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Heery

Heery International is a full-service architecture, interior design, engineering, program management, and construction management firm with employees and offices located across the U.S. Founded in 1952 in Atlanta, GA, Heery employs the industry-leading experts in building design for corporate, healthcare, education, and government needs, and is widely recognized for their sustainable design and construction practices.

As part of the high-profile design-build for Intercontinental Exchange (ICE)—the leading network of regulated exchanges and clearinghouses for financial and commodity markets and the owner/operator of the New York Stock Exchange—Heery developed solar studies of the lobby to model daylighting conditions at different times of the year.

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CLIENT

Heery International, Inc.

CHALLENGE

In order to increase the visibility of the camera systems used by the security staff, Heery International sought a product that would reduce solar glare and heat gain through the lobby’s glass windows.

SOLUTION

NGS Films and Graphics installed 4 samples for Heery and ICE. The client chose a heat- and glare-reducing solar film that was affordable and attractive.

RESULTS

Intercontinental Exchange now has a high-performing solution that matches the adjacent curtain wall glazing and provides a glare-free view of the security monitors.

Lack of Shade Overshadows Security Efficiency

The new lobby design, which includes a two-story-high glass light wall as a key architectural feature, fills the space with light. In order to ensure the building’s security cameras and monitoring equipment could operate effectively, the design team sought a product to reduce excessive glare while keeping with the design aesthetic.

“The lobby is the first point you see and it makes a critical initial impression on staff and visitors,” said Brian D. Kornasiewicz, Heery’s Senior Project Architect for the Intercontinental Exchange project.

Solar Film Eclipses the Cost Competition

Before turning to window film, Heery determined the costs for alternatives: new glass would cost $20,000-$30,000 and motorized window shades would cost $10,000-$12,000.

Their top alternate option was the motorized shades, but with two stories of glass to cover, the shades would stand out against the original design and had the potential for costly breakage repairs. Looking for a better solution, Brian decided to approach NGS Films and Graphics to ask them about glare-reducing solar film.

Solar film, installed on the inside of a window, reflects sunlight to reduce glare, heat, UV, and other damaging rays from entering a building. It’s cost effective too.

“The cost of the solar film was about $7.00 per square foot, for a total of about $6,000 – as compared to the tens of thousands we would have paid for motorized shades,” Brian said.

NGS Casts Light on the Right Solution

Brian heard about NGS from a co-worker who knew the glass-film consultants worked with multiple film brands and could advise Brian on a wide variety of solutions.

“Initially, you’re faced with literally thousands of options [for solar film], so having the immediate input from NGS to narrow down the choices was invaluable,” Brian said. “NGS has the expertise in costing per square foot, as well as the knowledge to suggest specific solutions – it was extremely helpful to have access to the product information, pricing, and knowledge.”

NGS understood that the project required effective solar film that also matched the building’s aesthetic, so they took the initiative to recommend and install four full-scale samples for Heery and ICE to compare. Once they had the samples installed, the choice was easier. “Some samples were too reflective,” Brian explained. “We tossed those out.”

After two weeks of in-place evaluation, Heery and ICE decided on a solution that was nearly invisible. “You wouldn’t notice the window film if it wasn’t pointed out to you,” Brian said. “The window film integrates beautifully into the interior and exterior design of the project.”

Installation Lasts from Dusk ‘Till Dawn

When the decision was made, NGS installed 860 ft2 of film in two days. They worked after hours so as not to disturb the workday, and they took care of logistics such as the necessary scaffolding and sky lift without involving the architect or the client directly.

“They worked with the general contractor to independently project manage the task themselves,” Brian said. “The installation went seamlessly. The solar film NGS recommended was definitely the right choice.”

The solar film offers a few additional benefits as well: it slightly lowers the building’s operating costs for air conditioning and it extends the life of fabrics and furniture in the lobby.

“It looks good and it works well. The client is very happy, so we accomplished our goal,” Brian stated.

“As an architect, I was impressed that NGS listened carefully to the issues and thought carefully about the aesthetics and also about providing client satisfaction.

I’m pleased that everything worked out on my end with no headaches. So many new kinds and styles of window film are coming out all the time that wading through them would have taken time. NGS took care of the initial suggestions, the mockups, the installation… They were easy to work with and I would definitely use them again.”

-Brian D. Kornasiewicz, Senior Project Architect at Heery International

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