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that control the tinting. A third option is LightZone, which al- lows the tint to be controlled for three sections of one page of SageGlass and supports the idea of enhancing natural daylight. "LightZone is the ability to have zoning within any large pane of glass — up to 5 ft. by 10 ft. — in any combination you want and the size of the zones is completely customizable, too," Malmquist says. "If the sun is at a very high angle, you could have the top third (for example) be fully tinted. You could have the middle third be in an interme- diate state to block some of the residual heat or glare, and then you could have the bottom third be completely clear so you're letting in natural daylight. Or you could do it in any combination thereof." WINDOWS AND SKYLIGHTS that feature SageGlass can be found through the company's partnerships with Marvin Windows and Doors, H Window Company or partnerships with commercial framing companies as sit- uations arise. "SageGlass is pretty much just about the glass and IGU, so SageGlass would build its glass into the IGU as specifed by an architect or designer. What Sage would end up building is that insulated glazing unit with its glass in place of regular glass," Malmquist says. "Te most common scenario today is where an architect or designer comes across the product, sees the potential, talks with Sage and then Sage can pull in a window partner who can help with the specifcations for those particular IGUs." Although there is presently a bit of a process and a bit of a premium to use SageGlass in a residential set- ting, Malmquist does expect the company to become more focused on the market in the near future. For more information, circle 18 or visit SageGlass.com. | ageGlass is the result of the company's found- er and vice chairman, John Van Dine, asking a question: Why can't you build the tinting or shadow for a window right into the glass so you don't need blinds, shades, louvers and more to lessen the impact of the sun? After years of research and development, SageGlass, a product of Saint-Gobain, was introduced to the market as the solution to that question. SageGlass is an electronically tinted glass that responds to external conditions, like sunlight and glare, and reduces the visible light transmission and solar heat gain for a space. Although primarily used in commercial and high-end res- idential projects presently, the insulated glass unit (IGU) fulflls a need that occurs in homes and businesses alike. Te two key parameters of SageGlass, according to Derek Malmquist, vice president of marketing, are how much light you're letting in and then how much heat you're controlling. Te "secret sauce" is the micro-thin layer of flm that gets applied to the glass comprised of fve diferent sublayers, which are 1/50 the thickness of human hair. Applying low-voltage causes the coating to darken or, conversely, removing the low voltage causes the glass to return to a clear state. "Typically the glass is controlled by external light sen- sors you can actually incorporate and have built into a building or home management system. For the most part, if you are in a building or home with SageGlass, you never really have to do anything; it's basically preprogrammed so when external conditions are such that you would want tinting the glass would tint automatically but there is always a manual override," explains Malmquist. "Now with the [electrochromatic glazing technology] you can do what we call intermediate or variable states, allowing you the ability to customize and let more or less light in depending on the circumstances." SageGlass is available in a wired and wireless option, presenting options for new construction or retroft appli- cations. Traditional SageGlass functions with low-volt- age DC wiring, which an electrician is recommended to install. SageGlass Unplugged is a solar-powered version of the product, featuring built-in photovoltaic panels on the bottom or side of the unit that then feed the batteries Control natural light By Kacey Larsen Glass tints automatically to take advantage of natural daylight while blocking glare, reducing fading and creating a more energy-efcient space S A SageGlass exhibit demonstrates the technology that is SageGlass Unplugged. In this case, lights shine on the unit's integrated photovoltaic panels at the bottom to generate the electricity that is driving the tinting. Photo: SAGE Electrochromics PRODUCT SOLUTIONS 44 December 2014 QR ForResidentialPros.com