ADS Window Films (UK) - Northwest and Southwest

Residential | Home Window Tinting

Christin — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 14:23:00 +0000

ADS are the leading residential window film installers in the Southwest

Here are 7 ways Window Tinting can help your home:

The 7 Benefits of Home Window Tinting

Tinting minimizes heat and AC loss through windows, thus increasing energy savings.
It protects carpets, curtains and furniture from fading.
Tint cuts back on the sun’s damaging UV rays by over 90%.
The tint makes windows safer, preventing injury and damage from broken glass.
It reduces glare that can be annoying.
Privacy
Tinting can be Decorative.
Tinting can also reduce heat loss through the glass, saving on heating bills.

1) Increased Energy Savings

One of the primary benefits to tinting your residential windows it to lower your energy bills. How is this made possible? The window tint film minimizes heat loss i n the winter and heat gain in the summer, which saves you money on fuel and electricity! It also lowers the loss of air conditioning in hotter months. This makes your windows more energy efficient and your rooms more comfortable to be in, all without changing your windows.

2) Tint Protects Furniture

We all long to have light fill our rooms and don’t want to compromise the view by always needing to have our curtains closed just to prevent the sun from damaging our furniture.

UV window film can greatly reduce the fading caused by the sun on your fabrics, carpet, artwork and wood. So, if fading has been an issue for you, stop running around opening and closing window treatments and get your windows professionally tinted. Then you can enjoy the light without the fear of furniture damage.

3) Cuts Back on the Sun’s Damaging U V Rays

Who thinks to wear sun block inside their home? It’s hard enough to remember to put it on when you are going out! Most people don’t think about it when they are inside their own home. However, there is a simple way to protect your family from the the sun’s damaging ultra violet rays when you are indoors. Have your windows covered with a window film by professional window tinters. Window films can reduce the sun’s UV rays by over 90%, some even by 99%. Why add to your chances of getting skin related health problems when something so basic can be done.

4) Safety and Protection

An added reason to consider adding window tinting for your home is its security and safety feature. When a window that does not have a protective film is broken, glass fragments are sprayed throughout the room with risk of personal injury. Also, the resulting hole allows rain to enter the home and cause damage. On the other hand, windows with a security film stay attached to the film even when it is broken. This keeps the window sealed from the elements. The film also makes the window more resistant to breakage from day to day bangs and bumps.

Hurricane window film, or security window film, is a thicker gauge of film that offers greater protection to the home against violent storms, natural disasters and vandalism.

5) Reduces Glare

Direct sunlight is valuable in a home. It makes you feel great and reduces the need to use lights. Too much light can some times create a glare and make it difficult to work or relax with out closing the blinds. Window tint gets rid of significant glare, allowing you to make the most of the sunlight.

6) Privacy

Privacy window film can be added to windows to make areas private without sacrificing light. This film can be used in the bathroom, office, on kitchen cabinet doors, on gla ss door panels, or for windows that face the street. You can get tinting that gives you a clear view of outside, but prevents people from being able to see in.

7) Decorative

Window tinting can also add a decorative element to your home. The tinting can quite accurately imitate the look of expensive windows, but at a much lower cost. It can also easily be removed if you move or would like to change the look of the windows. Decorative window films even come with a mural and can be applied to a picture window for an instant view.

When it comes to insulating your home or conservatory against heat and cold, a window is like a “hole-in-the-wall”.

In summer, ordinary glass lets the sun’s heat penetrate your home, making you and your family very uncomfortable and forcing your air conditioner to work harder. In winter, glass panes lose a substantial amount of your home’s heat.

Call us today on
0800 594 2583
We’re No. 1 in the Southwest!

CoolKote for Conservatory

Christin — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:22:40 +0000

Remember those summers when the sun’s heat went through the roof?

Your conservatory is a very effective heat trap…
… the same could be said of rooflights in factories. As the sun blazes down on the roof, the temperature goes through it! In recent summers, mid-afternoon heat can be unbearable for you, your family or staff and even your plants.

Coolkote solves the problem and here’s how it works…

Treatment with Coolkote prevents the heat building up under polycarbonate or glass roofs by reflecting the suns heat away before it can be transmitted.

Immediate and dramatic reductions in internal daytime temperatures are achieved. Coolkote is a high performance metalised PVC coating, providing an inexpensive and extremely effective solution to the problem. ADS can apply this to your existing glass or polycarbonate roofing quickly, cleanly and with the minimum of disruption.

