to get into the habit, think about the fact that recycling also saves energy.

 

 

Recycling Benefits

 

Recycling BenefitsWalk around any store, and you are looking at products that took energy to produce them, particularly plastic and metal items. By using recycled materials, companies need less energy for production than making an item from scratch. Refining metal is a lengthy and expensive process and requires unbelievable amounts of water and petroleum.

 

According to the EPA, using recycled aluminum only uses 5% of the energy and emissions that are needed to extract new aluminum. Even with the energy used to collect, process, and transport recycled materials, making products from them takes less energy because the materials have already undergone the inefficient initial processing. That’s simplifying a complicated scenario, but consider these recycling examples provided by the EPA and state energy agencies:

 

  • Recycling 10 aluminum cans saves enough energy to power almost 52 hours of a laptop.
  • Even recycling just ONE aluminum can saves enough energy to watch television for 3 hours.
  • Recycling 1 plastic bottle a day for a month saves enough energy to power nearly 300 hours of a 60W CFL lightbulb.
  • Recycling paper cuts energy usage in half. (America’s daily use of computer paper could go around the world 40 times!)
  • Recycling a ton of glass saves the equivalent of nine gallons of fuel oil.
  • Recycling one million laptops saves the energy equivalent to the electricity used by more than 3,500 US homes in a year. The next time you buy new electronics such as computers and cell phones, think of turning the old ones in to an electronics store for recycling.

 

 

Recycling at Home

 

Recycling at HomeSo what can you do to recycle at home? Start small, and think of how you can reduce the need to purchase new products. Reduce food waste by eating the food you have already and reusing jars and containers instead of buying more. Purchase food products in concentrate or bulk to reduce packaging waste, and look for products that are made with recycled materials. Instead of buying products like paper towels or dust wipes, reuse rags or old socks for cleaning.

 

Check out the EPA’s Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle website for more home recycling tips. Or, take the next step and start recycling items that you would normally dump in the trash. To search for recycling locations near you, log onto RecyclerFinder.com.

   

How Window Film Enhances and Protects Homes

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You already know about the extensive benefits that Sunscape window films by Madico offer to homeowners including decreasing heat, reducing fading and health risks, and unprecedented energy savings. But many homeowners don’t realize that window film is a powerful and cost-effective alternative to enhancing the natural aesthetics of their home.

 

It’s worth explaining to potential customers that because their home is a personal space that they share with the people closest to them, it’s worth investing in window film not only to capture those potential health and energy savings benefits, but also to take advantage of the problem-solving, decorative potential of window film.

 

In the projects seen here, real Sunscape dealers have used Madico window films to solve real-world problems, and enhance the natural beauty of homes and businesses by applying our products to unique challenges.

 

 

Reduce glare and improve appearance

 

In addition to helping your customers live in greater comfort and safety, window film can most immediately cut glare. Over time, glare from the sun can cause eyestrain and ruin the natural qualities of light in a home. By blocking up to 99 percent of UV rays, window film can cut reflective glare by huge margins at home or in the office.

 

Naturally, window films by Madico can also enhance the appearance of a home. Using real-world examples where your company or other Sunscape dealers have augmented or upgraded the look of a home can be a powerful tool, especially when used in concert with the Sunscape Sales Meter Kit. This helps demonstrate to customers not only the health and wellness benefits of window film, but also that you understand the look and feel that the customer is seeking in their window film application.

 

 

Aesthetic and protective strategies

 

It’s also easy to demonstrate the fundamental value of a window film application. Whether they are using window film to hide clutter or refresh the style of a room, give life to old furniture styles or adding privacy with filtered light, window film can be an integral part of an overall aesthetic strategy.

 

You can see in these larger estate-style homes, window film is being used not only to conserve energy and block UV rays but also to focus attention on carefully composed views of landscaped grounds throughout the structures. Clients like these spend millions of dollars on custom construction, furniture, landscaping, and maintenance, so it’s a no-brainer for them to protect these valuable investments with window film.

