When the sun’s rays shine through the windows and heat up the inside of your store, people are uncomfortable and merchandise fades. With electricity and fuel costs constantly on the rise, it is in the best interest of business owners to learn how to reduce harmful effects caused by natural sunlight.
As a business owner here are a few things to take into consideration to reduce your energy costs, diminish harsh glare and fading, and increase the comfort of tenants and customers while they are inside your store or office building.
Problems with unprotected storefronts:
Benefits of protecting your store from the sun:
- Your customers and employees are comfortable, productive and willing to come back.
- You protect your investment by reducing merchandise fading
- Your cooling costs drop
SOLAR PROTECTION –
The three best ways to protect your building’s environment from the sun:1) Location
The best way to protect your retail space is by choosing a store location that isn’t exposed to direct sunlight. This is easier said than done, but if you have the opportunity to choose your storefront’s location; your best option would be one with Northern exposure. In addition, remember to look for any shading provided by the building’s structure; awnings and trees will do nicely.
2) Window Tint
More often than not, one cannot avoid the direct rays of the sun. In that case, one’s best defense in the face of solar radiation is proper window tinting. Window tinting is both affordable and can be easy to install. The correct window tint film not only protects your valuable merchandise from fading but also dramatically reduces cooling costs.
A recent advancement in window film technology allows for the rejection of 90% of the sun’s infrared (heat) light and 99.9% of ultra-violet (UV) light while still providing a clear view of your merchandise for outsiders looking in.3) Displays
A more creative way of blocking the sun from entering your retail space is by setting up a window display. This is a better approach than installing shades or blinds because you typically want to display your products and services in full view of your customers when they’re outside.
The only drawback to blocking the sun with a display is that the sun’s UV light will fade the display as well as any exposed peripheral merchandise. Depending on the type of business you have, a clear view into the store may attract more customers; therefore, smaller window displays– coupled with a protective window tint film– may be your best bet.
