EVANSVILLE, IN (WFIE) - When it's completed, the new downtown arena will be one of only a few buildings of it's kind designed to be more environmentally friendly, both in the nation and right here in the Tri-State.

Architects have built a number of features into the new arena that will make it more environmentally friendly and more efficient to operate.

Their goal is to obtain a very high certification when it comes to green building design called LEED.

It stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.

The arena will be constructed using recycled building materials and materials made locally or regionally.

Windows will bring daylight into the interior.

Energy efficient mechanical and electrical systems will also be installed and water saving plumbing fixtures will be used.

Architects say the green features have two benefits.

"Because we incorporate those principals, the building itself becomes a healthier, brighter, more pleasant place to inhabit," Hafer Associates Architecture employee Jeffrey Justice said. "Second, there are economic benefits associated with these design principals because the owner or operator realizes lower operating costs and that happens with a reduction in utility consumptions."

There are just a handful of sports facilities either already open or currently under construction that are LEED certified.

When it comes to the Tri-State, Hafer and Associates has designed three LEED buildings and has six more in the works.

Source: 14 WFIE