Exterior image of the new Engineering & Tech Building, which opened in 2020
 The atrium provides a well-lit, airy gathering place for staff and faculty to collaborate and recharge.
 Smart Windows allow plenty of natural light into the 2-story atrium while preserving views.
 Smart Windows tint automatically to keep occupants cool and comfortable.
Owner
San Jacinto College
Architect
Kirksey Architecture
Product
SageGlass Classic
Project Size
2,800 ft² / 260 m²
Completed
2020

The Challenge

Over the past several years, San Jacinto College, located outside of Houston, Texas, has collaborated with SageGlass on its Central Campus instructional building and other buildings—using smart windows to provide light-filled, comfortable spaces for teaching and learning. Most recently, San Jacinto College was ready to design its 74,000-square-foot Engineering & Technology building, which features state-of-the-art labs, maker spaces, classrooms, and more. In the modern two-story atrium, the project team needed plenty of windows to showcase outdoor views and let in light, while keeping students and instructors cool and comfortable.

 

The Solution

The San Jacinto project team chose SageGlass Classic smart windows for the atrium, an area where students and instructors gather to collaborate, socialize, and recharge. The smart windows tint automatically in response to the sun, offering unobstructed views and plenty of natural light, while minimizing heat and glare. The windows help make the atrium feel roomy and bright, complementing the innovative, award-winning architecture—including signature “Y” columns—by the designers at Kirksey Architecture.

 

The Benefits

SageGlass smart windows make up the floor-to-ceiling span of several walls in the Engineering & Technology atrium, offering crucial natural light to illuminate both the gathering spaces in the atrium and the adjacent labs and maker spaces, which feature windows onto the atrium. The windows contribute to a space that feels bright and connected, without the excessive heat and glare that often accompany buildings with lots of glazing. Because dynamic glass tints automatically to reduce heat (and can be manually tinted, too), they also improve the energy efficiency and ecological impact of the building.