Interior of a spacious, modern lobby with high ceilings, glass walls, circular light fixtures, and multiple seating areas with tables and chairs.
Exterior view of the modern Engineering Building with glass facade, featuring surrounding outdoor seating areas and lush greenery under a clear sky.
Modern classroom with rows of tables and chairs facing a presentation area, large windows overlooking a grassy outdoor area.
Dusk view of a modern educational building with large windows and a brick facade, located beside a pond with a fountain. A sculpture is visible near the building.
View of a modern educational building with large windows and a brick facade, located beside a pond with a fountain. A sculpture is visible near the building, set against a backdrop of a cloudy sky.
Owner
Tennessee Tech University
Architect
BAUER ASKEW Architecture, Upland Design Group
Project Size
822 m²
Completed
2025
Photos
Creative Sources Photography / Rion Rizzo

The Challenge

Tennessee Tech University’s new Ashraf Islam Engineering Building was designed to be a beacon of innovation, sustainability, and interdisciplinary learning. With a 9,300 m² footprint and a prominent location on campus, the building marks the first new engineering facility in 50 years.

The state-of-the art building includes specialized laboratory spaces, student collaboration rooms, and a two-story student project space, all surrounding a central atrium with an expansive, multi-story curtainwall. The curtainwall maximizes daylight and visual connection to the campus but introduced a significant design challenge: how to manage solar heat gain and glare without compromising aesthetics, energy performance, or occupant comfort.

Traditional shading systems—such as blinds or louvers—were not viable due to the height and complexity of the curtainwall system. The design team needed a solution that could adapt to changing light conditions while preserving the building’s architectural transparency and sustainability goals.

 

The Solution

SageGlass was chosen as the ideal solution to meet the project’s performance and design requirements. Installed across the building’s atrium, classrooms, adaptive learning lab and machining room, SageGlass dynamically tints in response to sunlight, reducing glare and solar heat gain while maintaining access to daylight and unobstructed views.

Unlike static glazing or mechanical shading systems, SageGlass integrates seamlessly into the building envelope, preserving the clean lines of the architecture. The system’s intelligent controls allow for zone-specific tinting, ensuring optimal comfort and energy efficiency throughout the day.

 

The Benefits

By incorporating SageGlass, the project architects achieved a high-performance façade that supports both sustainability and student well-being. The electrochromic glass reduces HVAC loads, contributing to lower energy consumption and operational costs. It also enhances the learning environment by eliminating glare and maintaining thermal comfort—critical factors in a building designed for active learning, collaboration, and innovation.

In a facility that reflects the future of engineering education, SageGlass plays a pivotal role in delivering a smart, sustainable, and student-centered experience.