Bentley's New Arena First In US To Get Certfied LEED Platinum

WALTHAM, MA — The new, state-of-the-art multipurpose Bentley Arena is the most environmentally sustainable in the U.S. and the first standalone ice arena to earn the LEED platinum certification, the highest possible rating, according to the U.S. Green Building Council.

“This first-in-the-nation rating for the Bentley Arena demonstrates Bentley’s strong and longstanding commitment to sustainability,” said Bentley University President Gloria Cordes Larson putting a plug in for the school's commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2030, the Sustainability Science major for students, and the campus waste reduction program that recycles more than 270 tons of material per year.

The, 76,000-square-foot arena recently opened with the goal of hosting the NCAA Division I hockey team, and prominent university events - from career fairs to high profile speakers to alumni events and concerts. All of which can rack up a pretty hefty electric bill when a normal building of similar size is powered up.

“Thanks to the combination of the rooftop solar technology and energy-efficient mechanical design, the overall grid energy required to power the arena will be less than half of what it would take to power a building of a similar size,” said Amanda King, director of sustainability at Bentley. “These technologies also cut the building’s carbon footprint in half.”

Some of the sustainable features of the arena include:

• A 504 kilowatt, rooftop solar array developed by Rivermoor Energy that will generate 40 percent of the building's annual electricity needs.
• Innovative technology that captures heat generated from the rink’s ice-making equipment to heat water throughout the building.
• More glass windows than a typical arena, allowing for more natural light that decreases the amount of electricity needed to light the building’s interior.
• High-efficiency LED lighting with smart, motion-detecting controls that turn off lights when no one is present to sharply reduce electricity usage.
• Ice-making and air conditioning systems that use zero CFC-based refrigerants. Chlorofluorocarbons or “CFCs” have been found to destroy the planet’s stratospheric ozone layer.
• The highest-efficiency plumbing fixtures on the market, including waterless urinals, dual-flush toilets, and low-flow faucets and showers to reduce the demand for water.
• At least 50% of wood used in the building is sourced from forests with certified sustainable forestry practices
• About 10% of construction and finish materials were locally sourced and about 20% of construction and finish materials contain recycled content.

The Bentley Arena uses solar technology.

“Bentley's commitment to using solar energy to generate 40 percent of the annual electricity needs of its new state-of-the-art arena is impressive," said John Tourtelotte, managing director of Rivermoor Energy, which partnered with Bentley to develop the 504 kilowatt solar array.

The school partnered with ARC to design the arena and Suffolk Construction to build the arena.

“This project was accomplished through hard work, and many people came together to embrace this challenge with dedication and enthusiasm," said Philip Laird, president of ARC.

The Bentley Arena’s environmentally sustainable, energy-saving construction will reduce electricity costs and provide a strong return on investment for many years, according to Penni Conner, senior vice president and chief customer officer for Eversource, which provided incentives for many of the energy efficiency measures installed throughout the building.

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