MOODY•NOLAN DESIGNS STATE-OF-THE-ART ATHLETIC AND EVENTS CENTER THAT MEETS LEED CERTIFCATION STANDARDS

Eye-catching tower atop the Ithaca College center decreases energy consumption

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Moody•Nolan’s responsive architecture leads to a sustainable design that draws features from its surroundings and influences key elements of the structure. The $65.5 million Ithaca College Athletic and Events Center incorporates features that maximize efficiency and minimize the environmental impact. The commitment to sustainable architectural features was designed to meet LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold standards.

“By incorporating responsive design technologies, Moody•Nolan can shape the building to match its surrounding environment,” said Curt Moody, president and CEO of Moody•Nolan. “That’s why our architects work closely with the clients; then respond with an innovative design that meets their needs and environmental responsibilities.”

The tower is designed to harness the power of the wind, utilizing the stack effect of heat rising within the field house to allow the warm air to rise naturally without mechanical assistance to vent through the tower, which then pulls in cooler air through the lower portion of the tower to dramatically decrease energy use. A special Perlite Water filtration system saves about one million gallons a year over traditional pool filters. The building has a reflective roof that minimizes cooling requirements, an exhaust system with energy recovery, environmentally friendly refrigerant and low-emitting materials to ensure indoor air quality. The sports lighting for the tennis and turf field utilizes cutoff fixtures and stepped voltages to minimize light spill and save energy. Many of the building materials used in construction were native to the region.

All together these visually compelling details and features helped the facility win the 2006 design competition award from the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) as an un-built project.

The 179,000-square-foot Athletics and Events Center is the largest construction project ever at Ithaca College. It opened in the fall of 2011 and offers a place for faculty, students and the community to gather, learn, train and compete.

The facility includes the following amenities:

• A 130,000-square-foot field house with a 200-meter, six-lane track with infield surface designed to provide practice space for most of the College’s sports. With a Capacity for 7,500 the space has been designed for concerts, speakers, and backup graduation location.
• Higgins Stadium has a synthetic turf field with seating for 1,000 for lacrosse and field hockey.
• The 47,000-square-foot aquatics pavilion includes a nine-lane 50 Meter Olympic-size swimming pool with a one & three meter diving boards, and spectator seating for 950
• The Wheeler Tennis Courts feature six competition lighted tennis courts.
• The Bredbenner Gallery of Champions is a hall of fame display designed by MNI.

Moody•Nolan is the nation’s largest minority-owned architecture firm. With 64 in-house LEED accredited professionals, Moody•Nolan is a national leader in the design of environmental responsive architecture and high performance buildings. Among many Moody•Nolan projects recognized for their sustainable qualities are the Bishop James A. Griffin Student Center at Ohio Dominican University, the Richard T. Farmer School of Business at Miami University and the Ohio Union at The Ohio State University.

About Moody·Nolan

Founded in 1982 by Curtis J. Moody, FAIA, NCARB, LEED AP, and Howard E. Nolan, PE, in Columbus, Ohio, Moody•Nolan has since worked in more than 40 states. Specializing in higher education, sports/recreation, student focused, health care and public service facilities, Moody•Nolan has been recognized with more than 175 local, state and national design citations. This year, the firm celebrates its 30th anniversary with special events throughout the year. The American Institute of Architects (AIA), Ohio Chapter, named the firm the 2006 Gold Medal Firm of the Year. The 164-person firm has regional offices in Chicago, Ill., Cleveland, Ohio, Covington, Ky., Dallas, Texas, Indianapolis Ind., Nashville, Tenn., and Washington, D.C. For more information, visit www.moodynolan.com.

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