SiteThe House of Seven Gables

LocationSalem, Massachusetts

Window FilmSpectraSelect VS70

Product SeriesSpectrally-Selective Series

CASE STUDY: Everthing Old Is New Again

SITUATIONThe House of Seven Gables, listed on the register of National Historic treasures, was built in 1668 and is the oldest surviving 17th century wooden mansion in New England. The house inspired Nathaniel Hawthorne to write his legendary novel of the same name. The original building, a two room, two-and-a-half story construction with cross gables and a massive central chimney, now forms the middle of the house. A new wing added in 1680 introduced the signature double casement windows. Over the years, the House showed its antiquity in the aging of the furnishings, floors and fabric wall coverings as the costs for heating and cooling skyrocketed with the sun’s heat pouring in through the windows in the summer and heat escaping in the winter.

RESULTAlexandria Mason now finds that the utility bills are lower. The House of Seven Gables has a uniform temperature comfortable at all times and she can take comfort in the knowledge that the House is protected from the sun’s damaging rays to help block further deterioration of the interior furnishings.

SOLUTIONCurator and Director of Preservation and Collection Care for Seven Gables, Alexandria Mason, took action to preserve the historic site. At the annual Traditional Building Conference, she met with solar control experts at the Vista™ by LLumar® window film exhibit and commissioned an independent energy audit to be led by a graduate engineer from the University of Cambridge in England. The auditors recommended the installation of Vista™ by LLumar® SpectraSelect VS70 film on storm windows as the condition of the casement windows precluded the installation of film on the individual panes. Vista VS70 SpectraSelect blocks 45 percent of the sun’s heat from entering the House and yet allows 70 percent of visible light to shine through the windows. The film also blocks more than 99 percent of the sun’s ultraviolet light, helping protect against premature fading.*

CASE STUDY: Everthing Old Is New Again

Clear Glass 83 8 9 90 8 8 1.03 1.00 29 0.84 0.86 14 1.05 – – –

Spectrally-Selective Series

SpectraSelect VS70 SR CDF 38 27 35 70 8 8 0.88 0.54 >99 0.55 0.47 53 1.49 45 15 22

Performance Data % T

otal

Sol

ar

Tran

smitt

ance

% T

otal

Sol

ar

Refle

ctan

ce

% T

otal

Sol

ar

Abso

rpta

nce

% V

isib

le L

ight

Tr

ansm

ittan

ce

% V

isib

le R

eflec

tanc

e (e

xter

ior)

% V

isib

le R

eflec

tanc

e (in

terio

r)

Win

ter

U-va

lue

Shad

ing

Coef

ficie

nt

% U

ltrav

iole

t Ray

Prot

ectio

n (w

avel

engt

hs

280-

380n

m)

Emis

sivit

y

Sola

r Hea

t Ga

in C

oeffi

cien

t

% T

otal

Sol

ar

Ener

gy R

ejec

ted

Ligh

t-to

-Sol

ar H

eat G

ain

Ratio

(LSG

)

% S

umm

er S

olar

Hea

t Ga

in R

educ

tion

% W

inte

r Hea

t Lo

ss R

educ

tion

% G

lare

Re

duct

ion

The solar performance data reported for LLumar architectural window films was captured using the National Fenestration Rating Council’s (NFRC) standard guidelines for window film solar performance measurement as measured on single pane, 1/8 inch (3 mm), clear glass. Reported values are taken from representative product samples and are subject to normal manufacturing variances. Actual performance will vary based on a number of factors, including glass type and properties. *Films do not eliminate fading—they reduce it. UV rays and heat are contributing factors to fading but other factors exist. For further information, see LLumar.com.download-library. © 2008, revised 2016 Eastman Chemical Company. VISTA™, the VISTA® logo, LLumar®, the LLumar® logo and Enerlogic® are trademarks of Eastman Chemical Company or one of its wholly owned subsidiaries. As used herein, ® denotes registered trademark status in the U.S. only. (06/16) SP1103

LLumar.com