Shades reduce office window glare

Employees the world over squabble and scheme to get offices with windows, so modern office architecture lets the sunshine in with floor-to-ceiling glass—and sometimes wall-to-wall glare. Architects Scott Tallon Walker faced the additional challenge of reflected glare from the water on an office structure at Lapps Quay, Cork City, Ireland. They selected outdoor shade structures fitted with Sunscreen® Satiné 5500 fiberglass fabric from 3G Mermet Corp., Cowpens, S.C., that rejects 84 percent of solar radiation and keeps windowphiles happy with consistent indoor temperatures, low glare and the visibility they crave.

The fabric’s diagonally woven glass fibers filter 96 percent of light, while resisting wind speeds of 118 mph and saline corrosion from the marine atmosphere. The fiberglass fabric is fire-retardant, resistant to UV radiation and certified Oeko-tex Standard 100 as an environmentally safe product.