To: Texas Manufacturers, Distributors, and Installers 

From:  Lynwood Butner, Legislative Consultant 

Date:  August 16, 2011 

Subject:  Label Placement Update/Notice to Inspection
Stations

The Legislative Alert dated August 28, 2009, and subsequent
notices related to label placement and content have advised members of the efforts
of the Department of Public Safety (DPS) in implementing Senate Bill 589 (effective September 1, 2009).  The clarification to the label placement and
content is now final and consistent with previous notices sent to
membership.

The regulation establishes the label to be affixed in the
lower corner of the driver’s side window.
The passenger side is optional.

The content of the label shall include “Complies with TRC
Chapter 547” (or “Complies with TTC 547.613 (b)” which is currently utilized).  Any other information on the label, including
the installer’s name, is optional.

The distribution of this information is being coordinated
between IWFA and the Department of Public Safety to ensure consistent understanding
and application of the regulation.  There
should be no changes with current industry practices.

The Department of Public Safety also has worked effectively
with the industry to remind those using tint meters of the importance of
checking battery life to avoid inaccurate readings.  A notice has been transmitted to all
inspection stations emphasizing the importance of maintaining appropriate
calibrations and battery replacements for all tint meters.  This issue was identified in one area of the
state and, with the support of DPS, our joint goal of statutory and regulatory
compliance as well as consistent application of policy has been greatly
enhanced.

Industry supports the efforts of DPS to achieve full
compliance with all current laws and regulations regarding the use of window
tinting products.

For our part, we are developing online training for you and your customers as well as selling tools such as energy modeling reports that can help you from the first cold call through getting referrals for your next satisfied customer. As for the IWFA, check out what was published in the Sustainable Facility magazine by Darrell Smith, Executive Director of the IWFA.

Consider Window Film First

Sustainable Facility

By Darrell Smith

July 5, 2011

http://www.sustainablefacility.com/articles/87403-consider-window-film-first

Facility managers tend to look at window film as a last
resort, when it should be one of the first options considered for saving money,
reducing energy, and protecting occupants and interiors.

Like any renovation, retrofitting a commercial building envelope
to be more efficient requires careful planning. Before the decision is made to
go ahead with the project, it is important to clearly identify the areas that
need improvement. The installation of window film can play a major role in
achieving a high-performance building envelope. Window film can be an appealing
retrofit option to increase a building’s overall efficiency due to its ease of
implementation and relative low cost. Facility managers tend to look at window
film as a last resort, when in fact, they should be looking at it as one of the
first alternatives. No matter what the particular goals of a renovation may be
—extending the life of furniture and furnishings, minimizing occupant
disruption, saving energy and reducing demand, downsizing the HVAC system,
interior comfort, or even just restoring some of the building’s architectural
integrity — installing window film should be considered from the very
beginning.

Lower Cost and Less Disruption

Once the decision has been made to upgrade the windows in a
building, the cost of a full window replacement versus window film installation
should be considered. At one-fifth to one-tenth the cost of replacement windows
(depending on the application) window film offers a less expensive alternative.
Installation of window film is also less time intensive, with start to finish of
a given office completed in just a few hours, many times done during unoccupied
timeframes such as in the evening. Replacing windows can shut down the use of a
commercial building, room by room, section by section, as windows are replaced,
since in many cases not just the window but the entire framed area must be
replaced. Window film can be installed with minimal disruption, allowing tenants
in occupied areas continued use of the space. From both an economic standpoint
and the lack of inconvenience to clients and tenants alike, window film is a
viable option.

Heating and Air Conditioning Capacity

If looking to change the heating and air conditioning capacity
of a building, or overhaul a low-performing building’s systems, the potential
benefits of window film should be considered before system replacement.
According to the Pew Center on Global Climate Change, improving window
performance will reduce the load on the HVAC system, and in many cases, allow
buildings to downsize HVAC equipment or, in cases where more capacity rather
than replacement is needed, avoiding a capital outlay altogether. Factoring the
potential efficiency increases of window film installation into a renovation may
reduce the load on a building’s HVAC system and lower overall capital and
operating costs. A building’s air conditioning needs can be calculated with or
without window film and the results may show that a capacity increase is either
unnecessary or a smaller system than previously estimated may be sufficient,
lowering overall capital and operating costs.

Reduce UV
Exposure

In large commercial buildings, there is a great demand for large
expanses of windows to create interiors with lots of natural light. Though
structurally appealing, this can be detrimental to the furniture, draperies and
carpet, from the resulting ultraviolet (UV) radiation, which is known to cause
40-60 percent of all fading and sun damage. Curtains and blinds can be used to
block the sun, but they also block the natural light and may be subject to UV
degradation over time themselves. Applying window film helps reduce the UV
radiation from entering the room (up to 99 percent depending on the film) while
still allowing the natural sunlight in. This can increase the length of a
replacement cycle for the furniture and carpet and other window coverings, and
even improve the life of the less expensive furniture in the room. In addition
to protecting the furnishings in the building, window film also serves as UV
protection for the tenants, aiding in their health.

