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How the Golden 1 Center Became the First Indoor Sports Venue with LEED Platinum Designation
Designing the Golden 1 Center, home of the NBA Sacramento Kings, was a challenging design due to the already established urban fabric of the city. The new building would need to find a daylighting solution to control glare and heat, satisfy privacy concerns, integrate seamlessly into the curtainwall system—while delivering on LEED Platinum mandates.
The main goal of this project was to revitalize the downtown core and to provide a landmark for Sacramento without overwhelming the entire city. This goal for the practice facility encompassed many challenges including being located on the south side of the facade.
⚠️ The NBA Practice Facility Challenge
AECOM faced six critical constraints when designing the Golden 1 Center practice facility:
- South-Facing Facade: Practice facility located on south side = massive glare and heat gain challenge
- Player Privacy Required: Windows near the street needed to offer privacy to players while maintaining openness when desired
- Glare and Heat Control: Had to cut glare and heat while diffusing light for optimal playing conditions
- LEED Platinum Mandates: Product selection critical to uphold LEED standards and meet all Platinum designation requirements
- Seamless Curtainwall Integration: Translucent glazing needed to integrate seamlessly into existing curtainwall system with no customization
- Evoke the Mountains: Design needed to evoke memory of Yosemite and Sierra Nevada mountain range whether building was opened or closed
Project Lead Rob Rothblatt (formerly of AECOM) knew he needed a product that could “cut glare and heat, diffuse light and let him put windows near the street while still offering privacy to players and openness when desired.”
The Design Process: Intricate Collaboration Between Two AECOM Offices
In order to create a glazing facade with intricate meaning and detail, Atul Pathare (former AECOM Associate Principal and Project Architect) says: “This was a challenging collaboration between the AECOM Kansas and San Francisco offices. Renderings were designed on how to build this project to the client’s demands and digital models were designed with the Partners. The 2D models supported the design process by being exported into the next stage of 8 to 10, 3D models using Rhino software.”
The selection of product was important to uphold the standards of LEED and to ensure the building met all LEED mandates for the Platinum designation. The requirements of this building’s sustainability meant Project Lead Rob Rothblatt had to source translucent glazing that offered high performance, privacy, light diffusion and glare control—all while being seamlessly integrated into the building’s curtainwall system.
Additionally, the product chosen needed to balance the recognition of the surrounding nature. Rob explains: “We wanted to evoke the memory of the mountains whether the building was opened or closed with a perforated-metal cladding to signify the Yosemite and Sierra Nevada mountain range.”
✓ The Solution: “Solera Was the Only Product That Would’ve Done What We Needed”
AECOM worked with the glazier, Bagatelos, who introduced Solera® as a potential daylighting solution for this project.
On choosing Solera® by Advanced Glazings Ltd. as the daylighting solution for this project, Rob Rothblatt says:
“Solera was the only product that would’ve done what we needed. It was one of the more effortless things on the project. This was an important job and we needed to ensure all products went through rigorous selection by the municipality and no low-grade products were used.”
Why Solera® Was Critical to LEED Platinum:
“Solera was not only a big player for meeting LEED requirements, but it backed up a bigger metaphor for this project’s story, history and as new landmark in downtown Sacramento. Solera was a seamless integration, the color looked great by complimenting the outside curtainwall and the building’s performance goals were met.” — Rob Rothblatt
Beyond Daylighting: “All Things Were Done Like They Were Never Done Before”
The Golden 1 Center had many other design impacts to support the project’s LEED Platinum designation. Rob Rothblatt explains:
“All things were done like they were never done before. We chose giant airport doors, all of the glazings and exterior materials had frits to protect the birds and wildlife to ensure materials weren’t too transparent.”
Atul Pathare adds: “Donated solar panels covered 75% of the roof and battery storage was sourced from Tesla to store excess power.”
The comprehensive sustainability approach included:
✓ **Solera® Translucent Glazing:** Cut glare and heat, diffused light, provided player privacy, seamless curtainwall integration
✓ **Solar Panels:** Covered 75% of roof (donated)
✓ **Tesla Battery Storage:** Stored excess power
✓ **Giant Airport Doors:** Innovative approach to openness
✓ **Bird-Friendly Frits:** All glazings and exterior materials protected birds and wildlife
✓ **Perforated-Metal Cladding:** Evoked memory of Yosemite and Sierra Nevada mountains
✓ **Rigorous Municipal Selection:** No low-grade products used
The Achievement: First Indoor Sports Venue with LEED Platinum
The Golden 1 Center is the first indoor sports venue with LEED Platinum designation. Atul Pathare shared how daylighting was a momentous part of this accomplishment:
“Solera fit with the R-values we needed and required no change or customization to integrate into our existing curtainwall system. We were very pleasantly surprised by Solera.”
Advanced Glazings Ltd. is proud to have supported the project team on this incredible design achievement and to have Solera® installed in the first indoor sports venue with LEED Platinum designation.
The Takeaway: When “Only One Product” Can Meet the Requirements
Rob Rothblatt’s statement—“Solera was the only product that would’ve done what we needed”—is the ultimate validation. When you’re designing a landmark NBA facility with LEED Platinum mandates, south-facing facade challenges, player privacy requirements, and seamless curtainwall integration needs, the product selection is critical.
The Golden 1 Center Success Formula:
✓ **First Indoor Sports Venue:** LEED Platinum designation
✓ **NBA Practice Facility:** Home of Sacramento Kings
✓ **South-Facing Facade:** Cut glare and heat while diffusing light
✓ **Player Privacy:** Windows near street with privacy when needed
✓ **Seamless Integration:** No change or customization required for curtainwall
✓ **R-Value Performance:** Met all thermal requirements
✓ **Rigorous Municipal Selection:** Passed all quality standards
✓ **Downtown Revitalization:** New landmark for Sacramento
✓ **Mountain Metaphor:** Evoked Yosemite and Sierra Nevada
✓ **”One of the More Effortless Things on the Project”** — Rob Rothblatt
When architects say a product was “one of the more effortless things on the project” and “the only product that would’ve done what we needed,” that’s proof of performance under pressure.