UMB Bank Arizona is using dynamic glass from SAGE to create a comfortable indoor environment for its customers and employees while preserving a connection to the outdoors.
UMB installed SageGlass® at a new Banking Center in Scottsdale, Ariz., which offers consumer banking, private banking, investment and wealth management and commercial banking services. SageGlass is electronically tintable dynamic glass that maximizes daylight and outdoor views in buildings while controlling glare and heat gain. The glass can darken or clear on demand or automatically to save energy and help keep building occupants continuously comfortable throughout the day.
UMB wanted to expand its presence in the Phoenix area with the design of a unique building that demonstrated its brand and raised public awareness. The building was also developed under highly restrictive guidelines that required specific use of building materials, finishes, site circulation, orientation and glazing. In addition to these stipulations, UMB had to meet the goals of LEED® Gold certification and work with a uniquely shaped building envelope that pushed the limits in designing a Net-Zero Energy Building.
SageGlass was installed in the highly visible southwestern corner of the main conference room in the bank’s wealth management office. The room is used primarily for large meetings and audio/visual presentations. Architect Kevin Harden, AIA, of Gastinger Walker Harden + Bee Triplett Buck needed a glazing solution that would control the extreme Arizona sunlight entering the room.
“We were looking for glass that could change from clear to dark to provide control of the sun and optimize daylight,” Harden said. “SageGlass addressed these challenges, enabling us to create a unique, comfortable indoor environment for the benefit of both clients and the employees working inside.”
In addition to SageGlass, the UMB Scottsdale Banking Center features numerous green building technologies in keeping with the company’s commitment to sustainability, including reflective roofing, a highly efficient HVAC system, recycled materials and intelligent lighting controls.
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.