Fully protected with Coolkote on roof and Charcoal film on doors and windows

Security & Safety Films

Christin — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 12:59:13 +0000

Safety and Security Film from ADS Window Films

Current legislation stipulates that glazing in all non-domestic premises that is deemed to be in a critical location should be made of a safety material. Typically this means to approximately waist height (of an average adult) in all windows and shoulder height in or adjacent to doors.

Failure to comply may result in prosecution in the event of an accident, as well as the obvious likelihood of serious injury to the general public or your employees.

The option of reglazing all critical locations with laminated or toughened glass will prove to be a very expensive, as well as disruptive operation.

Alternatively, the application of a fully tested Safety Film to the glazing will ensure compliance with the regulations as well as offering the following additional benefits:

Less expensive with every pane correctly marked
Existing glazing upgraded in-situ without the disruption of a full reglaze
Scratch resistant surface to glazing with a factory backed warranty
Additional Solar Control to reduce heat gain/loss, glare and fading
Reduces the risk of injury from falling through glass or from flying shards of glass

Security should also be a major considerationconcerning business or domestic properties, especially in high-risk locations. The application of Film to the inside of windows and doors holds broken glass fragments in place when shattered which will provide the following benefits, thus increasing the security of your property:

See Below for an example of how clear security / safety film thwarted an attempted break in.

DRAFT RELEASE OF EDITORIAL SET TO GO TO PUBLICATION

Armorgard safety window film from ADS Window Films Ltd. has prevented an attempted smash and grab raid at a high street shop in Chard, Somerset. A concrete boulder weighing approximately 100 kilos was thrown three or four times at the shopfront of Barons Menswear in the early hours of the morning in an attempt smash the glass. Although the glass shattered, the Armorgard film held the pieces intact within the window frame and prevented the would be thieves from gaining access to the shop.

The Armorgard film installed by ADS Window Films Ltd has now been installed to neighbouring shops that saw first hand the very real benefits of the film.

Shop proprietor John Baron comments: “ There is no doubt in my mind that the safety film prevented a burglary. This was no speculative, random attempt. It was the second attempted break in and it was definitely planned. The first attempt was on a window that didn’t have safety film and that unfortunately succeeded.

Armorgard is a clear polyester film, which is applied to the internal face of windows or glazed door panels. In the event of a breakage, it holds together the shards of broken glass to prevent injury, damage and, in this case illegal entry. While safety film cannot be claimed to be burglar proof, it makes penetration much more difficult and slow, deterring the less determined burglar and giving time for the alarm to be raised. It can also be used to protect glass display cabinets and when 350-micron film is bonded to 6.4-laminated glass, the ultimate British Standard 5544, commonly known as “anti bandit” test can be achieved.

Acts as a post-impact barrier to frustrate the break-in attempts of the opportunist burglar, thus deterring unwelcome visitors
Protects property, reducing the risk of vandalism
Reduces the risk of injury from flying shards of glass
Provides Bomb-blast protection to high risk buildings, reducing the effects of an explosion

Storms. Earthquakes. Chemical explosions. Bomb blasts. Theft. Vandalism. All of these events can cause massive damage to our homes and businesses, and in many cases, can prove lethal. The addition of ADS films and our safety anchoring restraint systems dramatically improve security for buildings of all kinds.

No matter where you are, or what your window protection needs are, ADS has the films to fit them.

Natural Disaster Protection

During storms, when high-powered winds are allowed to enter a structure, they can collapse it from the inside. By preventing the glass from shattering, ADS’s security film not only prevents potential physical harm, but also keeps winds from rushing inside and doing serious structural damage. And during eart tremors, the film holds glass together under the most extreme conditions, minimizing injury to those nearby, both inside and out.

It’s convenient, permanent, and most importantly, a more effective alternative to boarding or taping your windows.

Blast Protection

The powerful blast from a bomb can cause immeasurable destruction. It would seem that windows shattering would be the least of it, but a single square foot of glass can produce up to 200 deadly, razor-sharp fragments. Flying glass shards are what many times causes severe injury, and even death.

ADS’s Safety & Security systems are specifically engineered and tested to meet stringent federal and state mandated standards, more so than any other manufacturer in the industry.