General
Comfort

Installing window film helps reduce glare from excess light, as
well as helps with temperature regulation, making it more comfortable for people
sitting in front of a window. This is especially true with large window arrays,
where it can get hot or cold quickly. Initial instinct would be to put up shades
or blinds, but, as mentioned above, these block the natural light. Limiting the
natural light would mean that artificial light would need to be provided, thus
increasing energy use and cost.

The denial of natural light to building occupants can also
negatively impact their productivity and well-being. Studies conducted by the
California Energy Commission demonstrate a relationship between low levels of
natural light and less than optimum performance on the part of building
occupants. People who spend significant time in artificially lit or generally
dark spaces tend to feel less energized, get sick more often and be less
productive than their counterparts that work and live in natural light. In
addition, persons who have extreme skin or eye sensitivity to either intense
light or UV are afforded better working environments.

Maintain
Architectural Integrity

When working on a retrofit or remodel, the façade of the
building needs to be considered. On original architectural plans, the aesthetic
remains consistent across all the windows of the entire building. Many older
buildings, constructed with clear or lightly tinted glass, begin to take on a
different look as tenants moved in. For example, one person may put up curtains
in his or her office, another, shutters, and one may have an array of plants.
Because of the clear glass, everything is on display, and the original
architectural integrity of the exterior of the building has been lost. If a
window film with color or colored reflectants is used, then the windows look
alike from the exterior view, thus restoring the original architectural
integrity to the building and making what is happening inside the building
irrelevant to its appearance.

Apart from potential cost and commissioning savings, from a
green perspective, choosing window film has less of an environmental impact than
creating a new window and disposing of the old one. Window film, both carbon-
and cost-effective, reduces a building’s carbon footprint more effectively and
for less money than new windows. When looking to renovate an existing structure
to achieve a high-performance building envelope, window film installation should
be included as an option among other retrofit choices.

Darrell Smith is executive director of the International Window
Film Association (IWFA). Smith has over 40 years experience in marketing, sales
and distribution, with the last 30 years in the window film industry. Smith
represents the film industry as an officer and member of the Boards of Directors
of the Protective Glazing Council, the Glazing Industry Code Committee and the
Secretariat (GISC) of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).

There are many new exciting features on the new IWFA website, notably:

• Sleek, updated layout using the IWFA’s fresh new colors and branding
• More timely updates highlighting current IWFA and industry news
• Enhanced communication system, allowing for more targeted emails to members depending on specific industry roles and interests
• Easier to navigate with easy-to-use tabs for browsing
• Segmented for specific audiences (i.e. Consumers and Window Film Professionals)
• Simplified business locator, providing the ability to search for a dealer, distributor, supplier or specific manufacturer
• Access to media releases, industry news and legislative alerts
• Interactive events calendar with auto-calendar appointments and a “Remind Me” feature
• Exclusive, members-only content, including branding and marketing materials to download and share

This is only the beginning of the website redesign and we are looking forward to continued improvements, which will include many more members-only capabilities including the ability to create a one page “website” or company profile directly on the IWFA site. We will also be establishing a section on the home page for Design Professionals (i.e. engineers, architects, interior decorators) with information specific to their needs.

The web site is a source of information for thousands of consumers and design professionals so if you are not already a member you are missing out on being promoted to these potential customers.

We encourage you to join, so that you can take full advantage of these new features. To learn more about a membership in the IWFA, including how to join, click here.

HanitaTEK’s Course Number 0090005809 “Energy Savings, Carbon Reduction, and Window Film” has been approved by the USGBC and added to the Course Catalog.

“Greenwashing, the practice of calling everything ‘green’ as a marketing gimmick is a tough business practice to compete against. By putting these facts into the hands of USGBC LEED Accredited Professionals, Green Associates, and others, HanitaTEK is bringing back the fenestration discussion into a technically defensible position” said Mark A. Carlson, CEM, LEED Green Associate and Business Development Manager for HanitaTEK.

James K. Black, President and General Manager of HanitaTEK discussed

“… the relevance of supporting the USGBC with this course cannot be overstated. As the premier accrediting body for green building in the United States, the USGBC has a great opportunity to broaden the “green building” concept to include window films”.

As we begin to shift more attention to energy savings, we want to make available to our customers the EnergyPlus EFilm program to help our customers secure large-scale projects.  We were able to prove the ROI of the install to the property management companies.  Better yet, we can train and license you to do them on your own!  That saves you time, and gives you the tools you need to quickly and accurately describe the benefits our solar film will have on a building.

These two recent successes took some one on one time with our dealers to train them.  Dennis and Mark Carlson first directed the customers to the online training found at www.hanitatek.com/training, and then worked through the program details and what information was critical to get an accurate output.

We would love nothing more than to partner with you, and share in success stories like these!  If you would like more information, please feel free to contact Sarah or Mark!

“We are proud of the steps we have taken as a company to solidify the positioning of HanitaTEK window films alongside more conventional building energy systems’ improvements.  Using HanitaTEK window films can be a smart addition to an overall energy plan and the ROI can be precisely modeled just like the ROI of a chiller upgrade.  In addition, because demand likely peaks when solar heat gain is highest, HanitaTEK window films can also significantly reduce demand charges” said James K. Black, President and General Manager of HanitaTEK.

