TAKING THE LEED. The Sonnentag Center is the largest building in Wisconsin and Minnesota to receive a gold LEED rating. (Submitted photo)

The Sonnentag Center, UW-Eau Claire’s brand new $122 million facility, is marking a new chapter for the school as well as the community in a variety of ways, including another “first” for the university: The Sonnentag is the only building currently occupied and used by UWEC that is LEED certified.

Earning the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) gold rating was achieved thanks to a focus on sustainability while building the massive facility.

“To achieve LEED certification that signifies the building is energy efficient with lower carbon emissions and is a healthy space, a project must address carbon, energy, water, waste, transportation, materials, health and indoor environmental quality,” a recent UWEC media release stated.

UWEC Chancellor James Schmidt and Kimera Way, president of the Eau Claire Community Complex group that owns The Sonnentag, credited Blugold students for pushing for sustainability and financial supporting the LEED certification application.

“(Students) have been advocating for sustainability on campus since the establishment of the campus green fund in 2008 through a student-wide referendum. The Sonnentag should signal to current and prospective students that UW-Eau Claire is serious about addressing climate change.” –Lily Strehlow, university sustainability coordinator

According to the media release, students provided $350,000 to the project to support its certification and WELL Health-Safety Rating.

“(Students) have been advocating for sustainability on campus since the establishment of the campus green fund in 2008 through a student-wide referendum,” says Lily Strehlow, university sustainability coordinator. “The Sonnentag should signal to current and prospective students that UW-Eau Claire is serious about addressing climate change.”

The Sonnentag was built with 190 vertical geothermal wells using 36 miles of piping to heat and cool the building. It is fully electric, with Xcel Energy providing power from a local off-site solar facility, and the complex also features LED lighting throughout; green vehicle parking and EV charging stations; and more sustainable features.

Professor and chairperson of the Public Health and Environmental Studies Department, Dr. James Boulter, said the new complex is proof that such a building can be made and operated sustainably. “It sends a message to the Eau Claire community, but also to the higher education community and, just as importantly, to the sports and infrastructure community, that you can build these advanced and sustainable operational sporting event venues.”

The Pablo Foundation gave nearly $10 million toward the complex’s sustainability efforts while the City of Eau Claire, building designer Ayres Associates, Market & Johnson, and Xcel Energy also played significant roles in The Sonnentag’s sustainability features.

Learn more about The Sonnentag Center’s LEED rating by reading UW-Eau Claire’s full media release online • Find more information about The Sonnentag Center (1075 Menomonie St., Eau Claire) online