The security film manufacturers conduct blast tests that adhere to the protocols outlined by the U.S. General Services Administration’s Standard Test Method for Glazing and Window Systems Subject to Dynamic Overpressure Loadings.

Petro-Chemical

When working with flammable chemicals, there is always the risk of an explosion, and every plant or refinery is required to have a plan in place to minimize loss of life. ADS’s SafetyShield Safety & Security systems should be a key part of any safety plan. SafetyShield prevents glass from shattering in high-powered internal and external explosions, which would propel thousands of sharp fragments at high speeds, potentially causing additional serious injuries and fatalities. With four Anchoring Restraint Systems to choose from, ADS has the solution that’s right for your facility.

Graffiti-Free

Vandalism is more than just a nuisance and eyesore, it’s also a huge financial drain to public and private budgets. The cost of repeatedly replacing windows and glass that has been scratched up or marked with spray-paint can end up being prohibitive, not to mention time consuming and disruptive.

Graffiti-Free is ADS’s window coating for the commercial and retail marketplace. When vandals do strike, it won’t be permanent. The window stays put, and just the film is replaced, at a fraction of the cost.

Anti-Intrusion

Windows are, and always have been, the quickest way for people to gain access to someplace they’re not supposed to be. And if they’re going in through a smashed window, it’s usually because time is something they don’t have much of.

ADS’s safety film stops these intruders in their tracks. When struck, the glass will break, but not shatter, preventing the intruder from entering quickly, and leaving him wondering what to do next.

This is a video showing how security window film can protect glass against attack and shattering:

Car Window Tinting

admin — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 12:56:37 +0000

Need you car, van or people carrier tinted?

ADS are the leading car window tinting specialists in the Southwest, with over 11 years experience and 5000 cars later we can guarantee a quality installation. Some less experinced companies apply rear screens in 2 or 3 pieces, ADS car window tinting service includes 99.5% of screens applied with one piece of quality film.

Tinted windows look great but there are also other benifits, including safety, security, privacy, comfort and protection to upholstery against the harmful and damaging UV Rays. From a health perspective, there has been research done that suggest having film applied can reduce the risk of skin cancer. See below

Commercial

admin — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 12:47:50 +0000

ADS are the leading Commercial Window Film installers in the Southwest!

Here’s why having window tints in your office space is essential:

In today’s modern architecture having a window friendly environment is a main focus during the design process of building a new structure. We all love windows in our lives it is the connection with the outdoors that makes us want that window seat on an airline or a restaurant, working in an office with no windows is not something most people want, most people strive for that corner office with windows.

We all want glass but unfortunately we have many issues with structures made with a lot of glass:

Large windows increase the sun entering a structure causing a rise in temperature inside a structure
Glare becomes a problem at certain times of day making it hard to see a computer screen or TV
When the suns UV rays enter your office they damage wood floors, woodwork, walls, artwork, carpeting, curtains and even your skin.

The solution to the problems modern architecture creates is Commercial Window Film. Using Commercial
Window Tinting Film will:

Reduce the temperature in a large glass structure by up to 15º
Allow your employees to be more efficient because glare can be reduced by up to 85%
Reduce damaging UV rays from entering your structure by 99.9%
Prolong the life of air conditioning units due to the reduction of its use
This is a “Green” technology that will save you money and protect the environment

ADS Window Films Ltd, supply and install a range of world class window films and WHEN IT COMES TO COMMERCIAL FILM:

WE MEAN BUSINESS

With years of experience in the supply and installation of commercial window film, ADS Window Films Ltd. has a track record for helping thousands of commercial customers with their solar related glazing problems. Ranging from opaque films that provide maximum privacy and solar control to spectrally selective films that maintain on unobstructed view while rejecting tremendous amounts of heat, there is an ADS Window film for every potential application.

ULTIMATE ENERGY EFFICIENCY
With the goal of achieving the ultimate in energy efficiency, ADS Window Films Ltd supplies many window films utilizing specialty metals.

Available in a wide range of shades and light densities, these films are spectrally selective, that is, they allow considerable amounts of visible light to penetrate the film while excluding much of the sun’s heat. Commercial building owners substantially reduce utility bills by simply applying solar control window films.

