Window film hasn’t enjoyed a clear reputation, something that has long weighed on local installers and manufacturers. The purplish tint long seen on cars and buildings hasn’t always looked good, what with all the bubbles and peeled edges.

But the industry makes better products now and as a result it got a state stamp of approval in the form of a change to the state’s building code that could open a big window of opportunity.

An energy-efficiency update that took effect last month imposes standards for all new buildings in the state older buildings undergoing significant renovation. And for the first time in the United States, the state code gives builders the option to use window films, not just new replacement windows, to reduce energy consumption.

For local window film companies, it’s a long-sought endorsement that they hope will open up the vast building retrofit market to their technology.

“This code change is a huge step,” said Matthew Darienzo, president of Van Nuys window film installer Solar Art. “Window film is now a legitimate option that’s spelled out for energy efficiency. It’s the state talking: ‘We believe in window film.’”

Window film has long been just a niche market. Industry estimates put the size of the national window film market at only about $500 million, with hundreds of small window-film installers carrying brands from several manufacturers.

Window films are typically stuck onto existing windows using an adhesive backing. They cut down on light and heat entering a building, reducing air-conditioning costs, especially during summer months. They can be installed on the inside of older windows that lack energy-efficiency technology. Or they can be mounted on the outside of double-paned or glazed windows to further cut down on heat and light entering a building.

The big advantage is that it typically costs about $4 to $6 a square foot to mount window films, less than one-fourth the cost of replacing old windows with new energy-efficient ones. The window films also eliminate the need to dispose of old windows in local landfills.

Past problems

Building owners have often been reluctant to use window films because of its perceived lack of durability – exemplified by those peeling films on older cars – and because of concerns that the films might not achieve much energy savings. Beyond that, they weren’t sanctioned by state regulations.

But window film companies and a window film association claim that clear coatings developed in the last decades achieve the same or better heat-blocking effect as double-paned windows.

Indeed, a spokeswoman for the California Energy Commission said the industry submitted a study on the effectiveness of today’s window film. The commission reviewed the study and decided the technology met the state’s energy-efficiency goals. As a result, the state’s new building codes, which went into effect July 1, give builders the option to use the new-generation window tinting.

The building code is the baseline for all cities in the state; if cities want to adopt more stringent energy conservation requirements, they can, but only with the commission’s approval.

Although new buildings presumably would still be constructed with modern energy-efficient windows, older buildings undergoing a renovation can apply the film on their existing windows to meet the new goals. The new energy rules must be met when an old building undergoes a renovation extensive enough to trigger the need for city permits or inspections.

Darrell Smith, executive director of the International Window Film Association, a Martinsville, Va., non-profit formed to promote the industry, said the change to the state’s building code is a significant development.

“The recognition of window films in the California building code as a building product solution to achieve energy efficiency just puts a stamp of credibility and approval on a product that our industry has known internally for years is energy efficient,” Smith said.

But not all believe this is a clear victory for the window tinters.

Sejon Ding, chief executive of Pristine Windows Inc. in Westwood, which installs new windows, said that while window film might have improved, it still falls short of the energy savings from new windows. He also noted that there are other points that favor double-paned windows, including superior noise insulation and shatter resistance.

“The glass in a dual-paned window is typically an inch thick with an air pocket in between the panes,” he said. “It’s much harder to break and it blocks out a whole lot more sound.”

Window of opportunity

The state’s Energy Commission estimates that 9 million older buildings in California will eventually need upgrades to meet the new efficiency standards – a huge multibillion-dollar market for all sorts of energy-saving technologies.

“If we can get a piece of this market, then we’re in the conversation,” Solar Art’s Darienzo said.

That in turn would allow Solar Art to expand its workforce of 20 employees.

The first step, installers say, will be to get the word out to structural engineers early on in any renovation/retrofit process to encourage them to choose window films over installing new windows.

“Before this code change, we have typically interacted with the architects midway through the process and by then the decisions have often been made regarding window technology,” said Kelly Taylor, principal with West L.A. window-film installer Metropolitan West. “Now, armed with this code language, we can target the engineers right at the beginning of the process before the key decisions are made. That should allow us to get a lot more work.”

Taylor said that she expects over the next several years she will be able to significantly expand her staff of 18, thanks largely to additional work brought in because of the code change.

In fact, additional orders are already coming in to one local maker of window film, thanks to the code change.

“We’ve seen an increase of 5 percent to 8 percent in our California orders in the last year as word has spread about the code change,” said Scott Davidson, president of Johnson Laminating and Coating Inc. in Carson, who added that the increases are also pronounced in the residential remodeling market.

But Davidson said a more significant impact will come if other states and nations adopt the California standard.

“The effect of all those states and countries incorporating window film into their building code could double the market in just a few years,” he said. If that happens, it would allow him to significantly expand Johnson Laminating’s workforce of 65.