New Zealand’s sunshine is one of our greatest blessings, but it comes with a hidden cost. The same solar radiation that warms your home and brightens your living spaces is also quietly damaging your interiors. From faded furniture to sun-bleached carpets, rugs and floors, the impact of solar radiation is something many Kiwi homeowners notice far too late.
The good news? There’s a smarter way to enjoy the sunshine without the damage: SuperTherm™ Protect with advanced UV and solar radiation control, available in the Wellington region exclusively through our RetroGlaze® partnership.
Why Protection from Solar Radiation Matters in Kiwi Homes
We all know how intense the New Zealand sun can be. High UV levels and other harmful solar radiation isn’t just an outdoor concern, it also streams through your windows every day, damaging your interiors. Over time, this exposure can:
- Fade and weaken furniture, curtains, and artwork
- Discolour flooring, carpets and valuable rugs
- Cause harsh glare that strains your eyes and leaves you feeling on edge
Standard double glazing offers little protection. While it improves insulation, it doesn’t effectively block incoming infrared (heat) and UV radiation. That’s why Wellington homeowners are turning to SuperTherm™ Protect as the smarter, long-term solution.
How SuperTherm™ Stops Furniture Fading
Unlike tinted glass, which simply darkens your rooms, SuperTherm™ Protect uses Low-E (low emissivity) technology, combined with an acoustic laminate, to let visible light in whilst blocking the harmful parts of the light spectrum. These invisible layers reflect up to 66% of infrared and 99% of UV radiation, while still letting in the natural daylight that makes your home feel bright and open.
That means:
- Sofas, curtains, and carpets keep their colour longer
- Wooden flooring, carpets and rugs resist sun bleaching and drying out
- Artwork and photos stay vibrant and protected
In short, your interiors last longer, keeping your home looking newer and saving you money on replacements.
The Added Bonus: Superior Noise Control
Beyond protecting against harmful solar radiation, SuperTherm™ Protect also delivers superior noise control, resulting in beautifully quiet interiors. This advanced glazing markedly reduces noise penetration, whether from busy roads, noisy neighbours, or coastal winds. This means quieter living spaces where you can truly relax, without compromising on natural light or views. And with the busy summer festive months approaching, when outdoor celebrations and gatherings are at their peak, a little extra peace and quiet indoors can make all the difference. Alternatively, if you’re the noisy one (eg, love playing the drums or loud music), SuperTherm™ Protect helps keeps the neighbourhood quiet and peaceful!
Source: RetroGlaze® Learn more here
The Clear Advantage Over Tinted Glass
Many homeowners assume tinted glass is the solution to fading and glare, but the reality is that tinted windows come with compromises. They often:
- Make interiors feel dark and uninviting
- Obstruct your views of the garden, beach, or hills
- Fail to provide the same level of protection against solar heat gain, UV-light, furniture fading or outside noise.
Tinted glass significantly reduces visible light and doesn’t block the same broad spectrum of harmful solar radiation. UV light is only about 55% of the problem, as infrared (solar heat) and parts of the visible light spectrum also play a major role in furniture fading and glare. That’s why cheaper “UV-blocking” or “solar control” glass options often fall short.
This is where SuperTherm™ stands apart
SuperTherm™ Protect combines an outside layer of 5 or 6mm thick SuperTherm™ Cool with an inner layer of special ‘acoustic’ laminated safety glass – sometimes known as ‘hush’ glass
- SuperTherm™ Cool alone reduces solar heat gain and furniture fading by 61% and blocks 81% of UV light, while still transmitting 70% natural daylight.
- SuperTherm™ Protect reduces solar heat gain by the same amount, fading by 73% and blocks 99% of UV light, providing the best protection against overheating, glare, fading and outside noise.
While it’s true that any laminated glass can block 99% of UV, lamination alone isn’t enough. The unique combination of laminate with advanced Low-E technology in SuperTherm™ Cool and Protect delivers the most effective, full-spectrum protection available in the residential market in New Zealand.
The result? With SuperTherm™ Cool or SuperTherm™ Protect, you’ll enjoy light-filled interiors, uninterrupted views, superior acoustic comfort, and long-term protection for your home and everything inside it, benefits that tinted glass simply can’t match.
The Wellington Glass & Mirror Difference – A Tailored Comfort Plan
No two homes are the same, which is why we don’t take a one-size-fits-all approach. At Wellington Glass & Mirror, we create a tailored comfort plan designed to optimise your home’s comfort and protection year-round. For example, we may recommend SuperTherm™ Protect in rooms facing busy roads to minimise noise and west-facing living areas to cut harsh afternoon glare, SuperTherm™ Cool in bedrooms or sunrooms where UV control and summer cooling are the top priorities, and SuperTherm™ Warm in south-facing or shaded rooms where extra insulation is needed through the colder months.
Through our official partnership with RetroGlaze®, we’re proud to bring the best of the SuperTherm™ range to homeowners across the Wellington region, providing global innovation tailored to local living!
The outcome is a home that feels “just right” in every space, not too hot in summer, not too cool in winter, but perfectly comfortable all year round.
Get in touch with our local team today to discover how a tailored SuperTherm™ glazing plan can transform your home with the perfect balance of light, protection, and comfort.
FAQs
No, unlike tinted glass, SuperTherm™ Protect allows natural daylight in while blocking harmful radiation. Your rooms stay bright and welcoming.
Yes. Our retrofit service means we can upgrade most timber and aluminium frames with high-performance SuperTherm™ units, without altering your home’s character.
Absolutely. While it blocks excessive heat gain, harmful UV and summer glare, it also provides superior insulation, helping retain warmth in cooler months for year-round comfort.
Yes. Energy-efficient, solar control double-glazing is a sought-after feature for Kiwi buyers, improving both year-round comfort, energy efficiency and resale value.