New window film savings calculator approved for California schools

The calculator will be used to determine whether a window film installation project qualifies for funding (at 100% of the installed cost) in the Proposition 39 (Prop 39) application process for energy efficiency upgrades to educational facilities (primarily K-12 grades). To be approved under the program guidelines, the “local education agency” (school or school district, known as an LEA) must be able to demonstrate to the CEC that the project has both a savings-to-investment ratio (SIR) of at least 1.05 and a simple payback within the life of the project contract under the program. The calculator can be accessed for use at www.windowfilmcalculator.com.

Prior to the availability of this calculator, window film could be used in a Prop 39 project on schools but only through use of a full building energy simulation program, which could be costly and time-consuming for small LEAs. Other LEAs which want to consider window film application as a standalone upgrade rather than part of a whole building upgrade project which might also include lighting, insulation, or HVAC modifications were also excluded. Although there were existing simple calculators already approved and in use for many other building upgrades under Prop 39, there were none for window film installation approved by the CEC. The International Window Film Association (IWFA), utilizing the services of ConSol, a California-based energy consulting services company, worked with the CEC to develop and make available a calculator which met the specifications of the CEC for the sole purpose of analyzing a window film installation as a stand-alone upgrade measure under the program guidelines.

This year-long effort by the CEC to assist industry by working with its trade association (the IWFA) in reviewing the developmental steps of such an important tool for those LEAs wishing to consider window film use as an individual upgrade measure has resulted in an approved, simple-to-use, and cost effective means to quickly determine which window film projects meet the Prop 39 guidelines. The CEC staff and the IWFA membership and consultants are to be commended for this very successful private and public effort.

Window film installation companies should contact their individual IWFA member manufacturers for more information and specifics on how to assist LEAs in applying for funding for window film projects on their facilities. These manufacturers include the 3M Company, Eastman Chemical, Hanita Coatings, Johnson Window Film, KDX Window Film, Madico Window film, and SolarGard/Saint-Gobain.