LEED Gold. WELL Health-Safety Rated. Community-Driven
At the heart of UW–Eau Claire’s sustainability mission is The Sonnentag, a 225,000-square-foot, multi-use facility designed and operated to meet the highest standards in environmental performance and wellness. As the largest indoor event venue in northwestern Wisconsin, The Sonnentag isn’t just a building—it’s a living example of how strategic facility operations can turn sustainability goals into campus and community-wide impact.
CENTERS, a B&D company, has managed the facility from pre-opening through daily operations, bringing to life a bold vision for a shared-use, sustainability-first model. The result: a LEED Gold-certified, WELL Health-Safety Rated space that serves students, athletes, university staff, alumni, the greater Eau Claire community, and the region.
How CENTERS Operates a LEED Gold–Certified Campus Facility
The Sonnentag’s green credentials are impressive, but what sets this facility apart is how CENTERS translates those features into everyday sustainable operations.
- Carbon-Free Operations: Fully electric systems eliminate fossil fuel use for heating, significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
- Green Energy: A power purchase agreement with Xcel Energy offsets 100% of annual energy consumption through a local community solar array.
- Water Conservation: Smart plumbing fixtures reduce indoor water use by 32%, and ENERGY STAR® appliances and low-flow valves limit municipal water draw.
- Energy Efficiency: LED lighting throughout—including exterior fixtures designed to minimize light pollution—enhances safety without environmental compromise.
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Geothermal System: The mechanical building system includes 190 vertical geothermal wells that utilize naturally occurring ground source heat, rather than producing heat through the combustion of fossil fuels to heat and cool the building. This is 24% more energy efficient than standard heating and cooling equipment.
Bringing WELL Health-Safety Standards to Life Through Daily Operations
Sustainable facility operations at The Sonnentag go beyond energy efficiency. With WELL Health-Safety certification, the building’s operations prioritize human health and safety through:
- Ongoing air and water quality monitoring
- Mold and moisture management
- Advanced sanitization protocols
- Emergency preparedness planning
CENTERS’ team is trained not only to meet these rigorous standards, but to continuously improve on them, making WELL-aligned practices a natural part of the facility’s culture.
Fully Electric and Powered by Solar: Reducing The Sonnentag’s Carbon Footprint
The Sonnentag was purposefully designed with carbon neutrality in mind. To support UWEC’s institutional goal of being carbon neutral by 2050, the building uses no fossil fuels for heating and cooling, instead relying on all-electric systems.
Through its partnership with Xcel Energy, The Sonnentag offsets its energy use through a local solar array, demonstrating a forward-thinking, scalable model for renewable energy adoption on campus.
Water Conservation and Energy Efficiency in Recreation and Sports Venues
The Sonnentag exceeds industry benchmarks for water and energy efficiency:
- Water: 32% indoor water use reduction through low-flow fixtures in bathrooms, locker rooms, and kitchens, plus ENERGY STAR® laundry systems
- Energy: High-efficiency HVAC, LED lighting throughout, and minimized light pollution outdoors
These operational choices reduce costs and environmental impact, delivering both fiscal and ecological return on investment.
Sustainability and Shared-Use: Aligning Campus Wellness and Community Engagement
As a multi-tenant facility, The Sonnentag reflects CENTERS’ expertise in aligning sustainability with institutional mission and shared community goals. It houses:
- A 5,000-seat event center and four-court gymnasium
- A 120-yard indoor turf fieldhouse
- Fitness and wellness spaces
- UWEC Athletics offices
- The Mayo Clinic Health System Diagnostic Imaging and Sports Medicine Center
This shared-use model ensures resource efficiency while serving diverse user groups, maximizing both space utilization and community benefit.
A Campus Living Lab for Environmental Education and Student Learning
In addition to its sustainable infrastructure, The Sonnentag functions as an experiential learning environment:
- Real-time dashboards in the lobby showcase energy and water usage
- Composting stations reinforce behavior change and operational sustainability
- Academic programming uses the facility as a teaching tool for sustainability-focused curricula
These features create hands-on learning opportunities for students and provide community members with visible evidence of sustainable practices in action.
Sustainable Operations Require an Implementation Partner: CENTERS’ Strategic Approach
Sustainability at The Sonnentag is not just a design achievement—it’s a direct result of CENTERS’ operational philosophy. Our team embeds sustainability into pre-opening planning, vendor contracts, maintenance protocols, and staffing models.
By turning design aspirations into operational realities, CENTERS ensures sustainability is not a buzzword—but a measurable, mission-aligned outcome.
Sustainable Operations at The Sonnentag
