Architect
U.S. Navy

An historic campus building swaps an old metal roof for SageGlass® glazing, letting in abundant natural light while improving building energy performance.

One of the original U.S. Naval Academy buildings, MacDonough Hall today serves as the campus athletic facility. When the building’s metal roof required replacement, architects saw an opportunity to not only bring more daylight inside, but also improve building energy performance. Dynamic SageGlass made it possible to maximize daylighting by replacing the old roof with one made entirely of glass. Since SageGlass automatically tints and clears as needed to control the glare and heat of the sun, less energy is required to keep building occupants comfortable throughout the day.

Energy calculations revealed that SageGlass would reduce building HVAC cooling requirements by at least 18 percent.

External solar shades were ruled out early due to the Hall’s historical architecture. Mechanized internal blinds were not feasible due to the roof’s hard-to-reach location, plus they would block the glass roof.

The SageGlass panes are programmed to spell “GO NAVY” during Naval Academy sporting events, helping to boost school spirit for athletes and fans.

The skylights create a bright space with natural light and enhance the daylight in adjacent spaces as well. Everyone I’ve talked to believes it’s a vast improvement.
Tony Freitag, Architect
U.S. Naval Academy