A high-performance curtainwall with integrated sunshades from Wausau Window and Wall Systems, of Wausau, Wis., was designed to help visually and physically connect the design of ACT Inc.'s new corporate campus. The $40 million construction project for ACT, a not-for-profit organization and creator of the college placement assessment tests, was made to accommodate the company's continued growth and serve as the headquarters for its 1,150 employees in Iowa City, Iowa.

According to a company news release, Wausau SuperWall system was selected to meet the project's wind load and structural requirements and to contribute overall to the goal of energy efficiency. Thermally broken, factory-fabricated, captured and vertical structurally glazed, the system was manufactured with a 2.5-inch face and with depths up to 12 inches. Enhancing the building's use of curtainwall, as well as its overall design and functionality, a large number of sunshades and canopies were engineered as integrated elements within the total glazing system. Some of the sunshades measured up to 45 inches deep in order to help reduce solar heat gain and HVAC loads.

"Because the team at Wausau did such a great job of documenting the shop drawings, we were able to work through the details prior to fabrication," said Laura Serebin, lead architect on the project. "The structural supports for the sunshades needed to be concealed within the curtainwall which meant an extra level of coordination was needed, but with everyone working together the final product came together well and looks great."