United States Air Force Academy, Colorado

Completed: 2015
Contractor: Environmental Chemical Corp. (ECC)
Architect: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill

A 46,000 square foot newly constructed building at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, the facility contains a forum (a gathering space for academic and social interactions) along with conference and seminar rooms, offices, a library and an Honor Board Room. The skylight of the main structure is shaped like a giant aircraft tail-wing and constructed of structural steel and glass curtain walls. With an LEED® Silver Certification from the US Green Building Council, the structure uses natural ventilation in the skylight, radiant heating and cooling, photovoltaic panels, natural lighting and occupancy sensors to reduce the building’s annual energy consumption by nearly 70%. One of the unique features of this project was dimmable LED lighting throughout the facility as well as individual power systems for 90 separate monitors comprising a large video-wall in the main forum.