Silver (LEED) Medal for Purina Event Center

The Purina Event Center in Gray Summit, MO has achieved a LEED Silver rating. The LEED Silver rating is based on credits awarded by the U.S. Green Building Council for sustainable building and design practices, including water and energy efficiencies, use of local and sustainable materials, and preservation of natural and green spaces. The Center, which hosts dog shows and performance events year-round, was designed by Arcturis, a St. Louis architectural design firm.

"This is truly an effective example of a collaboration among the owner, the design team and the general contractor," said Chrissy Hill Rogers, Arcturis project leader. "Nestlé Purina PetCare prides itself on its commitment to dogs and cats, and this facility is a significant contribution to the pet fancier community."

The 83,000-square-foot facility houses two separate halls for shows and events, a large grooming area, a banquet space, a restaurant, and a hospitality lounge. In addition, Purina had the dogs' comfort as a top priority, so special amenities are included, such as a dog bathing room, a grooming hall, a water fill station, an information office, and a hospitality room for judges and VIPs. A flexible space on the second floor serves as a banquet facility for various award ceremonies, breeder enthusiast dinners and seminars.

The vision for the Center began over 15 years ago. As the popularity of dog shows and sporting events at the 300+-acre Purina Farms has grown, the need for an indoor facility with top-of-the-line amenities became obvious.

"The Purina Event Center represents Purina's ongoing commitment to environmental responsibility," said Candy Caciolo, Purina portfolio director of Specialty, Breeder and Pet Acquisition. "This state-of-the-art facility is not only energy and resource efficient, it truly is gorgeous. We are so pleased that many outstanding conformation and sporting champions from across the country and the world will enjoy this LEED-rated facility for years to come."

Arcturis' design earned LEED credits for a water savings of over 40% over the baseline case, an energy savings of 18% over the baseline case, and an open space maximization of 73%. Additionally, the facility was built on the previously developed portion of the property rather than disturbing the existing grass and farm and surrounding the building site.
• The development will treat 100% of the wastewater generated on site via stabilization lagoons and a land application system. These natural lagoons will filter wastes naturally, and the water will be used to irrigate nearby fields.
• Roof tops and paving surfaces are both reflective to avoid heat gain, and walking surfaces were chosen to make surfaces more comfortable for dog paws to walk on.
• Insulated glazing and insulated metal sandwich panels make the building envelope more efficient.
• HVAC systems consist of evaporative cooled rooftop units and water-cooled, self-contained units served by a remote cooling tower. These systems use the heat transfer properties of water to provide cooling much more efficiently than standard air-cooled HVAC equipment.
• High Volume Low Velocity fans are also utilized to provide a constant breeze to the occupants keeping them comfortable at higher indoor temperatures, thereby reducing the amount of mechanical cooling required.
• To increase the building life cycle, all materials were purposefully selected to be extremely durable.

In addition to providing full architectural services, Arcturis provided interior design, landscape design, environmental graphics and signage design for the project. The project team also included Landco Construction as general contractor, The Murphy Company, Sachs Electric, Larson Engineering, McClure Engineering, Varco Pruden, and CheckMark Communications.

Nestlé Purina PetCare promotes responsible pet care, community involvement and the positive bond between people and their pets. A premiere global manufacturer of pet products, Nestlé Purina PetCare is part of Swiss-based Nestlé S.A., the world's largest food company.

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