SageGlass® electronically tintable dynamic glass will serve as the model window technology in a new research and demonstration project for energy-efficient building design at the Greater Philadelphia Innovation Cluster (GPIC) for Energy-Efficient Buildings.
SageGlass® electronically tintable dynamic glass will serve as the model window technology in a new research and demonstration project for energy-efficient building design at the Greater Philadelphia Innovation Cluster (GPIC) for Energy-Efficient Buildings.
GPIC is one of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Innovation Hubs established to accelerate national energy independence and green job creation. SAGE’s SageGlass will be part of a research and demonstration project at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, intended to showcase and test the most advanced energy-efficient technologies, methods and policies.
The SageGlass project is one of seven initial Opportunity Research Fund grants totalling USD 1.3 million awarded by GPIC to explore new integrated window and lighting systems, among other building design objectives. SAGE competed for the grant in conjunction with its strategic partner, Saint-Gobain, and Penn State. The partners were awarded USD 200,000 for the winning proposal.
GPIC selected SageGlass technology to explore the energy savings and occupant comfort that can be achieved through the use of electrochromic glazing in buildings exposed to significant direct sunlight. SageGlass tints or untints at the push of a button to modulate visible light, heat gain and glare, while letting building occupants enjoy natural light and outdoor views. By regulating solar heat gain, it reduces energy consumption in buildings by up to 20%, HVAC requirements as much as 30% and lighting energy costs by up to 60%.
“We are pleased to provide these awards to outstanding organizations,” said Henry Foley, Ph.D., GPIC executive director. “The selected projects reflect the priorities and areas of need for GPIC where additional research will continue toward meeting GPIC goals and spurring innovation.”
GPIC is a consortium of academic institutions, federal laboratories, businesses and other organizations, led by Penn State, which joined forces to secure almost USD 130 million from the DOE to form one of three national Innovation Hubs. GPIC has established The Navy Yard in Philadelphia as the national centre for building energy-efficient research, education, policy and commercialization.
Its goal is to “transform the building retrofit industry from serial fragmentation to integrated systems methods, to improve design tools, building systems, public policies, market incentives and workforce skills needed to achieve a 50% reduction in building energy use and to stimulate private investment and quality job creation in Greater Philadelphia and beyond,” according to its charter.
GPIC’s SageGlass research and demonstration project will study an integrated building retrofit solution to facilitate these goals. “The fastest, most cost-effective path to national greenhouse gas reduction and energy independence is to make our buildings as energy efficient as possible,” said Derek Malmquist, SAGE’s vice president of marketing. “SageGlass improves the energy performance of buildings, while allowing occupants to experience the benefits of natural daylighting and a connection to the outdoors. We’re excited to play a key role with our partners Saint-Gobain and Penn State to demonstrate and quantify the solar control properties of SAGE’s dynamic glass.”