Most solar control films pay for themselves through the energy savings they create in approximately two year’s time, and carry 10 year warranties. Levels of efficiency are so high that many utility companies offer incentives or rebate for the application of window film. Productivity in the workplace increases as glare is reduced and hot and cold spots are eliminated. In many cases privacy increases and the buildings facade acquires a uniform, aesthetically pleasing look.

Our window films eliminate up to 99% of ultraviolet light, greatly reducing the fading of furniture, rugs, and other fabrics..

Our window films are the result of outstanding quality standards and technical initiative. ADS Window Films use the most optically clear polyester film available and superior pressure sensitive adhesives. These are continually researched and refined, producing a high-temperature, high-shear formulation that will not peel, bubble, or delaminate due to heat or age. A durable scratch resistant coating (SCR) protects the film surface against scratching caused by dirt, dust, and everyday wear and tear.

Our commercial window films are the most durable and attractive films available today. Each product is backed by an extensive manufacturers warranty that guarantees the replacement of any window film that does not perform to product specifications.

Laminated Glass & Window Film.

Information on Thermal Fracture.

Laminated glass is a great product as both a safety glazing material and as a considerable deterrent to forced entry through a window. Unlike toughened glass, it can actually break very easily but stays in one piece because of the plastic interlayer (polyvinyl butyl – PVB) holding the glass on either side. Toughened on the other hand is very hard to break (unless you know how) but then breaks into thousands of small pieces.

This information is fairly well known but I mention the two types specifically because I want to draw attention to an important matter relating to risk. The edges of any glass sheet have a significant bearing on its strength. Glass is as a product, brittle by nature and holds together under immense stress. Toughening involves a heating and cooling process that creates even greater stress. No sheet of glass will get through the toughening process unless it has good smooth edges. The glass will crack.

Laminated glass is usually two sheets of regular (annealed, but toughened can be used) glass with a PVB layer between. When cut by glaziers the process used usually damages the edges of the glass thereby making it up to 50% weaker than it would be with good flawless edges.

When window film is applied to glass, the necessary pressure applied with the squeegee can flex a large pane to quite a degree. This on its own can precipitate an existing crack on the unseen edge to become evident. This can even sometimes occur with ordinary float glass that is badly cut.

Once properly applied, solar film on glass will both reflect and absorb heat from the sun. Depending on the type of window frame and the method of retention of the glass, heat that is absorbed will be conducted from the edges of the glass to the frame making the edges cooler than the middle. This creates more thermal stress in the glass, which can promote a fracture from an unseen weak edge.

Because those of us in the window film industry are unable to check the glass edges, we try to give best advice to building owners and managers when solar control film is being considered. We can never guarantee that glass will not break.

Any glass that is toughened, either as single layer or multi-layer laminated is most unlikely to suffer from thermal stress. The edges are always very good. Most regular annealed glass is usually not a problem, but larger panes of thicker glass are difficult to cut and can have poor edges. Laminated that you will most often encounter will 6.4mm which means the glass sheets are only 3mm thick – very breakable on its own! Cutting involves scoring both sides, hopefully along the same line unless done by computer, snapping, and then usually pouring mentholated spirits along the crack to ignite and melt the plastic interlayer. This fractures the glass edges.

Installing solar film on the external surface reduces the amount of heat absorbed and therefore the temperature differential between the middle and edge of the glass is less. The thermal stress is reduced in this situation and the possibility of breakage is reduced. Consideration should also be made of the type of frame and glazing retention system used and the size of the pane. I would be much more happy advising you to install film on laminated glass that was installed in a UPVC frame with rubber gaskets especially say only 1.0 metre square than a 3.0 metre square sheet of laminated glass installed with putty in a steel frame. Heat would conduct much quicker in the latter case and therefore cool the edge of the glass more. A larger pane holds more heat in the middle than a small pane.

Another significant factor is the orientation of the windows and any partial shading. North Face windows would probably escape any extremes in temperature. Whereby East, South & West facing windows would at some point be exposed to high temperature change and any form of shading on the glass can create temperature differential within individual panes heightening the probability of thermal stress.

Oakley Petts

Bekaert Speciality Films Ltd. January 2002

Equipment

Christin — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 02:46:41 +0000

ADS Windowfilms is proud to offer a wide range of equipment to help accelerate your business.

