CASE STUDY NINE: DIM OUT FOR SPECIAL EFFECTS LIGHTING

Project type: Natural History Museum, London  
Film type: Duralux Long Life Solar Control Film – Silver
Tinted Film - Dark Grey

When designing the Earth Galleries Exhibition in the atrium of the Natural History Museum, it was apparent that the existing glazed rooflights would allow too much daylight into the area. This would nullify the coloured effects lighting and spoil the intended controlled illumination.

To overcome this obstacle the lighting designers specified a two-layer application of high performance window film from Madico on the external face of the glass. The first film ( grey tinted type TG8X) formed the principal light absorption barrier and the second (silver reflective SDSS220X-K) provided further absorption of daylight and reflected solar heat away from the building

Before the work commenced, a series of tests carried out by Madico’s laboratory. These confirmed that the combined film achieved 3 % daylight transmissions and 85% rejection of solar energy and therefore met the Natural History Museum’s design requirements.

In addition to meeting the design criteria the film treatment is extremely durable and hardwearing as the outer layer has an integral coating of Kynar 500, a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) resin coating, which has outstanding resistance to dirt-retention and erosion. It provides a moisture barrier and protects the glass from urban grime, acid rain and the harmful effects of UV light.