PALO ALTO, Calif., Mar 04, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Southwall Technologies Inc. (OTCBB:SWTX), the worldwide innovator of
energy-saving films and glass products, announced today that its Heat
Mirror(R) film technology was selected to dramatically boost the
energy-efficiency of the more than 6,500 hundred windows being upgraded
as part of the Empire
State Building energy retrofit project. The announcement marks
another milestone along Southwall's path of industry firsts, including
the world's first low-e insulating glass product and the world's first
multi-cavity "super glass" to achieve up to R-20 insulating performance
comparable to that of a wall.
The existing insulating glass in the building will be removed from the
frames and reused by suspending Heat Mirror film between the two panes
to create a pair of super insulating cavities that increase the thermal
performance by up to four times, improving the R-value from R2 to R-8
while also reducing the solar heat gain by 50%. Heat Mirror technology's
30-year track record of proven durability in buildings and homes around
the world was a key factor in its being selected for such an iconic
building energy retrofit.
"We are pleased that one of Southwall's technology licensees, Serious
Materials, was awarded this landmark project and is relying on the
proven performance of our Heat Mirror film technology as the key enabler
for their super insulating windows," said Bruce Lang, Southwall's vice
president of marketing. "It will become a model solution for future
building retrofit projects worldwide."
The upgraded windows are expected to deliver over $400,000 in savings
per year. The window upgrade is one part of an integrated project that
is expected to reduce energy use by 38 percent, save $4.4 million per
year in energy costs, and save a minimum of 105,000 metric tons of
carbon dioxide over the next 15 years. Johnson Controls is overseeing
the full retrofit project with a team of energy efficiency experts
including the Clinton Climate Initiative, Jones Lang LaSalle, and Rocky
Mountain Institute.
"Windows have been traditionally overlooked in the energy efficiency
discussion, when in fact, they are low-hanging fruit that can make a
real impact today," stated Dennis Capovilla, Southwall's president and
CEO. "Increasing customer demand to save energy and reduce carbon
emissions is driving the need for a new generation of windows that are
proven, available, and insulate like walls. That's what Heat Mirror
technology enables - walls that you can see through."
About Heat Mirror Suspended Film Technology
Heat Mirror insulating glass is a superior multi-cavity solution that
suspends one or more low-emissivity and solar-reflective Heat Mirror
films inside of an insulating glass unit to create two, three or even
four insulating cavities without adding weight. This innovative approach
enables window fabricators to offer higher performance glass options for
their existing window systems today as well as for next-generation
window systems in development. Heat Mirror suspended film technology
combines the best of film-based and glass-based technologies to create
the industry's first "super glass" with center-of-glass insulating
performance ranging from R-4 to R-20 while minimizing solar heat gain
and blocking UV radiation.
About Southwall Technologies
Southwall Technologies Inc. is recognized as a leader in the development
and manufacture of high performance, energy-saving films and glass
products that dramatically improve the energy efficiency of residential,
commercial and automotive glass. Southwall is an ISO 9001:2000-certified
manufacturer with customers in over 25 countries.
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SOURCE: Southwall Technologies Inc.
John Miller Public Relations, Los Gatos
John Miller, 408-354-2400
miller@johnmillerpr.com