 

Conversely, not every edifice benefits from spectacular views. Particularly in office buildings and the hospitality industry, window film can be used to block less desirable outdoor scenery and focus attention on the interior space of the building while cutting glare and potentially creating a division of space and/or privacy needed without blocking light. This works particularly well in open concept designs in both homes and offices.

 

 

A product for every need

 

Always remember that different applications are well suited to individual products. Our standard Duralite and Softlite are perfect for creating a neutral appearance, where Purelite tends to generate a soft light effect. Designer Grey is well-suited to panoramic windows where homeowners want to have a clear, crisp view, while homeowners with skylights may be interested in Solar Safety film.

 

Whichever Sunscape film you choose to employ, knowing its features and being able to express them uniquely to customers can be a real boost to your business. Finally, remember that you can always share your great window film projects on our private Facebook Group, as well as your company’s website.

   

4 Wacky Ways to Save Energy

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There are obvious ways to save energy on bills, such as installing a programmable thermostat or properly insulating your home from top to bottom. Then there’s alternative energy, like solar panels on your roof. Beyond that is a world of off-the-wall, out-of-the-box energy-saving ideas, which you may find surprisingly useful.

Pedal for Power

Pedal for PowerPedal-A-Watt is a bike stand that turns human power into energy watts. A well-conditioned cyclist could generate up to 400 watts, which is enough to power small household appliances. Pedal-A-Watt says a quick, 20-minute ride could power your laptop for over an hour.

Put Plants on Your Roof

Put Plants on Your RoofThis refers to a vegetative layer grown on top of your home, also known as “green roofs.” Depending on the structure and surface area you’re working with, this could mean a two-inch covering or a flourishing park with trees. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a conventional rooftop can get up to 90°F warmer than the air temperature. Green roofs, on the other hand, absorb heat, cooling the surface to below that of the surrounding air temperature. This natural insulator means you’ll be less reliant on traditional heating and cooling systems, helping you save on energy bills.

Outfit Your Outlets

Outfit Your OutletsYou’ve insulated your attic, basement and walls, but have you thought to clothe your outlets? What about your light switch panels? Well, it’s an option – and maybe a good idea. Covering these small, easily forgotten spots can help reduce drafts in your home. To create an airtight seal, you’ll need a pre-cut foam gasket that fits snuggly behind the outlet or switch plate. Look for a UL (Underwriters Laboratories) listed foam, which means it’s been tested for flammability and approved for application.

Text to Turn on the Lights

Text to Turn on the LightsA 2012 study revealed American smartphone users ages 18 to 24 sent an average of 2,022 text messages per month. With that in mind, an innovator named Alexander Parker created a concept dubbed Push to Charge technology, which is based on piezoelectricity. Piezoelectricity is the electrical charge created by applied mechanical stress, or putting pressure on something. Parker’s idea is to utilize the effort of tapping buttons on a cell phone to generate watts. In theory, each button would create 0.5 watts every time it’s pressed. Doing the math, that means an average of 0.115 kW would be created each day, while most cell phone batteries require only about 0.012 kW a day to hold a charge. This same technology could be applied to keyboards to power a laptop that uses 15 to 45 watts per hour. Parker says his design uses all metal, so it’s recyclable, reusable and more efficient than using wall outlets as a source of energy. Though Push to Charge has yet to come to life in full form, piezoelectricity as a whole is still largely being studied for its potential applications.

Even if these unique – and somewhat quirky – concepts aren’t realistic for your home, hopefully they’ve inspired you to think beyond basic energy-saving tactics for the most money-saving benefit.

   

Ever Wonder How Dams Save You Energy?

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We in America love our dams. They are symbols of American ingenuity. The water churning through the energy-producing turbines of the massive Hoover Dam is a symbol of what the country can accomplish when it puts its mind to a task. There are some 80,000 dams in the United States, and each provides hydropower to a nearby community.

