Solar Reflection Mitigation

Glass by nature is a reflective material, and it is well-known and documented that issues of glare can occur due to solar reflection. This phenomenon is exacerbated by the application of high-performance coatings often used with the best intentions of reflecting solar heat away from building interiors. Daylighting analysis software can be used to model and validate design options or existing condition, and then used to evaluate the effectiveness of a variety of glass treatments which could be applied to mitigate glare. Analysis results eliminate ineffective treatments and identify several treatments of varying effectiveness to be verified in the field. Field observations are also effective in confirming the findings of the digital analysis. This paper presents the various methods and critical aspects to solar reflectance issues. There is value to utilizing both the digital analysis and field observations. Digital tools can help to identify the best solutions to evaluate in the field.