Testimonial

Christin — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:42:18 +0000

A SolarGard film came to the rescue of Felix Engineering when its local council cut down a line of shady trees, exposing the boatbuilder’s premises to the worst effects of the sun. The film has been installed to windows along the length of the factory and also to some south-facing office windows. The film cuts down glare and heat gain to make the workplace more comfortable for employees and promotes safety by keeping the sun off the chemicals. Its reflective finish also restores some of the privacy previously afforded by the trees.

Felix Engineering builds 42 and 46ft sea-going Princess boats at its premises alongside the A38 in Devon. General Manager Dave Cotter says: “When the council cut down the trees separating the factory from the road, the sunlight came flooding in, causing all sorts of problems. The factory became an unpleasantly hot place to work and we were also concerned about the effect of the sun on the chemicals. Glare was annoying employees and interfering with production. The SolarGard film has sorted it all out very effectively.”

Specialist Bekaert dealer ADS Window Films of Plymouth recommended a number of films from the SolarGard range, finally installing SolarGard Silver 20. This film reduces glare by 82% and reduces heat gain by 75% but maintains high levels of natural daylight and has a silver reflective finish.

Bekaert Specialty Films is a world leader in the manufacture of specialty window films using state of the art manufacturing techniques and top quality materials. Bekaert manufactures solar control, safety and decorative films with a range of performance specifications and finishes to suit all situations. Films are installed to existing windows by a nationwide network of specialist dealers who can advise on the most appropriate films in each case.

Retail Sinage

Gary — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 08:43:28 +0000

Retail signs can be produced for shop front signage and interior shop displays incorporating eye-catching graphics and branding to any size imaginable. Large backlit display boards and creative signage suitable for shops, restaurants and bars can cover entire walls or simply present menu information.

Retail signage and mounted graphics for shop displays are be an incredible marketing communication tool. With the right design, shop displays can help your business stand out from the competition, increase your customer flow and turnover immensely, whilst re-enforcing your brand identity to keep customers coming back time after time.

Designed to increase sales, control customer flow or trigger a call to action, display boards and retail display graphics can be produced for shops, bars or restaurants. The applications are endless.

Whatever you requirement for retail signage, shop display boards or graphics, contact ADS Window Films & Graphics to discuss your requirements

We know it's your business but don't keep it a secret !

Gary — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 08:07:37 +0000

" A sign of a good Company is a Company with a good sign "

Reduces Fading!

Gary — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 14:42:46 +0000

Fading of interior furnishings is often attributed to ultraviolet radiation (UV) from the sun passing through windows onto interior surfaces. However, UV is not the only portion of the solar spectrum which can damage artwork or furnishings inside buildings. Virtually the whole spectrum is of concern, which is why long term exposure to solar radiation should be limited. Here we explain some of the contributions to fading and other damage of interior furnishings and materials due to solar exposure.

Supported by the outstanding energy-efficiency levels of today’s low-emissivity glasses, current architectural designs favor a large number of windows with clearer glass than ever before. Consumers also drive this trend, with their demand for large, open interior spaces flooded with natural light.

While this trend has brought more light into buildings, and in many case energy savings due to reduced electric lighting usage, another trend has, at the same time, made interior fabrics and finishes more fragile: the emergence of environmentally friendly materials.

Driven by pollution laws, fabric dyes, wood stains, paints and other coatings found in modern buildings have been formulated to have a more benign environmental impact, but may in consequence be less stable than their predecessor materials, typically, solvent-based. Today’s water-based products have a number of obvious environmental benefits, but some are more susceptible to fading over time, a significant drawback.

In addition, because of ozone depletion, higher levels of solar UV now reach the surface of the earth. This further contributes to the rate of fading. These three trends—more natural light transmittance, more fragile interior components, and a higher concentration of UV—have resulted in a greater awareness of fading.

What is Fading?

Fading is a change in color with time. It is measured by evaluating the color of a material at two or more points in time. Often it is a loss of color or a reduction in color saturation due to bleaching. For the purposes of this discussion, we are also interested in additional material damage due to solar exposure, such as embrittlement and cracking.

Causes of Fading

Fading has two main causes. The first is chemical, where chemical changes in the coloring agents of a material can cause a change (or reduction) in color. Chemical reactions that lead to fading can be influenced by many environmental factors, such as the type of coloring agent/chemical, the chemical environment of each coloring agent in the material, the ambient chemical environment of the material, and the temperature, humidity, and radiation environment. In addition, wear or abrasion can physically remove coloring agents from a material’s surface.

