Sacred Heart University Hockey Arena to Install Smart Windows

Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Conn., announced recently that it will install Smart Windows by View, Inc., at its new Martire Family Arena. The facility will play home to the university’s men’s and women’s hockey programs, as well as club hockey teams and the school’s figure skating team. The arena is scheduled to open to the public in January 2023.

According to a news release, the arena is part of a multi-year campus expansion program. Designers wanted to include natural light as part of the rink’s design but were worried that the associated heat would melt the ice. View Smart Windows adjust automatically to direct sunlight using a combination of electrochromic coating and artificial intelligence. The windows can regulate heat and glare while still providing access to natural light. The windows also help reduce energy consumption via HVAC and lighting by up to 20 percent.

Sacred Heart University Martire Family Arena
Sacred Heart University Martire Family Arena

“Skating arenas rarely have windows, but we’re building a venue unlike any other,” said Marc Izzo, Sacred Heart University’s Vice President of Construction & Facilities Management. “Incorporating View Smart Windows throughout our extraordinary ice-skating facility will give players, students and guests a completely new and cutting-edge experience.”

The arena will offer amenities like a pro shop, suits, food venues, meeting rooms and administrative offices. The project’s lead designers are JLG and S/L/A/M Collaborative.

“The opportunity to transform educational and athletic facilities to improve both sustainability and student wellbeing is massive,” said Brian Klansky, Regional Vice President at View. “We’re thrilled to partner with Sacred Heart to integrate wellness and sustainability into the entire student experience.”

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • 144-Year-Old High-School Campus Debuts New Academic Facility

    San Diego High School (SDHS) in San Diego, Calif., recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new student services and classroom building; the project is part of a larger SDHS Whole Site Modernization project that began in 2022.

  • Utah Valley University Opens New Engineering Building

    Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, recently held a grand-opening ceremony for the new Scott M. Smith Engineering Building, according to a news release. The facility is one of the largest engineering buildings in the state at almost 200,000 square feet, and it plays home to the university’s Smith College of Engineering and Technology (SCET).

  • Armstrong World Industries Acquires Parallel Architectural Products

    Armstrong World Industries, provider of interior and exterior architectural applications, recently announced that it has acquired the Colorado-based Parallel Architectural Products, according to a news release.

  • Massachusetts K–12 District Selects Architect for New Junior High

    Swansea Public Schools in Swansea, Mass., recently announced that it has selected Finegold Alexander Architects to design a new junior high school for the district, according to a news release. The firm will create the Feasibility Study and Schematic Design for Joseph Case Junior High School after a lengthy selection process by the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA).