3M is using micro-structured prisms in a window film to optically direct as much as 80 percent of the exterior natural light in and up, helping a first-of-its-kind net zero Walgreens drugstore produce more energy than it consumes. 3M™ Daylight Redirecting Window Film is part of the Evanston, Illinois store’s net-zero design, installed on 4,000 square feet of west-facing glass to help light the room as deep as 40 feet from the windows. With this technology, the energy of natural daylight can be “harnessed”—extending it into a building’s interior, which can reduce energy for lighting by as much as a 52 percent.