 

Or so you’d think.

 

 

Untapped Potential

 

Untapped-potentialAs a matter of fact, very few dams are used to harness the energy-saving potential of water. Not even three percent of the nation’s dams produce power. Why? Dams, as we currently imagine them, are actually quite bulky, inefficient power-saving structures. So why are we talking about the potential of American hydropower if dams are an outdated clean energy source?

 

I’m glad I asked.

 

“Reviving hydropower does not mean recreating the hulking masses of concrete that defined mid-20th-century power development,” Brett Walton of Circle of Blue writes. “The prime spots are already plugged, and big new dams no longer fit the time . . . The alternative model is to make better use of infrastructure already in the ground.”

 

 

The 21st-Century Dam

 

The-21st-century-damLet’s find out what that alternative model looks like. If we lack imagination, it could be costly. As Walton writes, many 20th century dams are problematic: they clog our waterways, disrupting delicate ecosystems and sterilize our watersheds. But if we make minor repairs and additions to existing infrastructure, we could easily utilize the power of our nation’s rivers.

 

For example, adding a power turbine to an existing dam, although not perfectly ecologically sound, is much less destructive to the environment than erecting an entirely new dam. Structures called “pump storage” dams, which use excess energy to pump water from a low-elevation reservoir to a high-elevation one, are already clean energy success stories in European countries. And tearing down old, non-energy supplying dams could revitalize neglected ecosystems and chart a course for the new century’s dam decision-making process.

 

We haven’t figured out hydropower. But if we take a good hard look at the problem and choose our dam sites wisely, there’s no reason dams shouldn’t be a part of this century’s clean energy revolution.

   

Here are our Top Five Energy-Saving Products for Renters

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Not everyone has the ability to make the kind of substantial energy-saving upgrades that a homeowner can make. For example, it makes sense for someone who plans to live in a home indefinitely to invest in the home’s long-term energy cost. A $5000 investment that cuts an energy bill by $100 dollars per month for the next 10 years will result in a savings of more than double the initial investment.

But there are products tailored less for homeowners and more for people who simply want to update their living area. Here are five of our favorite energy-saving products for renters.

5. Belkin Wemo® Insight Smart Plug

Belkin-Wemo-Insight-Smart-PlugWe’ll do these in reverse order. This story should sound familiar to renters everywhere. You’re out of the house and you suddenly feel a sense of dread. You’ve left the hot plate on. Or, so you think. But there’s nothing you can do about it except leave wherever you are, go home, and check.

Not if you have an insight smart plug. You can turn off the outlet using your smartphone with nothing more than a flick of your thumb, save energy, and rest easier.

4. Florida Eco Products Waterpebble

Florida-Eco-Products-WaterpebbleEver get in the shower determined to duck in and out, using as little water as possible—only to hang around for minutes longer than necessary just because the gentle caress of the water is so lovely? I think all of us have probably had this experience.

The waterpebble helps us fight this impulse by tracking our water usage and actually telling us that it is time to save energy by leaving the shower, using a red-yellow-green light system. Once you see that red light, it’s time to leave.

3. SimpliSafe

This is another great idea for renters especially. You don’t want to invest in a full-out home security service, but you still want peace of mind. Get Simplisafe, an app that tracks movements outside of your home and alerts you to possible danger. You don’t need a system that makes you commit or buy tons of bulky merchandise. Just get a couple of tiny Simplicams, track on the app, and sleep better at night.

2. simplehuman® Sensor Mirror

simplehuman-Sensor-Mirror2This one is for the makeup lovers. You don’t need a makeup mirror that uses tons of incandescent light. The simplehuman sensor mirroruses a combination of natural light and LED to help you save energy and look your best. And it only lights up when you get near it—how cool is that?

