SACRAMENTO, CA ACEC California names Sacramento, California's, Golden 1 Center as its 2017 Golden State Award Winner for its exceptional and unique sustainable design features. The Golden 1 Center - home of the National Basketball Association's Sacramento Kings - was designed by AECOM in association with Henderson Engineering, Inc. and is the first indoor sports arena in the world to achieve LEED platinum certification. The Golden State Award is the highest honor ACEC California bestows as part of its Engineering Excellence Awards program.

"Golden 1 Center is a dynamic example of how engineers and designers can create a structure that movingly captures the pride, the culture, and the priorities of a community. AECOM and Henderson Engineering should be very proud of their contribution to the city of Sacramento and we could not be more pleased to recognize the unique and environmentally innovative concepts implemented throughout this impressive project," said Brad Diede, Executive Director of ACEC California.

With a specific focus on sustainability, the arena contains several groundbreaking features that were designed to reduce energy use and harness Sacramento's natural environment. Such features include: five-story high aircraft-hangar doors that open to the city and the natural cooling of the Sacramento Delta breeze; and a first-of-its-kind displacement ventilation system that saves energy and improves comfort by delivering conditioned air directly beneath the seats - even allowing fans to influence the temperature through an app on their cell phones. The 100 percent solar-electric venue will also achieve a 45 percent reduction in water use and 30 percent reduction in energy use of a typical arena.

Beyond sustainability, the building is designed to provide fans with an unprecedented entertainment experience. The seating bowl puts over 60 percent of the fans close to the action in the lower bowl, while the hangar doors and unique indoor-outdoor atmosphere reflect the regional lifestyle. Golden 1 Center will demonstrate environmental leadership to an estimated 1.2 million visitors each year at over 200 events. The building has earned the highest score for a sports venue in the LEED program and placed in the top three percent of all LEED certified buildings. AECOM's role on the project included architecture, engineering (MEP, structural, civil and high-performance buildings), programming, interior design, environmental design, urban planning, landscape design and sustainability consulting.