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Posted on October 9, 2023 by Joshua Huff Nearly 1,000 birds flew to their deaths this past Thursday in Chicago after crashing into a lakeside convention center. Approximately 961 birds were found dead outside the mostly glass-clad McCormick Place Lakeside Center. Reports indicate the deaths were likely a result of the convention center’s bright lights and poor weather. The combination of the two confused the birds, which flew into the facility’s nearly all-glass exterior. Studies show lights on buildings in migratory flight paths confuse birds’ navigation systems. As a result, birds will circle buildings repeatedly and die of exhaustion or collision. “I’ve been in Chicago for 40 years and bird-watch all the time, and I’ve never seen anything like that,” Douglas Stotz, senior conservation ecologist at the Field Museum of Natural History, told The New York Times. Stotz added the previous record death total at the convention center numbered 200. He said rain and warm weather stalled the birds’ migration south. When the weather cleared, they flew to the city in mass, leading to a perfect storm at McCormick Place. The convention center has long been known to be a death trap for birds. Since the early 1980s, more than 42,000 birds have been found dead after they collided with its windows. There have been discussions to retrofit the windows with patterned screening, but high costs have been a deterrent, reported the Chicago Sun Times in 2022. Annette Prince, director of the Chicago Bird Collision Monitors, told Insider that McCormick Place occasionally keeps its lights on throughout the evening, which drew in the birds. She said that given the center’s location off the lake, it’s “the first encounter on the lake that birds can run into.” McCormick Place issued a statement claiming its lights are turned off unless workers and visitors are onsite. However, there was an event during the week of the bird strikes, so the lights were sometimes on. McCormick Place stated it is “truly saddened by the incident” and does what it can to protect birds, including participating in the Lights Out Chicago program and maintaining a six-acre bird sanctuary. The Lights Out Chicago program, established in 1995, encourages occupants of tall buildings to turn off or dim their decorative lights. The goal is to reduce the total light emitted from the building from 11 p.m. until sunrise during migratory seasons (mid-March to early June and late August to mid-November). Illinois is well acquainted with bird deaths as a result of glass collisions. The state passed the Bird-Safe Buildings Act in 2021, which requires bird-friendly designs to be incorporated into the construction and renovation of state-owned buildings. The designs include screens and shutters to be incorporated into the building, along with various types of glass, including opaque, etched, stained, frosted, ultraviolet patterned or translucent glass. Chicago has held off on implementing a 2020 ordinance that would give greater weight to bird protection measures when evaluating whether new projects meet the city’s sustainable development requirements. More than eight million birds migrate through Chicago. Many birds killed by Chicago buildings are small migrants from the tropics–warblers, thrushes, and tanagers, among others. Reports indicate most of the birds killed on Thursday were tiny warblers. This article is from USGNN™, the daily e-newsletter that covers the latest glass industry news. Click HERE to sign up—there is no charge. Interested in a deeper dive? Free subscriptions to USGlass magazine in print or digital format are available. Subscribe at no charge Sign up today.

Washington, D.C. – May 18, 2023 – A recent poll of U.S. homeowners who have experienced fading of household furniture or floors near sunny windows, found 63 percent would consider having window film professionally installed to help reduce the sun’s heat, glare and its fading impact on furnishings for only a fraction of the cost of replacing the window itself. Window films block 99 percent of the sun’s harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays that are a leading cause of fading, along with light, heat and other lesser factors, according to the International Window Film Association (IWFA). “Americans are spending more on furnishing their homes, so they naturally want to preserve the investment they have made for as long as possible and it seems they know enough about the harmful impact of the sun’s UV rays to see window films as a way to reduce the sun’s damage,” said Darrell Smith, executive director of the IWFA. For example, if a home’s wood floor has faded and needs to be replaced, it can cost as much as $6,400 for a 10 by 20 room, according to a recent study, that also states wood floors are one of the most popular features used to sell a home. In addition to helping to reduce interior fading , professionally installed window films may upgrade existing windows to improve their energy saving performance at a fraction of the cost of replacement windows. When considering window films, contact a local window film professional. IWFA member businesses are found at www.iwfa.com/dealer-locator/. This survey was conducted online within the U.S. by The Harris Poll on behalf of the International Window Film Association from April 25 – 27, 2023 among 1,430 U.S. homeowners ages 18 and older, among whom 688 experienced fading. For this study, the sample data is accurate to within +/- 2.9 percentage points using a 95 percent confidence level. Source - https://iwfa.com/news/harris-survey-homeowners-with-fading/