1. Delta Breez Integrity Fan with Bluetooth Speaker

Delta-Breez-Integrity-Fan-with-Bluetooth-SpeakerThis one happens to be our favorite because it even entertains us while saving us energy. The fan gets your house bumpin’ with tunes you love while ventilating a room, leaving your energy bill in the basement. Give one a try today!

   

These Wild New Skyscrapers Are Building Forests in the Sky

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We were just getting used to green roofs—those fascinating combinations of garden and architecture. But now two architects working at opposite ends of the globe are planning even more incredible feats by designing farms and forests designed to live on the face of a skyscraper.

One of the most dramatic of these new urbanized farm projects is the Urban Skyfarm currently under design by Brooklyn-based Aprilli Design Studio for a site in Seoul, South Korea. This prototype building project uses four major tree-based components—the “root,” “trunk,” “branch,” and “leaves” —to house more than 24 acres of space for growing fruit trees, tomatoes, and other sustainable vegetation. The trunk of the tree is intended to contain an indoor hydroponic farm for greens, while the root portion provides a wide environmentally controlled space for market places and public activities.

Urban-Skyfarm-Easy-Energy-Tips

Meanwhile, turbines at the top of the tower provide enough energy to power the whole operation in a net-zero environment. The design also can capture rainwater and filter it through an artificial wetland before returning fresh water to the nearby Cheonggyecheon stream. Architects Steve Lee and See Yoon Park say the structure could support hundreds of environmental functions and serve as a model for how buildings are designed, constructed, and utilized in the future.

“Our version of the vertical farm was intended to become an independent, open-to-air structure which would be purely focusing on farming activities and sustainable functions such as generating renewable energy and performing air and water filtration,” the architects told Fast Company.

“With the support of hydroponic farming technology, the space could efficiently host more than 5,000 fruit trees. Vertical farming is more than an issue of economical feasibility, since it can provide more trees than average urban parks, helping resolve urban environmental issues such as air pollution, water run-off, and heat island effects, and bringing back balance to the urban ecology.”

Environmentally, the Urban Skyfarm acts as a living machine by producing renewable energy and lending the building improved air quality while reducing heat accumulation, storm water runoff, and carbon dioxide.

Mimicking the biological structure of a tree lends the design many structural and environmental advantages by creating a lightweight but efficient space to host different farming activities. Its designers also attest that the form creates a strong iconic image and represents a symbol of well-being and sustainable development.

Meanwhile, Back in Milan, Italy . . .

On the other side of the world, a wildly innovative Italian architect is plotting to apply greenery to the world’s most innovative buildings, including an already constructed project in Milan that has been named one of the the best tall buildings in the world.

The designer and architect is Stefano Boeri, and the dual skyscraper project in Milan is Bosco Verticale. His 256-foot and 344-foot towers are swaddled in more than 700 trees and 100 species of plants. In total, there are around 21,000 plants on the two towers, equivalent to five acres of forest spread over 1,300 square meters. It even has its own natural ecosystem with more than 20 species of birds nesting between the two towers.

Vertical-Forest-Easy-Energy-Tips

The design really is “green” in more than color only. The massive amounts of plant life help reduce smog and carbon dioxide, dampen noise levels, boost oxygen, and regulate heat and cold within the twin towers. Inside, a sophisticated irrigation system redirects used water back onto the forested “porches” to sustain the plant life.

Boeri calls the concept the “Vertical Forest” design, a concept that won the firm, Stefano Boeri Architetti, second place in last year’s Emporis Skyscraper Award, beating out more than 120 competitors including One World Trade Center in New York City and Burj Mohammed Bin Rashid Tower in Abu Dhabi.

“It is a model for vertical densification of nature within the city,” Boeri says. “Vertical Forest increases biodiversity, so it becomes both a magnet for and a symbol of the spontaneous re-colonization of the city by vegetation and animal life.”

Meanwhile, Around the World . . .

