Walking into Coral Gables City Hall from the scorching summer heat just got cooler thanks to solar window films. The films were installed recently on all of the historical building’s windows and although you may not be able to see the difference, you’ll feel it.
“The clear, non-reflective films block approximately 60 percent of solar heat and harmful UV rays from entering the building without changing the appearance of the exterior,” said Mayor Jim Cason. “That makes for a cooler City Hall for employees and visitors.”
The films also decrease the air conditioning load and the city’s carbon footprint.
Glass windows without solar films are usually the largest source of heat gain in a building. The films, which were installed by Solar Tek, a company based out of Tampa, will improve the efficiency of the cooling system and reduce City Hall’s energy usage by approximately 10 percent. Retrofitting the windows at City Hall is just one of the environmentally friendly measures being implemented to make Coral Gables greener.
The lighting in Parking Garage 3, 2815 Salzedo St., and Parking Garage 4, 385 Andalusia Ave., soon will be replaced with a high efficiency LED system that is estimated to cut the kilowatt usage in those garages by more than half. The city will continue improving the environmental sustainability of Coral Gables.
