STEM Learning Center

The STEM Learning Center at the Western Campus of Cuyahoga Community College incorporates a high-performance central skylight that redefines the integration between architecture, sustainability, and advanced solar technology. In this project, crystalline silicon photovoltaic glass developed by Onyx Solar Energy becomes a key design element, providing not only aesthetic value but also energetic and environmental functionality.

This laminated and insulating glass has been designed to meet the demands of an academic environment that requires comfort, silence, and efficiency. Its excellent thermal insulation and remarkable acoustic reduction capabilities help create an optimal learning atmosphere, even under the variable climatic conditions of Ohio. In addition, its energy generation capacity—approximately 33,000 kWh per year—covers a significant portion of the building’s needs, reinforcing its commitment to sustainability and contributing to the achievement of LEED Gold certification.

In this context, the modules were developed by Onyx Solar Energy and laminated with EVALAM UC, a high-performance EVA encapsulant specifically designed for Building-Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) applications. This material ensures superior thermal stability during demanding lamination processes, high light transmission, excellent interlayer adhesion, and long-term module durability. It also helps reduce production defects and improves system reliability, supporting the development of advanced materials that enable a new generation of architecturally integrated solar solutions.

The result is a construction solution that not only meets high-level technical and energy performance criteria but also reinforces the vision of the STEM Center as a benchmark in innovation, efficiency, and sustainable design within contemporary education.

Developed by: Onyx Solar Energy
Solution: EVALAM UC