Date: 23 November 2015
The state-of-the-art, sustainable academic Center will feature 25,000 square feet of electronically tintable SageGlass, a product of Saint-Gobain, on portions of the curtain wall façade and throughout the “The Icon,” a three-story multipurpose space. SageGlass will dynamically control sunlight to provide students and faculty with a comfortable learning environment and unobstructed views of the outdoors. The project is aiming to achieve LEED Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council.
SageGlass announced this project at the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo, the world’s largest conference dedicated to green building and sustainability, taking place in Washington, D.C., Nov. 18-20, 2015.
The 150,000-square-foot Center will feature flexible classrooms, innovative research and instructional laboratories, as well as multi-purpose space. SageGlass will be installed in numerous exterior classrooms and The Icon to control sunlight to optimize daylight, outdoor views and comfort while preventing glare, fading and overheating. The result will be a more comfortable learning space that is conducive to cognitive thinking thanks to unobstructed outdoor views. The dynamic glass tints on-demand, allowing faculty to customize solar control in each classroom. SageGlass also tints automatically via light sensors. By blocking sunlight on hot days, SageGlass dramatically reduces energy demand and will help the project achieve LEED Gold certification.
“Building a state-of-the-art learning and research facility for our science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) and nursing programs required the incorporation of the most innovative building materials available today. SageGlass will provide our students with a superior learning environment, and at the same time it will help reduce energy costs for the University,” said Dr. Karl Brockenbrough, Vice President for Administration and Finance at Bowie State University. “Upon completion, the iconic new Center will be a focal point on our campus. It will elevate our STEM and nursing programs and help attract new students to Bowie State University for years to come.”
By providing superior solar control, SageGlass eliminates the need for cumbersome blinds or shades throughout the building. According to Paul Harney, Senior Project Architect and Associate Principal at Perkins + Will, “Our goal was to create a facility for teaching and learning that maintained a strong connection to the outdoors and also served as an innovative showpiece for the University. SageGlass enabled us to achieve our goal without compromising classroom views or the aesthetics of The Icon.”
“Higher education institutions are increasingly building new facilities that benefit the learning experience for students, above all else. We’re thrilled SageGlass will be included throughout the new Center at Bowie State University,” said Alan McLenaghan, CEO of SageGlass. “We strongly believe that a daylit, comfortable classroom is essential for maximizing student potential. SageGlass is the connector between the built and natural environments.”
Bowie State University is completing the project in partnership with the University of Maryland Service Center, Perkins + Will and Clark Construction. The Center is expected to be completed in spring 2017.
Editor’s Note: Renderings of the Center for Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Nursing are available upon request to SageGlass@brownsteingroup.com.
About SageGlass
SageGlass®, a product of Saint-Gobain, is advanced dynamic glass that can be electronically tinted or cleared to optimize daylight and improve the human experience in buildings. SageGlass manages the sunlight and heat that enter a building, significantly reducing energy consumption while improving people’s comfort and well-being. It can reduce a building’s cooling load by 20% and HVAC requirements up to 30%. It is a smarter, more elegant solution than conventional sun controls such as mechanical window shades, blinds and louvers. With SageGlass you can control sunlight and glare without shades or blinds while maintaining the view and connection to the outdoors. SageGlass is manufactured in Faribault, Minn., in the heart of “the Silicon Valley of the window industry,” and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Saint-Gobain of Paris, the world’s largest building materials company.
For more information visit:
Website: www.sageglass.com
Twitter: twitter.com/Sage_Glass
Facebook: Facebook.com/SageGlass
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/sage-electrochromics-inc.
YouTube: Youtube.com/SAGEElectrochromics
About Saint-Gobain in North America
Saint-Gobain has its North American headquarters in Valley Forge, Pennsylvania. As the world leader in sustainable habitat, Saint-Gobain is committed to inventing solutions to help professionals and communities around the world build and renovate comfortable, healthy, economical and energy-efficient buildings. The company has more than 250 locations in North America and approximately 15,000 employees. In the United States and Canada, Saint-Gobain reported sales of approximately $6.2 billion in 2014.
Recognized as a 2009 and 2010 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Saint-Gobain earned the 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 ENERGY STAR Sustained Excellence Award, the highest level of recognition for outstanding contributions to protecting the environment through energy efficiency. For more information about Saint-Gobain in North America, visit www.saint-gobain-northamerica.com and connect with the company on Facebook and Twitter.
About Saint-Gobain
In 2015, Saint-Gobain is celebrating its 350th anniversary, 350 reasons to believe in the future. Backed by its experience and its capacity to continuously innovate, Saint-Gobain, the world leader in the habitat and construction market, designs, manufactures and distributes high-performance and building materials providing innovative solutions to the challenges of growth, energy efficiency and environmental protection. With 2014 sales of $54.6 billion, Saint-Gobain operates in 64 countries and has over 180,000 employees. For more information about Saint-Gobain, visit https://www.saint-gobain.com/en and the twitter account @saintgobain
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