The College of Design dedicated Iowa State’s first new green structure Monday. Located on the north side of the design building, the King Pavilion is a milestone for the university’s Live Green! initiative because the structure meets all U.S. Green Building Council Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards.

“This building serves as a beacon, as a challenge for the rest of the campus for sustainability,” said Elizabeth Hoffman, executive vice president and provost. “Having the King Pavilion as a sustainable design is a way to show the campus ‘we’re here,’ and to take its place as the centrality of what we are trying to do here at Iowa State University.”

The roof is one of the structure’s green features. Its surface is covered with 20 varieties of plants, and its construction helps control water flow as well as protects the roof membrane, according to one of the fact boxes displayed throughout the facility.

Upon entering the pavilion, students may not initially notice one thing missing: air conditioning. Instead of traditional air conditioning, the new addition features dehumidification and moving air, according to a fact box.

“It wasn’t uncomfortable at all. I didn’t notice that there wasn’t air conditioning,” said Kelsey Alyea, freshman in art and design.

The pavilion is also the first facility on campus to utilize dual flush toilets, according to the ISU News Service. Dual flush toilets allow patrons to use less water for liquid waste than for solid waste.

In addition, the building will house first- and second-year students in the College of Design’s Core Design Program, as well as upper-level students in specialized professional programs.

First- and second-year design students previously attended instructional studios in the 75-year-old Armory. Now that the King Pavilion is completed, there is no longer a need for design activities to take place in the Armory.

“All the core courses that were previously taught in the Armory are now taught in the pavilion,” said Kerry Dixon-Fox, facilities planning and management architect.

Some design students who attended their first- and second-year studios in the Armory recall the experience fondly.

“It was frustrating because you’re combating the elements, but at the same time you can work with the elements and make a place you can call your own,” said Megen O’Toole, senior in architecture.

O’Toole said the studio experience for first- and second-year students will most likely be much different than it has been in the past.

“It’ll be a trade-off because what’s supposed to happen is the environment will be better. So you don’t have to live with the harsh elements,” she said.

She also said when the studios were housed in the Armory, it was a comfortable atmosphere because the Armory was “sort of a playground; we were loud, you could play music and everyone heard it and were okay with it, and it was a community thing, very open,” O’Toole said. “They still have somewhat of an open space. I’m not sure what freedom they’re going to have, which is what we liked about the Armory.”