Downtown Birmingham Office Tower — Curtain-Wall Solar Control
Solar Gard Sterling HP 20
26%
Reduction in cooling costs
70%
Total solar energy rejected
18,000 sq ft
Curtain-wall glazing treated
14 storeys
Full building coverage
The Challenge
A 14-storey office tower in Birmingham's CBD had curtain-wall glazing on all four elevations with no solar control. The building's original HVAC was undersized for the solar load, resulting in chronic overheating on upper floors, tenant complaints, and a lease renewal at risk on the top two floors. The building owner needed a solution that would reduce solar heat gain across the full building envelope without altering the tower's appearance from the street.
The Solution
Solar Busters specified Solar Gard Sterling HP 20 — a high-performance spectrally selective film with 20% visible light transmission and 70% total solar energy rejection. The near-neutral exterior appearance maintained the tower's architectural character. Installation was coordinated with the building management team over three weeks, with access equipment staged floor by floor. All 18,000 sq ft of curtain-wall glazing was treated, including the lobby atrium on levels 1 and 2.
Solar Gard Sterling HP 20
15-year commercial warranty
Project Gallery
"The upper-floor tenants renewed their leases. The building is measurably cooler, the HVAC is no longer running at capacity, and the exterior looks exactly as it did before — which was critical for us. Solar Busters managed the access logistics without any disruption to tenants."