SAN FRANCISCO – SAGE, the leader in dynamic window glass, today announced at the U.S. Green Building Council’s Greenbuildconference it is having its strongest year ever as the company experiences record sales, nears completion of its new high-volume manufacturing facility, and became part of the green building industry’s global leader, Saint-Gobain, among other accomplishments. As a key participant at this year’s Greenbuild show, SAGE is poised to interact with customers and partners, including its newest partnerViracon; showcase its award-winning dynamic glass; and capitalize on the momentum it has enjoyed so far in 2012.
Commercial building projects incorporating the company’s SageGlass® electronically tintable glass are at a record pace in 2012, confirming that dynamic glass has evolved from a niche technology to a mainstream glazing solution. From government facilities, universities and commercial offices to churches and tribal headquarters, projects are incorporating SageGlass to control heat gain and glare, optimize daylight and increase energy efficiency all while preserving the outdoor view.
Some notable SageGlass projects in 2012 include:
· Philadelphia’s iconic Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts
· Colorado State University’s Morgan Library
· U.S. GSA’s Ajo Border Patrol Station
· Immanuel Bible Church
· Virginia Tech’s LumenHAUS
· Mercy Corp Headquarters
· University of Kansas Center for Design Research
· DOE’s National Renewable Energy Lab’s RSF and ESIF research facilities
· Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe tribal headquarters
· U.S. GSA’s Donna-Rio Bravo Land Port of Entry
The partnership with Viracon announced this week at Greenbuild will help architects and building owners improve the energy efficiency of buildings while maintaining the integrity of the glazing design. It will allow a whole-building glazing solution when architects and building owners want to specify active SageGlass® glazing and static Viracon glazings into the same building, and want the look to be seamless. SAGE will market and sell a line of products that incorporates a Viracon exterior lite that is designed to complement other popular coatings available from Viracon. This product integration will give customers more aesthetic options for solving a variety of glazing challenges in their building projects.
This year SAGE moved into the final construction phase of what will be the world’s largest and most advanced electrochromic glass facility. Located in Faribault, Minn., the 324,000-square-foot building will produce dynamic glass in large architectural sizes in high volumes.
To run the new facility, SAGE hired Dr. Alan McLenaghan as its new vice president of operations in June. Dr. McLenaghan is a 15-year veteran of Saint-Gobain and has strong roots in flat glass production, sustainability and management. He is responsible for safety, supply chain, MIS and manufacturing operations for the company.
Another notable hire in 2012 was that of Catherine Zhou as vice president and general manager of the company’s new China operations. China is an important new high-growth market for dynamic glass as the country continues its aggressive build out of urban centers.
The architectural and glazing industry took note of SAGE’s success in 2012 as well. USGlass magazine selected SageGlass as its Product of the Year, while also naming Dr. Helen Sanders, SAGE’s vice president of technical business development, to its Top 100 Influencers list. Green Thinker Network selected SageGlass for its Sustainability 2012 Award in the Window & Door category. And the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) selected SageGlass for its Green Proving Ground program that evaluates innovative building technologies for federal buildings.
But perhaps the biggest news for SAGE in 2012 was its acquisition by Saint-Gobain, the world leader in the habitat and construction markets. SAGE became a wholly owned subsidiary of Saint-Gobain, continuing to manufacture and market the SageGlass brand for both companies, while leveraging Saint-Gobain’s extensive global resources and market reach.
“We are firing on all cylinders,” said John Van Dine, SAGE founder and CEO. “The technology is proven. Interest in SageGlass from architects and building owners has never been stronger. We’re ramping up high-volume production. And we’re supported by the global research and resources of the world’s greatest building materials company. Having been at this for over two decades, it’s personally gratifying to see our company grow and achieve this level of maturity and success.”
About SAGE Electrochromics, Inc.
SAGE Electrochromics is the world’s leading manufacturer of advanced dynamic glass that can be tinted or cleared to optimize daylight and improve the human experience in buildings. SageGlass controls the sunlight and heat that enter a building, significantly reducing energy consumption while improving people’s comfort and well-being. SageGlass can reduce a building’s cooling load by 20% and HVAC requirements up to 30%. It is a smarter, more elegant solution than conventional sun controls such as mechanical window shades, blinds and louvers. The company was founded in 1989 and is headquartered near Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn., in the heart of “the Silicon Valley of the window industry.” SAGE is a wholly owned subsidiary of Saint-Gobain of Paris, France, the world’s largest building materials company.
