Solar Control Window Film for Commercial Buildings in Illinois

Our servicesSolar control film

Solar control window film rejects part of the sun’s heat and cuts glare through the glass your building already has, without replacing your windows. We match the film to your glass, the direction it faces and how the space is used, and install it throughout the Chicago metropolitan area and Northern Illinois.

Request a Commercial Assessment

or call 815-216-4203

We typically respond within one business day.

Solar Gard authorized dealer for more than 20 years
Installed at Costco Glenview, a PPG facility and Halas Hall
Our own installation crews
Free on-site assessment

Two-story glass corner of an office building reflecting the sky and clouds, with a boom lift in front. — AIT Logistics, Palatine, 2024: exterior film on the north glass and interior film on the west. AIT Logistics case study

What solar control film does

Less heat and glare through the glass you already have

How much heat a film rejects depends on the film and the glass.

Two-story lobby at the AIT Logistics office, with a tall wall of glass above the entrance doors. — The two-story lobby at AIT Logistics. Sun through its tall walls of glass brought heat and glare into the lobby and the offices.

Solar control film

Reduces solar heat gainLess of the sun’s heat comes through the glass, which can lower temperatures near the windows and reduce the cooling load on the HVAC system.
Cuts glareReduces glare on screens and workstations, and evens out hot spots near the glass.
Blocks ultraviolet lightEvery film in the table below blocks more than 99 percent of ultraviolet light. That reduces fading of furnishings and merchandise, but visible light and heat also contribute, so darker films reduce it more.
Goes on the existing glassNo window replacement, and the building can normally stay occupied.

Solar control film does not

Come with an energy savings number. We do not promise one. Actual results depend on the glass, the orientation, the HVAC system and how the building is operated.
Stop fading completely. No film stops fading completely; visible light and heat also contribute.
Suit every glass. Every film has to be approved for the glass it goes on. Tinted, Low-E coated and insulated glass can each narrow the choice.
Keep winter heat in. Solar control film mainly addresses summer heat and glare. For heat loss in winter, Low-E window film works in both seasons.

Documented projects

Heat and glare film we have installed

Two of these clients brought us back for more work the same year.

A long wall of office glass reflecting blue sky and clouds. — The AIT Logistics glass wall after the film was installed.

Office · Palatine · 2024

AIT Logistics

Sun through tall walls of glass, including a two-story lobby, brought heat and glare into the lobby and the offices. On the north side, the glass could not be reached well from inside.

NorthSolar Gard Sentinel Plus DX 15 on the outside of the glass
WestPanorama Slate 10 on the inside of the glass
FirstA film mockup on the building’s glass
ResultLater in 2024 AIT Logistics brought AAA Glass Tint back to add film to another panel

Read the AIT Logistics case study

A long wall of angled solarium glass under a dark ceiling, with bare trees and sky beyond the glass. — The Oak Lawn Park District solarium with its new film.

Park district · Oak Lawn · 2026

Oak Lawn Park District solarium

A solarium is built to let in as much sun as possible, which also makes it one of the hardest rooms in a building to keep comfortable. The solarium’s existing film was deteriorating and needed replacement.

Glass72 glass panels, about 1,260 square feet
WorkRemoval of the old, failing film and installation of Panorama Slate 10
ResultLater in 2026 the park district hired AAA Glass Tint again

Read the Oak Lawn case study

The Costco Wholesale sign above a row of storefront windows at a store entrance.

Retail · Glenview · 2026

Costco Glenview

Sun through the glass at the store’s entrance and tire shop was causing excessive glare and heat in both areas.

GlassAbout 500 square feet at the entrance and the tire shop
FilmPanorama Slate 20, on the inside of the glass
ScheduleInstalled before the store opened

Read the Costco case study

Ultraviolet film for collections. Clear UV film at the Fabyan Villa Museum (331 window panels, 2024) and Panorama Hilite 70 near the trophy cases at Chicago Bears Halas Hall (2017).

UV film for museums

Have a similar heat or glare problem? Request a Commercial Assessment

Choosing the film

Which solar control film is right for your building?

It depends on the glass, the direction it faces, how the space is used and how the building should look from outside. We do not recommend one product for every project.

Light, low-reflective films

Keep the most daylight and change the building’s look the least, with moderate heat rejection. A good fit for offices and storefronts where views and daylight matter.

Neutral tone films

More heat and glare reduction with a darker, less mirrored appearance.

Reflective films

Can provide substantial heat rejection and glare reduction, usually with a noticeably reflective look from outside in daylight. When the lights inside are brighter than outdoors, usually at night, people inside see stronger reflections on the glass and less of the view out.

Film at night

Exterior films

Applied to the outside of the glass, for glass where an interior film is not approved or where the application calls for it, as on the north side at AIT Logistics, where interior access was limited.

Exterior film at PPG

Every film has to be approved for the glass it goes on, and Solar Gard requires a film-to-glass application and written approval for any installation over 2,500 square feet. When appearance matters we can put samples on your glass first; at AIT Logistics we put a film mockup on the building’s glass so the look could be judged in place.

