Ready For Takeoff: New Facade Renovation Process Harnesses Aerospace Technology

First impressions matter. For commercial property owners, a building’s exterior can mean the difference between signing a lease and having a vacancy. Attractive facades leave lasting positive impressions on decision-makers, facilitating lease-ups and tenant retention.

Owners of old, defunct properties face a quandary. High vacancy rates and tenant attrition can cut into profitability and deplete reserves for upgrades. Campbell developed its cost-effective Re-Imaging Solution with space-grade technology to enable owners of older buildings to refresh their exteriors, modernizing their assets to make them competitive in a tight market where tenants are more demanding than ever.

Prospective tenants gravitate toward newer buildings with modern equipment and clean aesthetics, Campbell Window Film CEO Brad Campbell said. A modern exterior signals that the building is more likely to be energy efficient, comfortable and amenity-rich, whereas an old building in disrepair telegraphs the opposite.

“Many tenants are looking for the new, modern building campus, but can’t get into one because of lack of space availability or cost-prohibitive rents, and older buildings are unbearable,” Campbell said. “Owners with the most up-to-date older buildings are sure to attract this spillover.”

Retailers, forced to compete with the convenience e-commerce offers, have to make their storefronts and interiors stand out to entice shoppers away from their computer screens. But the costs associated with modernizing an older building can intimidate California CRE owners, with required Americans with Disabilities Act and Title 24 upgrades, that allocate few improvement dollars to their exteriors.

“Usually the budget goes to new HVAC equipment, lighting and other infrastructure improvements, and if anything is left over, the lobby or elevators may get a facelift,” Campbell said. “Sadly, the exterior is often left in its original, tired and boring state. Changing the facade is usually done by reglazing or wrapping an exoskeleton around it, but these options are rarely sought out because of the exorbitant costs.”

Campbell’s process transforms a buildings’ exterior while leaving its existing substrates in place, which minimizes waste and is LEED-friendly.

“We developed these durable materials in conjunction with the aerospace industry for branding and graphic designs of spacecrafts and military airplanes,” Campbell said. “Building owners now have a solution that is a fraction of the cost of reglazing or exoskeleton solutions, and our portfolio of case studies is growing day by day as the word gets out.”

Campbell Window Film has adopted and implemented the graphics technology advertisers use, marrying it with the space tech to create a novel, versatile and aesthetically pleasing solution.

“Have you ever had felt your mouth water while looking at a 10-foot-tall, high-resolution Big Mac and fries on the side of a semitrailer?” Campbell asked. “That image is printed on the same very durable vinyl substrate we use, with ink designed to weather the harsh outdoor elements without fading.”

Campbell has partnered with aerospace engineers to provide clients the most sophisticated facade re-imaging capabilities, using overlaminates to extend the substrate’s life and create custom designs for buildings.

“Recently, the aerospace industry has taken notice of the speed and flexibility our process offers, and partnered with us to develop entirely new technologies,” Campbell said. “This technological breakthrough in branding and graphic design has allowed us to completely transform spacecraft and airplanes with colorful printed designs and branding never before possible.”

The materials Campbell uses are durable enough to withstand the sun in a hot Arizona desert and the subzero temperatures found in space. 

“Despite its sophistication and newness, this innovation gives us a cost-effective solution for renovating buildings with old or failing exteriors, and we can pass cost savings on to clients,” Campbell said.

Campbell Window Film’s comprehensive consultations can help clients visualize the myriad combinations of designs, colors and patterns available to them. Campbell can simultaneously restore the window glass, the spandrel, the aluminum window mullions, concrete and other substrates while its waterproofing and weatherization teams reseal the windows.

“We handle all of the details, including access equipment such as swing stage, boom lifts or scaffolding to ensure maximum safety with minimal disruption to daily building operations and tenants,” Campbell said.

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