Payback is less than eight months for the window film installation project

The land around the Century Plaza Towers in Los Angeles is truly legendary ground. From the late 1920s until nearly 1960, the site was home to one of the premier studios of Hollywood's Golden Age: 20th Century Fox Pictures. Stars like Cary Grant, Marilyn Monroe, John Wayne, and others starred in movies filmed on the studio backlot. Part of that land was later sold, and construction of the landmark Century Plaza Towers, comprised of two 44-story towers totaling 2.3 million square feet of class "A" office space, was completed in 1974. Both towers used aluminum for the façade. They have been pictured in countless movies and television shows over the years.

Challenge

The unique three-sided configuration of each tower and the steady supply of California sunshine combined to make consistent heating and cooling a challenge. When property management company CB Richard Ellis looked at options for solving the temperature imbalance and making the towers more energy efficient, one idea they considered was window film. The company also had the goal of increasing the buildings' sustainability and saw adding window film as a significant step in achieving that objective.

Solution

After interviewing several local dealers representing products from several manufacturers, building managers hired Brad Campbell, a local 3M film dealer, to complete the project. Keeping in mind the historical nature of Century Plaza Towers, the team decided on 3M™ Sun Control Window Film Neutral 35 for its high heat rejection qualities and its neutral light appearance that wouldn't drastically change the look of the buildings.

"These are highly visible towers," said Campbell, "and it was important to strike a balance between aesthetics and energy savings."

3M crews brought both efficiency and professionalism to the project, working both nights and weekends to install the film on the buildings' 11,000 windows.

The project was completed in just four months and yielded immediate benefits: In addition to more consistent temperatures throughout the building, utility bills began to drop, thanks to a 155,000 kilowatt hour-a-month reduction in energy use. A $116,000 rebate from Los Angeles Department of Water and Power also significantly helped offset the project cost.

The 3M Difference

"3M is a very credible and professional company, and CB Richard Ellis has had a national relationship with them for some time," said Renee Watkinson, a company VP and Director. "The payback on this project was only seven-and-a-half months, and both 3M and Campbell Window Film did a great job. It was one of the easiest capital projects we've ever done."

Visit our website at www.3mwindowfilm.com.