Exterior of brick building with custom smart glass buildings.
interior glass of san jacinto
exterior view of glass at san jacinto
interior of san jacinto
interior of san jacinto
Information
Owner
San Jacinto College
Architect
Kirksey Architecture
Product
SageGlass Harmony
Project Size
435 m²
Completed
2022
Body

The Challenge

Located in the historical, industrial, and maritime region of East Harris County, Texas, San Jacinto College has been serving students since 1961. It currently includes five campuses and around 45,000 students. For its new Central Campus instructional building—which replaces two older facilities—the project team prioritized sustainability, wellness, and aesthetics for the 60 teaching spaces. They wanted to provide glare-free, light-filled spaces that worked with the building's innovate mass-timber construction.

 

The Solution

For the new building—their fourth project with SageGlass—the San Jacinto College team selected SageGlass's Harmony® smart windows, which automatically tint throughout the day without the need for blinds or shades. They reduce glare and regulate temperature, while letting in plenty of natural light and preserving views of the outdoors around the college. There are economic benefits, too: "Our taxpayers benefit, because we can maintain comfort with reduced demand on the HVAC system," says Chuck Smith, associate vice chancellor of fiscal initiatives.

SageGlass's windows complement the 122,000-square-foot building's beautiful design, which features an exposed brick exterior, mass timber beams, and a two-story lobby that's filled with light (thanks to smart glass). "We evaluate smart glass alternatives for every project, and use it in all cases where it provides a life-cycle cost advantage," says Smith.

SageGlass's vice president of North American sales, Michael Lane, says that San Jacinto College is "showing other educational institutions what is possible in terms of sustainability, ease of construction, and occupant wellness. I expect other schools to follow suit."

 

The Benefits

With SageGlass Harmony, the new building offers bright, comfortable spaces for students and instructors. "It's exciting to be part of this project featuring both mass timber and smart glass," says Pat Pollard, vice president at Tellepsen Builders, who are constructing the project. "San Jacinto is very thoughtful in its building and materials selection, prioritizing sustainability, wellness, and aesthetics. With the mass timber and SageGlass smart glass, this building will be a campus favorite and a great example for other schools."

San Jacinto is very thoughtful in its building and materials selection, prioritizing sustainability, wellness, and aesthetics. With the mass timber and SageGlass smart glass, this building will be a campus favorite and a great example for other schools.
Pat Pollard, Vice President
Tellepsen Builders