Solar control · TSER 75%

Heat rejection at the glass plane. Lower than the tinted films in the range (Premium Ceramic 80%, Reflective Silver 85%) but still substantial — well above the threshold where the film makes a measurable difference to room temperature. The trade-off for near-zero visible change.

Glare control · ~20%

Modest glare reduction — the film cuts the most aggressive infrared and a sliver of the visible-glare spectrum without dimming the room. Significantly less glare cut than Reflective Silver or Premium Ceramic, which is the consequence of preserving the visible-light transmission.

UV control · 99%

Identical to the rest of the Solar Film range. 99% UV transmission blocked — equivalent to SPF 500+ at the glass plane. Critical for museum and gallery glazing where this is the headline benefit.

Daylight preservation · 75% VLT

Visible Light Transmission stays at 75% — essentially the same as untreated glass. The room reads the same brightness to occupants and the same product visibility to street observers. The central benefit for shopfront and listed-residential scope.

Exterior appearance · ~12% reflectivity

Close to untreated glass (~10%) — the film is nearly invisible from outside in daylight conditions. Heritage officers and conservation architects can verify this at survey before consent is sought. No additional planning conditions typically required.

Per-pane application

Applied per pane like the rest of the Solar Film range. Different panes can take different films — Clear Heat Rejection on the street-facing listed glazing, Premium Ceramic on the rear elevations, Reflective Silver on commercial roof-lights — all within the same property if needed.

Winter U-value bonus

A small heating-season bonus — the metallised layer acts as a low-emissivity coating, marginally improving the glazing U-value by around 6%. Not the headline benefit, but worthwhile in the heat-and-cool shoulder seasons.

No degradation

Spectrophotometer measurements at 10 years show performance within 2% of original spec. The metallised layer is hard-coated; the polyester carrier is UV-stable. Performance holds for the 20+ year design life without intervention.

Combined with active controls

The film is the passive load-reduction layer. Active cooling and MVHR systems sit downstream of the film's solar-rejection contribution. Active systems can be smaller and run less because the film has done its work first — even at 75% TSER, the load reduction is substantial.

1 · Polyester carrier

Optically-clear polyester film, typically 50–75 micron thick, serves as the carrier for the engineered-clear metallised layer. Same carrier material across the Solar Film range — the visual and performance difference between the three films is in the coating, not the carrier.

2 · Engineered-clear metal layer

Atom-thin layer of selectively-tuned metal alloy, vacuum-deposited onto the polyester via magnetron sputtering. The alloy composition and thickness are engineered specifically for infrared rejection while preserving visible-light transmission — fundamentally different from the Reflective Silver coating which optimises for total rejection at the cost of visibility.

3 · Hardcoat protective layer

Scratch-resistant hardcoat over the metallised layer, on the room-facing side of the film. Compatible with standard window-cleaning solutions and microfibre cloths. Identical to the hardcoat used across the Solar Film range.

4 · Pressure-sensitive adhesive

Acrylic adhesive on the window-facing side of the carrier. Adhesion to glass develops over the first 14 days post-install as the adhesive cross-links. Won't bubble, peel, or yellow within the 12-year warranty period.

5 · Edge sealant · listed-glazing standard

Transparent edge sealant applied around the perimeter of the film on all listed-glazing installs, regardless of pane size. The edge integrity matters more on heritage installs because heritage officers may re-audit the film months or years later; visible edge lift would compromise the consent.

6 · Heritage consent documentation

Supplied with every listed-building install: manufacturer's technical certificate, spectrophotometer reading of the as-installed film, photographic record of the exterior appearance before and after, and CleverBloom installer's signed-off compliance statement. The documentation pack supports the listed-building consent process.

12-year warranty

Solar Film warrants the film against bubbling, peeling, yellowing, and significant performance degradation for twelve years from installation. Conditional on the film being installed on glass in good condition (no cracks, no edge damage, no failed double-glazed-unit seals).

20+ year design life

Solar Film publishes a 20+ year design life on Clear Heat Rejection. The metallised layer is hard-coated and the polyester carrier is UV-stable. Service life typically exceeds the warranty by a significant margin.

No maintenance required

The film needs no special maintenance beyond normal window cleaning. The hardcoat protects against scratching from microfibre cloths. No annual service, no recalibration, no replacement schedule within the warranty period.

Window cleaning

Treat the filmed surface as you would any glass — microfibre cloth, mild soap solution, no abrasive cleaners. The hardcoat handles this without degradation. Avoid scraping with razor blades or steel wool; both will damage the film surface.

Heritage audit support

For listed-building installs, the heritage documentation pack (technical certificate, spectrophotometer reading, before/after photographs) supports any future heritage audit. CleverBloom retains a copy and can provide additional documentation on request for planning or insurance purposes.

Replacement at end of life

At end of service life (typically 20+ years), the film is removed by hand-warming and peeling, and a replacement film applied to the same glass. No glass replacement needed. The heritage record carries forward through the replacement.