Milan’s Bosco Verticale is far from Boeri’s singular vision, and is just one of a host of projects around the world that are using urbanized vegetation to make life better for the people who live and work in these buildings.

Boeri has already unveiled plans for two Vertical Forests in Nanjing, China, as well as “Liuzhou Forest City” in China, the Wonderwoods residential apartment project in the Netherlands, and the sprawling Guizhou Mountain Forest Hotel in Southern China. He also recently announced a 36-story tower in Lausanne, Switzerland, where “Tower of Cedars” will feature more than 18,000 plants and 100 trees.

Liuzhou-Forest-City-Easy-Energy-Tips

“It’s something I’d been thinking about for a long time,” Boeri said recently. “I’ve always been fascinated by trees and architecture. In Lucca, Italy, there’s a 14th-century tower that has trees at the top. So I started to imagine how trees could become the main protagonist on a building’s facade.”

Boeri isn’t the only one thinking about how to build forests and gardens in the sky. His innovative, arboreal designs are inspiring and complementing other greenery-inspired architectural projects around the globe.

Rolex’s twisty future Dallas headquarters recently broke ground on its construction, featuring a design by architect Kengo Kuma that was inspired by Japanese castles and features landscaped terraces and a tree-lined rooftop event space.

Danish Architects Bjarke Ingels are hard at work in Los Angeles on 670 Mesquit, a 2.6 million-square-foot mixed-use project that features two massive concrete cubes topped with landscaped terraces.

Back in Asia, Vo Trang Nghia Architects are building a city complex in Ho Chi Minh City that will feature a 90,000-square-foot project with a communal rooftop garden. They’re also building a tree-lined campus at FPT University that will spread an elevated forest over the 14-square-mile site.

One Central Park in Sydney, Australia, hosts more than 190 plant species native to the country and features massive crawling vines that climb the building’s face.

Some critics have doubted the scientific veracity of the tree-building concepts, not to mention the aesthetics of simply propping a tree onto a concept drawing, but these innovative designers seem to be using green technology in a manner that is both ethically and tactically responsible.

Besides, some people just can’t see the forest through the trees.

Photo Credits: Stefano Boeri Architetti, Aprilli Design Studio.

   

How Tankless Water Heaters Help Us Save Energy and Money

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Aren’t we all a little scared of our water heaters? They sit in some out-of-the-way corner in our homes, powerful, and even a little volatile. When the machine malfunctions, we become aware of it through startling showers and frustrating tap-wringing.

Water heaters (necessarily!) run hot. They are your home’s best frenemy. And yet, according to a 2009 report, 97 percent of America’s water heaters had a tank. Despite the fact that those numbers have undeniably shifted in the almost-decade since that study, the water heater market is still dominated by tanks.

A Better Way?

A-Better-WayIt might be appropriate that we cited a 2009 study, because water heater tanks might before too long become artifacts of the past. According to our friends at Green Builder Media, tankless water heaters might be the future of home water heating. Government regulations have prohibited the energy-wasting heating models of yesteryear, which means manufacturers are forced to churn out bulkier, more expensive units. This plays right into the hands of tankless water heater retailers:

“These factors are expected to continue to boost popularity of the tankless gas condensing water heater market for several years,” Green Builder wrote.

Save Energy and Save Money

Save-Energy-and-Save-Money2These factors are also letting the market catch up to what has likely long been true. Despite a tankless water heater’s high initial cost, the money and energy savings of a tankless model more than make up for the initial price tag in the long run. “A household that uses up to 40 gallons of hot water daily can cut its bill by about 34 percent—about $100 per year—by going tankless,” Green Builder wrote.

This is often the case in the energy-saving market: consumers can access great savings—if they just have the cash, the patience, and the know-how. We hope now you at least have a little of that last one.

   

Saving Energy in Schools with Window Film

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Public school districts across the country spend more than $6 billion annually on energy, and as much as 30% of the total energy use is inefficient or unnecessary, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star program website or www.energystar.gov.