Washington, D.C. - With November 3 marking the end of Daylight Savings and more pronounced shorter periods of daylight in the northern hemisphere, the nonprofit International Window Film Association is offering advice on how to maximize the benefits of indoor sunlight, while protecting the skin and furnishings. Shorter days and limited sunlight can cause people to feel down, decrease productivity and disturb natural sleep patterns. In more extreme cases the result is a form of depression know as #SAD or Seasonal Affective Disorder. Fortunately exposure to bright light has been shown to alleviate the condition and improve performance. For example, according to the U.S Department of Education, children perform better in environments with natural light. Students in classrooms with the most day-lighting had a 20 percent better learning rate in math and 26 percent improved rate in reading compared to classrooms with little or no day-lighting. Similarly, a Cornell University study reports workers exposed to optimal daylight had a two percent increase in productivity, the equivalent of an additional $100,000 a year of value for every 100 workers. Workers in offices with optimized natural light also reported an 84 percent drop in symptoms of eyestrain, headaches and blurred vision symptoms, all of which can detract from productivity if not addressed. "On the other hand, too much indoor sunlight can be too bright and too warm, causing glare and thermal stress," said Darrell Smith, executive director of the IWFA. "The key is to balance the need for abundant natural light with the need to offer an even comfort level and protection for the skin and furnishings from the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays," he added. Professionally installed window film may allow in ample natural sunlight without the downside risk of harmful UV rays that may damage the skin and eyes, cause hot-spots, glare and lead to higher energy costs. This article courtesy of the IWFA

Located in 64 countries and with almost 190,000 employees, Saint-Gobain is one of the world's top 100 companies. A world leader in habitat, Saint-Gobain designs, manufactures and distributes building materials, providing innovative solutions to meet the challenges of growth, energy-saving and environmental protection. Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics is the world leader in high performance plastics, Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics is headquartered in Aurora, Ohio (USA). The company employs 4,500 employees in 16 countries. Its products include films, foams, coated fabrics, bearings, seals and fluid systems. Solar Gard is a global leader in patent-protected film technologies for solar control and surface protection across the automotive, residential and commercial industries. As the Specialty Films Division of the global glass and building technology icon Saint-Gobain – a company whose 350-year legacy originated with the Hall of Mirrors in Paris’ Palace of Versailles – Solar Gard builds upon decades of work to offer proprietary solar control and safety film solutions. The company’s product portfolio delivers unmatched results in enhancing and protecting vehicles, homes and buildings, and most importantly, the passengers, residents and tenants inside. Saint-Gobain certified “Top Employer Global” for the 9th year running Saint-Gobain has been awarded the "Top Employer Global" certification for the ninth consecutive year. Only 17 companies in the world hold this international certification. 18 January 2024 Download the press release

Located in 64 countries and with almost 190,000 employees, Saint-Gobain is one of the world's top 100 companies. A world leader in habitat, Saint-Gobain designs, manufactures and distributes building materials, providing innovative solutions to meet the challenges of growth, energy-saving and environmental protection. Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics is the world leader in high performance plastics, Saint-Gobain Performance Plastics is headquartered in Aurora, Ohio (USA). The company employs 4,500 employees in 16 countries. Its products include films, foams, coated fabrics, bearings, seals and fluid systems. Solar Gard is a global leader in patent-protected film technologies for solar control and surface protection across the automotive, residential and commercial industries. As the Specialty Films Division of the global glass and building technology icon Saint-Gobain – a company whose 350-year legacy originated with the Hall of Mirrors in Paris’ Palace of Versailles – Solar Gard builds upon decades of work to offer proprietary solar control and safety film solutions. The company’s product portfolio delivers unmatched results in enhancing and protecting vehicles, homes and buildings, and most importantly, the passengers, residents and tenants inside. Saint-Gobain certified “Top Employer Global” for the 9th year running Saint-Gobain has been awarded the "Top Employer Global" certification for the ninth consecutive year. Only 17 companies in the world hold this international certification. 18 January 2024 Download the press release

BACK Safety & Security SunTek Safety & Security Window Films provide protection for Residential, Commercial, and Government buildings. By reducing ultraviolet (UV) rays, helping to deter smash-and-grab robberies, and helping to prevent flying glass shards, SunTek Safety and Security Window Films offer increased protection from a variety of dangers. Click to download the Suntek Safety and Security data specifications Clear SunTek Window Films offer a complete line of clear window films. Ultra-Vision™ Ultra-Vision, a high-end, spectrally selective window film, is the premier product in SunTek’s Safety & Security window film line. It offers a layer of protection in the event of natural disasters, terrorism, and industrial accidents, and helps to deter theft. Symphony™ The Symphony Series of Safety & Security Window Films is a dual-reflective product that offers both security and solar performance. It is an excellent choice for Residential, Commercial, and Government projects. Silver™ The Silver Series is a highly reflective line that provides both quality and value. These products are a leading choice for Commercial and Government applications where cost is a key consideration. Anti-Graffiti SunTek’s Anti-Graffiti Series is a surface protection system that helps protect glass from damage caused by vandalism. For downloadable data sheets, head on over to our dealer resource center. Resource Center