Ultraviolet Radiation

The sun’s energy is made up of three distinct spectral components: ultraviolet radiation, visible radiation, and near-infrared radiation. What distinguishes these from one another is the wavelength ranges that characterize them, commonly measured in nanometers (nm). A nanometer is very small. A human hair is over 100,000 nanometers thick.

Ultraviolet radiation is invisible to the human eye and has the shortest wavelengths of the three types mentioned, from 300 to about 380 nm. Visible light covers the approximate range from 380 to 780 nm, while the near infrared radiation (sometimes called invisible solar heat) has the longest wavelengths, from 780 to 4045 nm.
Ultraviolet radiation (UV) is the single largest contributing factor in fading of fabrics, carpets and other furnishings. Although visible light, electric lighting, heating, humidity, age of fabrics and fabric dyes all play a part in the process, UV radiation is attributed to 40% of the damage. Protecting against UV is not just important in hot, sunny climates. Even in cold, cloudy climates, UV radiation can damage furnishings.
UV can also be hazardous to humans. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, exposure to the sun and its harmful UV radiation is causing an epidemic in skin cancer cases in recent years.

Several products are moderately effective at blocking ultraviolet radiation. Low-emissivity coatings on glass provide additional protection from UV. However, even the best of these coatings still transmits 26% of the UV radiation incident upon them. One PVB interlayer supplier states that laminated architectural glass made with clear or tinted interlayer is essentially opaque to UV radiation.

Quantifying the Effects of Fading

The most authoritative research on quantifying fading damage was done in the early 1950s by the United States National Bureau of Standards. The U.S. Library of Congress undertook this research, in order to design a glass filter to protect the original copies of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Scientists found that blocking all of the ultraviolet radiation portion of the solar spectrum would not eliminate fade damage for most fabrics, but will slow down the rate of fading by a factor of about three.

Because so many factors influence fading, finding the effect of one factor is extremely difficult. All parameters except the one being studied must be held constant for the duration of an experiment, which may run for months or even years of testing. That is why there is relatively little research in this area. To study the effect of radiation on fading, it is important to focus on one type of material while keeping the environment constant. Factors in the environment include chemical composition of the atmosphere, temperature, and humidity. The known exposure to radiation, including the known spectrum, and known dose (intensity X time) must be identified. Then there must be sufficient duration to observe the rate of color shift, or fading.
There have been studies like this of the fading and other damage effects of solar radiation but no consensus has yet emerged on which portion of the solar spectrum is most responsible nor on what spectral weighting function is appropriate for assessing in a single “UV transmittance” figure the contribution of different solar UV wavelengths to the damage.

For a while, the straight integrated spectral transmittance from 300 to 380 nm was used, given the symbol T-UV. More recently, the spectrum of interest has been extended beyond the UV portion to cover the range from 300 to 700 nm, and a different weighting function was selected for use. With this system, the human photopic visibility function, often given the symbol V(λ) and called the V-lambda weighting function, is replaced by another function purported to better represent the damaging portions of the solar spectrum.

The damage-weighting function most often used is:

The resulting damage-weighted transmittance has the symbol T-dw. The methodology is based on the work of Jurgen Krochmann in Germany and stems from his studies of the damaging affects of radiation on paintings and other museum artifacts. The Krochmann damage weighting function was incorporated into ISO/CIE publication 89/3 “On the deterioration of exhibited museum objects by optical radiation” and is referenced by NFRC [National Fenestration Rating Council] optical properties standard NFRC 300 in computing the damage-weighted transmittance T-dw.

It is extremely difficult to isolate the influence of radiation on the fading process. The best currently available indication of a glazing’s effect on fading is the damage-weighted transmittance, T-dw, of the glazing system. T-dw is the weighted transmittance at normal incidence for the center-of-glass region. The wavelengths of radiation that have the most influence on fading (when all other factors are held constant) are given the most weight. In determining the weighting curves, the type of experiment described above is repeated using different radiation sources and analyzing the results. Each weighting curve is specific to a given material, environment, and history.

The current method for calculating T-dw is based on studies of art materials, not furnishing or construction materials, so its applicability to those types of materials is unknown. In addition, there is a difficulty in communicating the fact that T-dw is a relative measure (ranking) for glazing systems, not something that can be used to predict the actual amount of fading in any given situation.