Golden 1 Center’s Platinum first for sports sustainability
The first indoor sports venue to achieve the highest level of LEED building certification.
The first sports venue to achieve the highest level of energy and environmental certification
Golden 1 Center, home of American basketball team the Sacramento Kings, earned the highest score for a sports venue in the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) building certification system, and was placed in the top three percent of all buildings certified.
When the NBA Sacramento Kings approached us to imagine a new heart for downtown Sacramento, they wanted to create a fan experience that reflects the city’s identity while achieving new standards of sustainability. To meet the challenge, our team of architects, sports architects, landscape architects, engineers, urban planners and economists took a holistic approach.
Shaped by communities, powered by nature
We studied the flow of people and activity through downtown, analyzed microclimates, engaged with the community to understand the city’s passions and ambitions, and took inspiration from the granite faces of the Sierra Nevada. Golden 1 Center’s downtown location makes the arena accessible by bike, bus, foot, light rail or Amtrak. Solar energy provides all of the building’s power. Giant aircraft-hangar doors open to the cooling Delta Breeze, and a public plaza with water-saving gardens welcomes the community year-round.Early collaboration led to important innovations. For example, a first-of-its-kind displacement ventilation system saves energy and improves fan comfort by delivering conditioned air directly beneath the seats and allowing people to influence the temperature through an app on their phones.
Ahead of the game on energy and re-use
The metrics speak for themselves: the first 100 percent solar-powered professional sports venue, Golden 1 Center uses 45 percent less water and 30 percent less energy than required by California codes. In addition, 99 percent of demolition materials were recycled, and 95 percent of construction waste was diverted.
As well as setting a new global standard in sustainability, our design has revitalized downtown Sacramento by reconnecting neighborhoods and repairing the city grid.