 

 

Controlling Energy Costs Year Round

 

PencilWith today’s technology schools have a lot of energy saving options, and one that can’t afford to be overlooked is window film. Professionally installed window film helps control indoor temperatures by keeping out up to 86% of the sun’s heat, dramatically reducing air conditioning costs. And in the winter, the same window film can help retain interior heat, reducing heating costs.

 

 

Creating a More Comfortable Environment

 

BookWindow film also helps regulate the temperature disparity between different parts of a school building, from classrooms that may be sunnier to administrative offices that may be shadier. Not only does this help conserve energy, it also make the school environment more comfortable for students, teachers, and staff. Window film offers glare reduction benefits too, reducing eyestrain for students working on their computers, and reducing the need for as much artificial lighting– that’s another energy saving benefit.

 

 

Offering Benefits Beyond Energy Savings

 

CompassThere are benefits of installing window film in schools that save money in other ways, including protection from fading. Window films can screen out nearly 100% of harmful ultraviolet rays that damage interior furnishings, flooring, artwork, and more. The longer interior fixtures last, the less money schools need to spend in replacement costs.

 

Window film also offers another key benefit that could be considered priceless: increased safety and security for students, teachers, and staff. In the aftermath of the tragic shootings in Newtown, CT, school safety and security is a high priority. If a bullet were to strike a window during a similar tragic event, safety and security films are designed to hold the shattered glass in place, potentially reducing the risk of injury and hopefully, decreasing casualties.

   

The Story of the Developer Who’s Trying to Build the World’s First Energy Self-Sufficient Rental Complex

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When a family member or (very) close friend tells you she just found an affordable apartment, it’s hard not to at least wonder what she’s paying on a monthly basis. But even if she tells you, she’s likely to leave out an important detail. Her answer will be “X dollars” plus utilities.

 

“Plus utilities” is a devilish little detail. If you live in a place where energy costs are high, it can be the difference between a comfortable home and an uncomfortable home. (Let’s face it: who wants to spend the summer in Phoenix without air conditioning?)

 

One developer in Florida is trying to wipe that little detail—utilities—out of the equation entirely. Here’s the story of how one home builder is trying to build the world’s first energy self-sufficient rental complex, courtesy of our friends at Green Builder Magazine.

 

 

If you build an energy self-sufficient rental, will they come?

 

If You Build An Energy Self-sufficient Rental, Will They ComeIn 2010, developer Rick Lococo had a crazy idea. In the peak of a recession, he dreamt up the notion of the world’s first energy self-sufficient rental complex. He wanted it to be 100% energy efficient—anything that came into the house to cool it or power its appliances would stay there.

 

There was one major problem with his proposal: cost. Home prices were falling fast; how could he justify the luxury price tag of a home with pricey eco-friendly prices at a time when home prices were at rock bottom?

 

He decided to build the best version he could. And that if he did, like Field of Dreams, they would come.

 

Come they did. That first development, Seabourn Cove, would go on to win 2013’s multifamily project of the year from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Green Building Awards. One big idea can go a long way.

 

 

Eco-friendly amenities galore

 

Eco-Friendly Amenities GaloreSpeaking of going a long way, the list of energy-efficient amenities in Seabourn Cove is truly something. According to Green Builder:

 

“Green features included LED and compact fluorescent lighting; water-saving faucets, showers, and toilets; water piping with shorter runs to reduce heat loss; high-efficiency 16 SEER air-conditioning units; programmable thermostats; R-38 ceiling insulation; solar roof ventilation; ceiling fans; hurricane impact-resistant windows and doors; Energy Star-rated appliances; and even electric vehicle charging stations.”

 

Even with that amazing laundry list of appliances, however, Lococo and Co. have yet to unlock the secret to the completely energy-efficient rental complex. (Seabourn Cove did bring down energy costs significantly, however.) Here’s hoping they find it soon.