Located in Dallas, Texas, HanitaTek is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hanita Coatings and works with ESCOs to provide turn-key installed kW and kWh solutions utilizing HanitaTEK window films – a business strategy has made Hanita Coatings a global leader in energy and environmental solutions.  Of course, as an ISO 14001-Certified company, Hanita Coatings is committed to producing our energy-saving products within a context of environmental impact.

To learn more about HanitaTEK window films technology and the kind of partner HanitaTEK will be to other Energy Service Companies, visit www.HanitaTEK.com.

Window film is, of course, a piece of the energy savings puzzle, along with different types of lighting, HVAC, and other current technologies.

So how do we, as an industry, help to push this agenda? To give legitimacy to the energy savings, HanitaTek and Hanita Coatings have hired energy specialists to help us work with building engineers etc. Through conversations at the top, we hope to influence building managers to push for films to be placed on buildings to save energy.

We also have Energy Plus e-Film programming available to help you, our customers, show the return on investment of film installation to commercial customers. As a matter of fact, all you have to do is contact us to get a version that can be downloaded to your computer. We even have training available online on how to run these analyses.

We also cannot forget the work of the IWFA. We do not “see” most of the work they do behind the scenes on our behalf every day. They are actively working with government lobby groups and energy companies to make sure our films are included in energy savings bills, and incentives are provided for homes and businesses for installing the film.

Energy savings is becoming a huge opportunity for our industry. It is important that we all become knowledgeable now, to help grow our businesses going forward.

To read more, check out the article at: http://nationaljournal.com/columns/political-connections/energy-efficiency-gets-short-shrift-20110512

One common question we receive is to explain the difference between the ANSI Z97.1 test protocol, and the CPSC CFR 1201 are both human impact tests that are designed very similarly.  Both are designed to mitigate injury when the glass is broken. 

CPSC’s 16 CFR 1201 is the federal standard, where ANSI Z97.1 is voluntary, and leaves the determinations of when and where safety glazing materials must be used up to fenestration specifiers.  Both test methods have pass / fail criteria, and involve different categories or classes based on the distance of the ball drop and foot-pound impact.

The Glass Association of America has a really nice, in-depth article about these two tests, how they are different, and what that means to you.  You can see it here.

HanitaTek’s 4 and 7 mil clear, as well as the new 5 Mil Optitune 22 have passed these tests.  If you ever have any questions as to what films would fit a specification’s bill, please contact us.  We want to help you succeed!

The IWFA has been forging ahead with new initiatives and activities to benefit the industry. If you are not already a member we encourage you to join and take advantage of new opportunities to participate in your industry trade association and further the awareness and growth of window film. A strong membership is critical to growing the market for everyone.
One of the most exciting changes taking place at the IWFA is the reuniting of the major industry efforts of the window film manufacturers with those of the dealers and distributors into one strong cohesive movement. With this single unified platform, the IWFA now has an even stronger voice to increase the visibility and awareness of the window film industry.
To advance this initiative, the IWFA elected a new Board of Directors for 2011 that for the first time represents all facets of the industry – manufacturers, dealers and distributors — to make sure that the needs of every member continues to be served and that everyone has a voice in what we are doing.
In addition a new committee formed to support dealer and distributor members. The new Members Action Committee allows dealers and distributors to have increased input on IWFA matters and is currently accepting new members from the IWFA membership base. Dealers and distributors can now also serve on many of the newly formed committees that are addressing specific areas of interest to increase the presence of the window film industry as a whole.
The IWFA is looking forward to increased member participation and accepting requests from dealers and distributor members to join the following committees:
• Members Action –Mentioned above, this newly formed committee is responsible for representing the needs of our dealer/distributor members. Additionally, this group will play an active role in creating educational materials for industry use to help us create a consistently positive message and approach as we spread the word about window film.
• Government Affairs – The IWFA has taken a very active role in increasing window film’s role at the legislative role and this task is being spearheaded by the Government Affairs committee. One of the major initiatives resulted in window film’s inclusion in last year’s proposed HomeSTAR and BuildingSTAR legislation.
• Alliances and Membership – As our association works to increase the influence and awareness of window film, our members are more critical than ever. Now forming, this
US2008 2517661.1
committee is specifically tasked with growing IWFA membership and creating strategic industry alliances.
• Technical and Standards – The work of this group was critical to achieving window film’s NFRC rating and it is continuing its work with standards-setting groups to include window film in its ratings and recommendations around energy efficiency to grow the awareness of window film as a building product.
• Communications and Education –Continuing its push to increase the market awareness of window film, this committee is actively working on a brand update for the IWFA, a revamped website, and an aggressive public relations program which started last year with the appointment of Schwartz Communications.
The IWFA is excited about new initiatives ahead and invites everyone to keep checking our website for additional updates. To learn more about a membership in the IWFA, including how to join, click here.