SAGE Electrochromics Inc. announced that its electronically tintable SageGlass® product is being integrated into the new Community and Student Services Center (CSSC) at Chabot College. In addition to SageGlass, the facility features a variety of other advanced sustainability technologies designed to achieve aggressive energy-efficiency levels and maximum occupant comfort. The CSSC and other facility upgrades on the college campus are the culmination of a $280 million bond measure supporting Chabot College’s ambitious sustainability initiative calling for “green intelligent buildings” designed to achieve a minimum LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) rating of Silver.

As the centerpiece of Chabot College’s green intelligent building initiative, the CSSC deploys SageGlass as a strategic element of an integrated daylighting control system to manage sunlight and heat gain. The dynamic glazing tints or clears within minutes, helping reduce energy consumed for air conditioning, heating and lighting.

The CSSC also features radiant heating and cooling in the atrium’s concrete slab in lieu of traditional forced air heating and cooling. In addition, the facility is engineered with roof and ceiling “Air Scoops” to provide natural ventilation.

“The CSSC represents the first critical point of contact our new students have with Chabot College, and we believe strongly in optimizing occupant comfort factors that work in concert with energy efficiency design principles,” said Doug Horner, project manager with Chabot Community College. “This one-of-a-kind facility accomplishes this by using advanced design elements such as Acutherm diffusers that allow for adjustments to the thermal environment by each occupant. The CSSC also provides natural daylight in all occupied spaces and access to outdoor views, while controlling the amount of light in the building to reduce heat gain as a means of increasing the comfort level of occupants.”

From an energy efficiency standpoint, the CSSC is targeting an energy reduction of 42 percent based on LEED Energy & Atmosphere Credit 1 (EAc1) and a renewable energy production of 12.5 percent based on LEED EAc2.

“The design approach we’ve taken for the CSSC delivers exceptional energy efficiency, due in large part to a ductless heating and cooling system,” said Phil Newsom, senior project manager with tBP Architecture. “That system would not be possible without deploying SageGlass [which,] controls the amount of sunlight entering the two-story space. As a result, it’s become an architectural enabler that has allowed us to create an HVAC-free space.”

“The CSSC is an amazing facility that demonstrates how energy efficiency and occupant friendly design principals can complement one another by integrating best-in-class sustainability technologies,” said John Van Dine, chief executive officer with SAGE Electrochromics. “We are proud that SageGlass is a key element of this remarkable, highly sustainable facility.”