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Municipal Facilities
If you're looking for tough, dependable daylighting solutions for your municipal project, we have your needs covered. From translucent wall systems to canopies and skylights, we have a system that's right for your project needs.
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Madison Fire Station #14
Natural light fuels an energy-efficient fire station
UniQuad® translucent wall system adds visual interest and beneficial natural light to a high-performance architectural design.
Project Background
A fire station is first and foremost a civic structure. It also doubles as a work space, home base, gym, indoor training facility and even a public polling place. When designing Madison, Wisconsin’s largest fire station, local OPN Architects was tasked with addressing each of these program uses in their design – all while meeting the city requirement for low energy use.
Station #14 had to accommodate a specific site orientation for fire trucks leaving the station, which required the main façade to face west. City engineers and OPN Architects wanted to introduce a glass wall for daylighting, but they were concerned about controlling solar heat gain and glare. Their solution was 2,630 sq. ft. of Kingspan Light + Air UniQuad® translucent wall panel system.
"We wanted daylighting, but with a west orientation for the main façade of the building, we knew we’d have to work hard to control solar gain and glare. Instead of all glass, we looked for another material" stated Mark Kruser, AIA, Project Manager at OPN Architects. "How could we minimize solar gain and glare? The product really stood out for its qualities of daylighting and energy efficiency. The patterning, and the modularity of the system all worked out with our design."
Making a Statement with Light
Backlighting behind a UniQuad® system creates a welcoming "beacon" for the neighborhood and can help call out public buildings.
The 19,232-square-foot station features community meeting and firefighter training space. During the day, daylight seeps in from the outside, while soft, ambient light illuminates the station at night, giving it a strong presence in the community.
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"An advantage of the UniQuad® system was our ability to integrate it with the glazing/framing system we were using. We have the taller spans and were able to reinforce that from the back. They worked well together."
- Mark Kruser, AIA, Project Manager at OPN Architects.
Sustainable Design Opportunities
LEED® goals achieved.
OPN Architects designed Station #14 with a geothermal energy system, rooftop photovoltaics and translucent daylighting, exceeding local energy code by 30%, earning LEED Platinum and achieving a 70% reduction in energy use over comparable facilities.
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Choosing UniQuad®
Station #14 features the UniQuad® wall system on three elevations, with translucent panels integrated with clear glass on the east and west facades.
The UniQuad® system, which helped contribute to Station #14’s LEED Platinum rating, exceeds ASHRAE 90.1/International Energy Conservation Code requirements for commercial building codes. UniQuad® systems are certified per NFRC, and their two-panel design also significantly improves system durability, and offers superior protection against air and water infiltration, boasting the industry’s best ratio of light transmission to thermal insulation.
Related Articles + Case Studies
Select daylighting design information and project spotlights related to education facilities.
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The Human Impact of Good Daylighting
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Marion Fire Station
UniQuad® adds functionality and aesthetic impact to a new state-of-the-art fire station - both day and night.
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103 Citypoint
UniQuad® and PentaClad™ systems help define the facility's aesthetic while bringing in beneficial daylight.
Contact Us
If you have questions about our products, need technical or design assistance or simply want to find out if your project's daylighting design is feasible and budget-friendly, contact us via the link below.
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UniQuad®
UniQuad® translucent polycarbonate wall systems provide both excellent thermal performance and soft, diffuse natural light.
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UniGrid™
UniGrid™ translucent panel wall systems feature a lightweight sandwich panel design with fiberglass reinforced polymer (FRP) face sheets that provide light control and privacy.
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PentaClad™
PentaClad™ systems offer an effective solution for enclosing non-conditioned spaces.
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UniQuad® Window
Unitized modular version of our custom UniQuad systems, optimized for small openings like clerestory applications.