Markets & Case Studies

Point Supported Glass Canopies

Project: 5th & Atwood Transit Canopy

Location: Pittsburgh, PA

Architect: Maines and Associates

System: Custom

The new transit station at 5th Ave. and Atwood St. in Pittsburgh’s Oakland neighborhood features a glass canopy and custom aluminum framing system engineered and fabricated by EXTECH. The station’s canopy shelters commuters from rain and snow, while allowing in natural light and views. Read more  

Huge Savings without Sacrifice by using EXTECH’s LIGHTWALL 3100LS

Project: ThyssenKrupp Steel Mill

Location: Calvert, AL

System: LIGHTWALL 3100LS

German steel giant ThyssenKrupp needed to cut costs in a big way. Having announced they’d be establishing a United States presence in Calvert, Alabama and bringing 2,700 jobs to the region, they needed to build a 150-acre steel mill with a roof more than 15 times the size of the Superdome's lid. With a budget of $3.7 billion, the construction itself was set to create as many as 29,000 jobs.

But the original design shattered ThyssenKrupp’s building exterior budget – the design team had specified “channel glass”, an expensive high-end glass material that is common in Germany (pricing ranges from $60 sq/ft to $100 sq/ft) Read more

The LIGHTWALL 3100LS withstands extreme wind loads atop Metrotower III

Project: Metrotower III

Location: Burnaby, BC

Architect: Stantec Architecture

System: LIGHTWALL 3100LS

Stantec Architecture was hired to design a series of office buildings for Ivanhoe Cambridge CDP – three towers located in the heart of Burnaby, British Columbia’s metro center. The towers would be comprised of over 616,000 square feet, 28-30 stories high offering panoramic views of the city. Stantec Architecture designed the third structure, Metrotower III, to be a LEED Platinum Certified building Read more

A Speedy and Modern Retrofit with EXTECH’s LIGHTWALL 3440
Project: Boston Logan International Airport Hangars

Location: Boston, MA

Architect: Fennick McCredie Architecture

System: LIGHTWALL 3440

The Massachusetts Port Authority needed to renovate two maintenance hangars at Boston’s Logan International Airport. Originally constructed with metal panel walls and steel-sash glass windows, the New England winters and harsh aviation environment had taken a brutal toll on the buildings. The project called for glazing materials that could withstand the location while delivering good thermal performance, optimal daylighting, and long-term savings on energy costs Read more

A Powerful Experience in Glowing Polycarbonate
Project: Ocean Explorium Display

Location: New Bedford, MA

Architect: Cosestudi, LLC

System: Custom Display with LIGHTWALL 3440

Cosestudi, LLC had a very specific vision for the project they were designing for the New Bedford Seaport’s Ocean Explorium. This was to be an interactive exhibit intended to teach visitors about marine life and the importance of protecting our oceans. The architect wanted to create a dramatic representation of Earth from space. Their idea was to develop a cube that glowed blue, and suspended within the cube would be a sphere on which moving satellite images would be projected, replicating the view of Earth as seen from the darkness of space Read more

Achieving an Outstanding PUE with the TECHVENT 5300

Project: Data Center for a Leading Global Technology Provider

Location: North Carolina

Architect: O'Brien/Atkins Associates, PA

System: TECHVENT 5300

A leading global technology provider specializing in storage efficiency and cloud capabilities was expanding fast. They were rapidly outgrowing their research and development facility, and needed to build a new one to accommodate their increasing workforce and mounting client demands. While the need was immediate, the expansion couldn’t be hasty – it had to meet the client's high sustainability and energy-conserving standards Read more

EXTECH’s TECHVENT 5300 Aces the Test
Project: Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School Gymnasium

Location: Berkeley, CA

Architect: Baker Vilar Architects

System: TECHVENT 5300

Martin Luther King, Jr. middle school in Berkley, CA was looking to update their school gymnasium. Ranked as one of the best schools in Alameda County and featuring enrichment classes that surpass general studies, the updated gym needed to reflect the school’s commitment to dynamic learning environments without breaking the budget Read more

Custom Skylight Design, Standing Seam Roofing

Project: General Electric/SABIC Innovative Plastics Headquarters

Location: Pittsfield, MA

Design: EXTECH Design and Build

System: SKYGARD 3300, Custom Design

General Electric had a big problem with their U.S. Headquarters in Pittsfield, MA: built in the 1970s, the facility’s skylights and metal roofing were leaking. The leaks started shortly after the initial installation, and through the years, numerous companies were hired to attempt to solve the problems. These attempts were unsuccessful Read more  

