A Healthy Alternative to Blinds

Blinds: a dirty little secret

Not only do blinds block out the beneficial qualities of daylight, they collect dust and germs, and redistribute them into the air each time they are adjusted.

A man giving a presentation to a group of seven people in a conference room. The blackboard behind them displays images and labels of MSRA bacteria, E. coli bacteria, and Klebsiella bacteria.

92% of blinds become contaminated within one week of cleaning

View Smart Glass eliminates the need for blinds, significantly reducing toxic chemical concentrations in dust throughout the office.

Cartoon illustration of a red, irregularly shaped splat with small blue splatters around it.

69%↓

Stain Repellents

Manufacturers treat blinds with toxic PFAS stain repellents because they are rarely cleaned and need to be replaced if they are stained.

A stylized red flame icon on a white background.

85%↓

Fire Retardants

Up to 10% of the weight of a blind is chemical flame retardants, which are added to meet flammability codes.

Read The Research Brief

Blinds are Unhealthy and Unsustainable

An interior space with large windows showing an outdoor scene with trees and a road. The room has grey blinds with labels indicating features of related materials: one label says made of unrecyclable materials, another requires chemical flame retardants, and another requires stain repellents. There is a woman standing on the floor, looking at her phone.

Interior of a building with large windows and a woman standing inside, showing features of eco-friendly, recyclable glass with a 30+ year life cycle, no chemical flame retardants, easy to clean, and 100% recyclable.

Health Effects

Exposure to chemical stain repellents and flame retardants have been shown to increase the risk of debilitating health disorders of the endocrine, immune, nervous, and reproductive systems.

A woman sitting by a large window, holding a smartphone, looking outside at a sunny day with trees and fields in the distance.

Replace traditional glass and blinds with View Smart Glass to reduce the risk of:

Poor reproductive outcomes
Thyroid disorders
Higher cholesterol
Decreased vaccine effectiveness
Lower IQ scores

Pathogen-Free Spaces with Built-In UV Protection

View Smart Windows deliver near complete disinfection of surfaces within 24 hours while still blocking 99.9% of UV light that can damage skin. Whether in its clear or tinted state, View Smart Windows eliminate up to 100% of bacteria by allowing in the short-wavelength, high energy spectrum of daylight.

Comparison of surface bacteria levels in a room with blinds and a room with view, showing more bacteria in the room with blinds.

MRSA samples exposed to daylight through windows with blinds vs View Smart Windows in their darkest tint state

Read the Research Brief

The power of daylight

150 years of researc h has demonstrated that daylight neutralizes bacteria, fungi, and viruses. But this study, conducted at the Pakpour Laboratory for Biomedical Microbiome Research at the University of British Columbia, is one of the first to look at the effect of daylight on pathogens indoors, where we spend 90% of our time.

Man working on a laptop at a large wooden table in a bright office with floor-to-ceiling windows and a view of buildings and trees outside.

Daylight creates sterile lab environments

Microbial contamination is responsible for 11-15% of product recalls. Life science companies spend on average $3.1M annually to remediate contamination events, in addition to lost revenue and legal exposure.

A scientist wearing a mask, gloves, and a lab coat performing an experiment with test tubes near a large window overlooking a cityscape.

Replace traditional blinds with View Smart Windows to:

Comply with Current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) regulations to maintain a sterile laboratory environment
Avoid remediation costs
Reduce regulatory risk

Daylight reduces the risk of healthcare associated infections

Healthcare associated infections (HAIs) lead to nearly 100,000 deaths each year in the US and are commonly attributed to contamination of the patient’s surroundings. HAIs can cost hospitals millions of dollars in withheld reimbursements annually.

A woman in a hospital gown sitting on a medical examination room bench, reading a magazine, with a hospital bed partially visible in the foreground and a large window showing a cityscape in the background.

Replace traditional blinds with View Smart Windows to:

Reduce risk of HAIs
Promote faster healing
Avoid regulatory penalties

Learn more about the research

Read The Research Brief

Read The Full Study Findings

Designed for Sustainability

The benefits of View Smart Windows are recognized by both the LEED and WELL rating systems. View Smart Windows also meet all of today’s materials transparency certifications.

Download: EPD

Download: HPD

The Science

Healthier, happier and more productive employees

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Healthier, happier, and more productive employees