As commercial building and business owners prepare for a new year in 2025, security challenges are top of mind for many.
Whether you want to protect a commercial building’s windows from breakage while simultaneously increasing their energy efficiency, harden a school’s windows and doors to protect students and staff from active threats, or reinforce a retail storefront against damage and theft, consider jumping on one of these 2025 security trends.
2025 Security Trend #1: Combining Sun Control and Security Window Film for Commercial Buildings
Commercial property owners are increasingly seeking solutions that combine environmental performance with increased window safety and security.
Sun control and security window films, when used together, provide a dual-purpose solution that addresses both sustainability goals and glass protection needs.
Key Benefits of Combining Sun Control and Security Window Films
Higher Energy Efficiency with Added Security
Sun control films like the 3M Prestige Series are designed to reduce solar heat gain, or the transfer of heat from the sun through a building’s windows, by rejecting infrared rays.
When paired with security window films, which reinforce glass against breakage, the result is a solution that reduces cooling costs while protecting the glass against impacts and breakage.
Better Protection Against Breakage
Security window films reinforce glass surfaces, holding broken shards of glass together and preventing them from shattering dangerously inwards upon impact.
Whether due to an attempted break-in, vandalism, or a natural disaster, this added durability minimizes risks to occupants and property.
When combined with the energy-efficient properties of sun control window film, this helps businesses protect their bottom line from multiple angles.
Improved Comfort and Safety for Occupants
Excessive heat and glare from windows can hurt employee productivity and detract from positive customer experiences, while unprotected glass creates safety risks in high-traffic areas.
Using sun control and security films together addresses both of these concerns, balancing interior temperatures and helping keep vulnerable glass intact even under stress.
Cost-Effectiveness
Applying window film to existing windows is far more affordable than replacing windows entirely with specialized glass. This makes the dual-film approach an ideal solution for modernizing a commercial property’s window performance without accruing significant expenses.
2025 Security Trend #2: Using Forced Entry-Resistant Security Glazing in Schools
With the rise of active threat incidents and other security challenges, schools across the country are prioritizing physical security measures to protect their most vulnerable points — doors and windows.
Forced entry-resistant security glazing is one such measure that’s quickly becoming a go-to solution for educational facilities looking to harden their security in 2025.
Why Schools Are Retrofitting Windows and Doors with Security Glazing
Protection Against Active Threats
Standard glass windows and doors are a significant weak point in school security. Even with modern door locks, access control systems, and other security measures in place, it’s incredibly easy for an armed assailant to force entry by breaking an unprotected pane of glass and opening a door from the inside.
Forced entry-resistant security glazing is designed to withstand impacts from tools or projectiles, delaying or preventing unauthorized access altogether during critical moments. In a worst-case active threat scenario, this buys valuable time for school occupants to run, hide, and shelter in place while waiting for law enforcement to arrive and neutralize the threat.
Durability and Longevity
Forced entry-resistant security glazing is built to last, reducing the long-term costs associated with glass replacement and damage repairs. Its resilience against forced entry, vandalism, and even weather-related damage makes it a worthwhile investment for budget-conscious schools and districts.
Peace of Mind
Teachers, parents, and students feel more secure knowing that security glazing is in place, providing a robust access denial barrier against active threats and protecting schools against other potential security concerns.
When used in combination with other modern security measures, like surveillance and access control, forced entry-resistant glazing significantly contributes to a more comprehensive school safety and security strategy.
2025 Security Trend #3: Protecting Retail Stores with Riot Glass
Retail businesses continue to face an alarming increase in threats, including smash-and-grab theft, rioting, looting, vandalism, and burglary.
Riot Glass is a leading solution for addressing these challenges, offering unmatched levels of storefront glass protection for businesses.
How Riot Glass is Revolutionizing Retail Security in 2025
Preventing Smash-and-Grab Thefts
Riot Glass is designed to withstand high-force attempts to break through windows and doors, whether it’s attempting to throw a rock through a storefront window or using a sledgehammer to try and break a glass entryway door.
This solution makes stores far less appealing targets to criminals who typically rely on speed and ease of access, causing them to abandon attempts and move on.
Minimizing Cleanup and Replacement Costs
Unlike standard glass, Riot Glass doesn’t shatter upon impact. This eliminates the need for expensive and time-consuming cleanup, window board-ups, and full storefront replacement after an incident.
Riot Glass allows retailers to remain fully operational even after an attempted break-in, simply replacing an individual pane of Riot Glass if it gets damaged.
Reducing Repeat Incidents
Riot Glass sends a clear message to would-be criminals that a business is not an easy target. Many retailers find that upgrading to Riot Glass significantly reduces the likelihood of repeat break-in attempts.
Insurance Benefits
Implementing modern security measures like Riot Glass can make businesses more insurable. Many insurance providers reward these efforts with lower premiums, recognizing the reduced risk of loss and damage.
Conclusion
As security challenges continue to evolve, so too must the measures we take to address them.
The 2025 security trends discussed above are just a few examples of the innovative solutions to consider implementing, depending on your perceived threats and the type of property you manage. Investing in these measures not only mitigates security risks, but also brings long-term benefits, from energy cost savings to increased peace of mind.
By adopting these trends, commercial buildings, schools, and retail businesses can create safer, more secure spaces for their occupants, while also reducing maintenance and repair costs, protecting profits, and increasing net operating income (NOI).
At Campbell Glass and Films, we can help you implement the right glass security upgrades for your specific needs and budget. Contact us today for a consultation!
