Information
Owner
INPI
Product
1400 m² (15,069 square feet) of SageGlass Climaplus Classic with LightZone™
Project Size
1,400 m²
Photos
© K. Khalfi
Body

The Challenge

The French National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI) oversees patents, trademarks and industrial design rights. The organization’s 550 employees are based in the suburb of Courbevoie outside Paris, in the award-winning new INPI headquarters building. The energy-positive building incorporates many innovative technologies to provide an exceptional working environment, controlling factors such as visual and thermal comfort, air quality and acoustics.

However, the building was originally constructed with automatic exterior blinds, which proved to be noisy and faulty once installed, detracting from the overall high-quality working environment. As the “home of innovation”, INPI sought to replace the blinds with a smart, sustainable solution in keeping with its own character.

We were impressed by this extremely eco-friendly solution that addresses our needs and our CSR commitments, but also by the fact that it’s protected by an array of patents.
Yves Lapierre, Managing Director
INPI

The Solution

To overcome this challenge, INPI put its trust in unique SageGlass® technology from Saint-Gobain – a dynamic glazing product protected by more than 500 patents. This electronically tinted glass discreetly darkens and lightens in response to sunlight to block heat and glare, but maintain the outdoor view. SageGlass can tint automatically to control the levels of natural light and solar heat that penetrate interior spaces, and it can also be integrated with a building management system. This effective and energy efficient alternative to louvered shutters, venetian blinds and other rolling shades guarantees consistent comfort for building occupants and does not require any special maintenance.

 

The Benefits

Once SageGlass was installed at INPI headquarters, employees began to enjoy truly optimum working conditions, with balanced daylight and a visual connection to the outdoors to promote wellbeing and productivity. When the SageGlass tint changes, the process goes unnoticed by the building’s occupants, quietly providing maximum comfort all year round at every moment of the day. The glazing in the meeting rooms can be manually darkened to improve lighting conditions for a digital presentation.

Crucially, SageGlass helps the INPI headquarters further reduce its energy consumption – a measureable benefit for the energy-positive building.