When the OPP’s London detachment, located at 675 Exeter Road, London Ontario, needed daytime privacy across an entire building, 117 windows, 2,695 square feet, the solution wasn’t as simple as applying film to the glass. An existing interior installation and warranty compliance requirements meant the job had to be done from the outside. Here’s how Windsor Window Imaging delivered.
Security and privacy are operational requirements at a police detachment, not preferences.
When the Ontario Provincial Police’s London facility identified a need for daytime privacy across its building, they turned to Windsor Window Imaging to assess and execute the solution. The scope was significant: every window in the building. The constraint was immediate: an existing interior film installation meant that adding another layer on the inside wasn’t an option, both from a performance standpoint and a warranty compliance standpoint. The answer was an exterior application, a less common approach that requires different techniques, different equipment, and a higher degree of precision.
Challenge
Several factors made this project more demanding than a standard commercial installation:
Existing interior film on the building ruled out an interior solution - applying film over film voids the manufacturer’s warranty and compromises performance
An exterior application requires working from lifts at height across the full building envelope
Wind conditions on elevated surfaces add difficulty to film handling and precise placement
Landscaping, including shrubs close to the building, limited access in some areas
Bird activity created ongoing surface contamination that had to be managed throughout the installation
Exterior window film installations require clean, precise application under conditions that are considerably less controlled than interior work. Every panel needed to be right.
Solution
Windsor Window Imaging specified 3M™ Solar Control Window Film Silver 15 Exterior (RE15SIARXL) , a reflective solar control film engineered for exterior application. The Silver 15 Exterior achieves daytime privacy through its high reflectivity. With only 17% visible light transmitted, the film significantly reduces visibility into the building from outside during daylight hours — the primary goal for this facility. The effect comes from the film’s reflective surface, not a separate privacy coating.
As a secondary benefit, the window film also delivers measurable solar performance.
Visible light transmitted: 17% — Creates a daytime privacy effect, making the interior difficult to see from outside during daylight hours.
Glare reduction: 81% — Helps reduce glare and improve visual comfort for occupants.
Total solar energy rejected: 79% — Helps reduce solar heat entering the building.
UV block: 99% — Helps protect interior furnishings from UV-related fading and reduces occupants’ UV exposure through the glass.
Solar heat reduction: 74% — Helps reduce solar heat gain and cooling demand.
For a facility where the nature of operations demands a secure, private interior, the Silver 15 Exterior delivered on the primary goal. The solar performance data above is included for reference — useful context for any building owner, but not the reason this film was chosen. The exterior application also resolved the warranty conflict entirely: by working on the outside of the glass, the existing interior film remained undisturbed and its warranty intact.
Installation
Project: Ontario Provincial Police — London Detachment
Product: 3M™ Sun Control Window Film Silver 15 Exterior (RE15SIARXL)
Application: Exterior installation across the full building
Windows covered: 117 windows
Total area: 2,695 sq. ft.
Crew size: 4 technicians
Duration: 2.5 days
The project was completed in 2.5 days by a four-person crew using lifts to access elevated sections of the building. Despite the logistical challenges — height, wind, restricted ground access, and ongoing surface maintenance — every window was completed to specification.
Results
Full daytime privacy achieved across the entire building envelope
Existing interior film and its warranty left fully intact
Solar performance benefits (UV block, glare reduction) included as a secondary advantage
2,695 sq ft completed in 2.5 days with no disruption to facility operations
Exterior installation executed cleanly despite height, wind, and site access challenges
What this Project Demonstrates
Not every window film job is straightforward. When an existing installation, a warranty requirement, or a building’s configuration rules out the obvious approach, the right installer needs to know what the alternatives are — and how to execute them properly. Exterior window film applications are less common because they’re more demanding. They require the right product, the right equipment, and a team that has done it before at scale.
For property owners and facility managers facing similar constraints - existing film, privacy needs, or building configurations that make interior installation impractical - an exterior solution may be the right answer.
A trusted partner across Ontario’s public safety sector
This project is one of several Windsor Window Imaging has completed for law enforcement and public safety facilities across Southwestern Ontario, including:
OPP.ca - Privacy & Security Film
Windsor RCMP.ca — Privacy and Security Film
Location: Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), 6080 Riverside Dr E, Windsor, ON N8S 1B6
Location: Windsor Airport
London RCMP.ca — Privacy and Security Film
Location: London Airport
OPP Forensic Building, Chatham — 3M Ultra 800 blast mitigation film
Location: The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Forensic Identification Services facility 535 park Ave E, Chatham, ON N7M 5J4
Windsor Courthouse — Security and Solar control film
Each project was completed to the operational and security standards of the institution. Every referral came through reputation.
Does your facility have a window film challenge that needs a careful solution?
Windsor Window Imaging works with commercial, institutional, and public sector clients across Windsor, Essex County, Chatham, and Sarnia. Whether the requirement is privacy, security, solar control, or a combination, we’ll assess your situation and recommend the right approach.
Windsor Window Imaging has been a leading window film and graphics provider in the Southern Ontario region since 1998. Located in Windsor, Ontario, we are a 3M Authorized Window Film dealer proudly serving Windsor, Sarnia, Essex, Chatham, and the surrounding area. “All our work is guaranteed and we guarantee your seen our work.”
Contact Windsor Window Imaging to discuss how to improve the privacy, safety & security of your commercial windows.
More projects similar to this can be seen on the Windsor Window Imaging gallery Commercial Projects. Get a free estimate for your business and start enjoying the benefits of 3M Window Film today!