Rated performance

The films on our documented projects, and what they are rated to do

From a light film that keeps 70 percent of the daylight to an exterior film that rejects 91 percent of the sun’s energy. Each figure names the film, the glass and the source.

Balancing solar heat rejection and natural daylight

Manufacturer ratings for the five films on our documented projects. Other films balance heat and daylight differently. Both ratings depend on the glass: Sentinel Plus DX 5 is rated on double pane clear glass, the other four on 1/4 inch single pane clear glass.

Solar heat rejectedTotal solar energy rejected

Daylight let inVisible light transmitted

Sentinel Plus DX 5Solar Gard · exterior
Rated on double pane glass
91%

4%
Slate 10Panorama · interior
76%

13%
Sentinel Plus DX 15Solar Gard · exterior
75%

14%
Slate 20Panorama · interior
68%

23%
Hilite 70Panorama · interior
54%

70%

Ratings published by Solar Gard and Panorama. The table below gives the full ratings, the glass each film was rated on and where each film is installed.

Manufacturer ratings published by Solar Gard and Panorama for the film on the glass named, as listed in each case study. They are ratings, not measurements on the building, and results on other glass differ. Every film listed blocks more than 99 percent of ultraviolet light.
Film	Rated on	Total solar energy rejected	Glare reduction	Visible light transmitted	Installed at
Solar Gard Sentinel Plus DX 5, exterior	1/4 inch plus 1/4 inch double pane clear glass	91 percent	95 percent	4 percent	PPG, 2024
Solar Gard Sentinel Plus DX 15, exterior	1/4 inch clear, single glass (82 percent on double glass)	75 percent	84 percent	14 percent	AIT Logistics, 2024
Panorama Slate 10, interior	1/4 inch single clear glass (64 percent on double glass)	76 percent	86 percent	13 percent	Oak Lawn Park District, 2026 AIT Logistics, 2024
Panorama Slate 20, interior	1/4 inch single clear glass	68 percent	75 percent	23 percent	Costco Glenview, 2026
Panorama Hilite 70, interior	1/4 inch clear glass	54 percent	21 percent	70 percent	Chicago Bears Halas Hall, 2017

What these ratings mean: the window film performance guide

How a project runs

Every project starts with your glass

01
Glass check
For an existing building, we evaluate the glass, the framing and the exposure on site. For a project still in design, we can start from the drawings and the glazing specification.
02
Samples on your glass
We check the proposed film against the manufacturer’s film-to-glass guidance and put samples on your glass when appearance matters.
03
Scheduled around your building
Crews work through the building in sections so it can normally stay occupied. After-hours and weekend work is available at additional cost.
04
Walkthrough and warranty
We review the completed work with you, register the applicable manufacturer’s film warranty for you and send the warranty information by email.

What affects the price. Each quote considers the glass area and the number of panels, the film, whether it goes on the inside or the outside of the glass, access equipment, existing-film removal and scheduling. We do not add a distance surcharge for projects we accept in Illinois.

What to expect after installation. Both interior and exterior films use a wet application. While the mounting solution dries, the film can look slightly hazy or show small water spots, and cold or overcast weather makes that take longer. Solar Gard asks that new film not be cleaned for 30 days.

We do not subcontract installation; our own crews do the work. AAA Glass Tint is a commercial window film contractor serving commercial buildings throughout Northern Illinois since 1984. A family-owned company headquartered in Elgin, Illinois, with field crews based in Chicago, Northbrook, Wheaton and Orland Park.

Film manufacturers

Solar Gard authorized dealer for more than 20 years

Panorama authorized dealer

We also work with 3M films

Planning resources

Before you choose a film

Questions

Solar control film questions

How can window film help commercial buildings in the Chicago climate?

Chicago buildings deal with summer solar heat gain and winter heat loss through the glass. Depending on the film and existing glass, solar control film can substantially reduce solar heat gain. Low-E window film can also improve heat retention during colder weather. The result can be more even interior temperatures and fewer hot spots near the glass.

Can window film prevent interior fading of merchandise and office furniture?

Window film can greatly reduce fading, but no film stops it completely.

Will window film crack my glass or void my window warranty?

Proper film selection greatly reduces the risk of thermal stress breakage, but no installer can guarantee that glass will never break. Manufacturers publish film-to-glass guidance showing which films are approved for different glass types and when written approval is required. The film manufacturer’s warranty may include glass breakage or seal failure coverage when its requirements are met. The original window manufacturer’s warranty is separate, and aftermarket film may affect that warranty depending on the manufacturer’s terms. We explain how compatibility and warranty coverage are checked in Will Window Film Crack Your Glass?

Solar control window film installation in the Chicago metropolitan area and Northern Illinois

Request a free assessment

David Johnson, the owner, or one of our field technicians will visit your building to evaluate the glass and discuss your project. For a building still in design, we can start from the drawings and specifications. We typically respond within one business day.