Why is there a tower?

The Athletics and Events Center was designed to meet at least LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) silver standards, and the signature tower is more than just an architectural feature—it functions to provide natural cooling and ventilation to the large space. Warm air from the building rises into the tower, allowing cool air to circulate below.

Additional sustainable features of the building design include strategically placed windows for natural lighting, a reflective roof to minimize cooling requirements, an exhaust system with energy recovery, environmentally friendly refrigerant, and low-emitting materials to ensure indoor air quality. Many of the building materials used in construction were native to the region.