Green Initiative

Sustainability

Pinnacle Bank Arena is one of the most sustainable buildings of its kind in the country.

Two key items of interest — a partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star program and a $150,000 recycling grant from the Nebraska Environmental Trust — have helped bolster the city’s goal of long-term energy savings and sustainability for the arena.

The Energy Star program was created in 1992 as a way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through energy efficiencies. Its label can be found on appliances, homes and commercial buildings that meet strict EPA specifications. On average, an Energy Star-certified building uses about 35 percent less energy than comparable buildings, according to the EPA.

The arena is built with high-efficiency systems and environmentally responsible materials that could save Lincoln taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars in energy costs a year,

In the partnership, the city will measure and track energy performance of the building using Energy Star software and develop a plan to achieve the highest level of energy savings.

The $150,250 grant from the Nebraska Environmental Trust will be used to establish a recycling program inside the arena.

The grant includes money for compacting equipment, an education campaign and multi-container recycling stations for compost (like food), glass, paper, cans and bottles and other waste.

The goal is to divert as much as 75 percent of arena waste from the landfill.

Other sustainable features built into the design include reflective roofing to reduce interior cooling loads, using at least 10 percent recycled materials in the construction and installing high-efficiency heating and cooling equipment.