Friday was a very important day for groundbreaking facilities at Iowa State as faculty and students took part in a ceremonial unearthing of the first “green” building on campus.

The pavilion, an addition to the current Design Building, will feature a number of cutting-edge architectural advancements while bringing design students together in a collaborative learning community.

Mark Engelbrecht, dean of the College of Design, said bringing freshmen and sophomores out of the Armory, where they usually work, and into the new pavilion will make a difference in their learning experience.

“I believe that it is going to set a very obvious standard for what’s possible in sustainable design,” Engelbrecht said. “This whole project began because of the original building that was too small. This is a college that has a very tightly bound community, and that’s why it’s important to have first- and second-year students attached.”

Some current students said having the ability to mingle with future students is something they look forward to.

“Right now, all of the freshmen are in the Armory, but this will bring everyone into one building,” said Jason Grimm, senior in landscape architecture and member of the ISU chapter of Emerging Green Builders. “Younger students will be able to see what the upperclassmen are working on. Right now we don’t have that connection.”

ISU President Gregory Geoffroy said the green design of the building is just the beginning of self-sustained architecture at Iowa State.

He said this will set the standard for future green projects.

“We at the university should be pushing the frontiers and boundaries and demonstrating modern design principles here on our campus – and nothing these days is more important than environmental stewardship, energy efficiency, paying attention to the climate and being green,” Geoffroy said. “And that’s what this building will do.”

Steven and Barbara King, ISU alumni and chief donators to the $6.25 million project made their feelings on green architecture known in a letter to the university that was read during Friday’s address.

“Hopefully the design of the pavilion will enable Iowa State University, specifically the College of Design, to be revered as one of the most progressive colleges in the country when it comes to green design,” said Corly Brooke, director center for excellence in learning and teaching, reading from the Kings’ letter.

Construction on the pavilion is expected to begin later this fall.