A Grand Entryway with EXTECH’s SKYSHADE 3100

Project: Jackpot Junction Casino Hotel - 2013 Casino Expansion Project

Location: Morton, MN

Architect: Walsh Bishop / Design, LLC

System: SKYSHADE 3100

The Jackpot Junction Casino Hotel wanted to be an oasis for the people of Minnesota, the Dakotas, and anyone traveling through the upper portion of the United States. The venue features not only gaming but dining, visiting artists and comedians, and concerts in a 5,000 seat outdoor amphitheater. To truly be the jewel of the Northern Midwest, the casino needed to expand, and the expansion needed a grand portico to greet guests Read more  

The Perfect Canopy for Campus Life

Project: Delaware Technical Community College courtyard canopy

Location: Newark, DE

Architect: Tevebaugh Associates

General Contractor: Whiting-Turner

System: SKYSHADE 3300

The Delaware Technical Community College canopy project presented more challenges than one would think. Tevebaugh Associates, the project’s architect, wanted a sleek, free-standing marquise-shaped canopy with integrated up-lighting. Because of its size (80 feet long, 32 feet wide), a free-standing canopy with a consistent look would be difficult to achieve. This difficulty became apparent when Tevebaugh encountered several roadblocks with their initial manufacturer. Tevebaugh came to EXTECH to see if we could help make their design come to life Read more

MATRIXWALL: A Superior Option to Mortared Glass Block

Project: Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA)

Location: Philadelphia, PA

System: MATRIXWALL

In most major cities, transit shelters sustain abuse - they are subjected to wind, sleet, snow, rain, and vandalism. Philadelphia is no exception. The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) was in need of a durable product that could withstand the harsh weather, foil vandals, and was transparent so that activities on the other side of the shelters could be monitored Read more

Award-winning, custom design on the shores of the Charles River

Project: Community Rowing Inc., Harry Parker Boathouse and Ruth W. Somerville Sculling Pavilion

Location: Brighton, MA

Architect: Anmahian Winton Architects

General Contractor: Consigli Construction Co

System: Custom Façade

After over 20 years of providing public rowing programs from a leased facility, Community Rowing, Inc. decided to construct a boathouse of their own with the infrastructure and accessibility needed to maintain and develop programs and services. CRI is the largest rowing company in the country, and more than 5,000 rowers depend on their facilities, expertise, and outreach. To further serve the community, a new facility was essential Read more

A Custom Ceiling that Complements the Florida Sunshine

Project: University of Florida Custom Suspended Ceiling

Location: Gainesville, FL

Architect: Ross Barney Architects

System: FLEXI-PANEL

When Ross Barney Architects was hired to design the University of Florida’s Library West addition, they wanted an ethereal aesthetic while also respecting the university’s commitment to green technology and sustainability. Because of this, a polycarbonate system was the ideal product for the library’s ceiling – cellular polycarbonate produces diffused light when backlit, and is highly recyclable, thus would help with the project's LEED rating Read more

EXTECH's Custom Engineering Delivers Award-Winning Design

Project: UNO Galewood Charter School

Location: Chicago, IL

Architect: UrbanWorks, Ltd.

System: Custom Façade & Skylights

The United Neighborhood Organization (UNO) is a group dedicated to fulfilling the developmental needs of the Hispanic community in Chicago. After securing a $98 million grant, the organization decided to build three additional locations, one of which was the Galewood Charter School. This award-winning, LEED certified building accommodates 600 students and has an 80 foot tall, Prodema paneled sloped roof that soars into the midwestern sky; it is an architectural achievement on several fronts Read more

Function and Flair with a Custom Kinetic Façade

Project: Logan Airport Kinetic Wall

Location: Boston, MA

Architect: Arrowstreet

System: KINETICWALL

The Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) was in need of a modern parking facility for their Central Parking Expansion at Logan International Airport.  Because of the facility’s prominent location, they were looking for a 21^st-century design – one that incorporated sustainable materials and delivered an elegant and dynamic look Read more

A State-of-the-Art Renovation in Central Ohio

Project: Otterbein University’s STEAM Innovation Center

Location: Westerville, OH

Architect: Moody Nolan

General Contractor: Corna Kokosing

System: LIGHTWALL 3000

In a world where factory jobs are being replaced with smart technology and globalization has made the manufacturing industry increasingly competitive, Otterbein University saw an opportunity Read more