in 2018, the City of Seattle and Oak View Group broke ground to retrofit its 1962 World's Fair Coliseum into a premier venue for NHL hockey and the WNBA. with one extra requirement - to build the most sustainable arena in the world, in for Amazon to come on board in naming the project Climate Pledge Arena.

the project more than doubled its construction budget. goodwill capital was required by Seattle's business elite and hockey leaders. profit sacrifices were made - providing free public transportation with every game ticket, and bagging concessions by hand in sustainable packaging.

but the project reached ILFI Zero Carbon certification and became the greenest arena in the world. it sources 100% of its electricity from renewables. it diverts 92% of waste from landfills. it makes ice using recycled rainwater.

but moreover, the arena resonated with seattle's reverence for the environment and emphasis on innovation. a living wall in the atrium became a city attraction. musicians with touring sustainability aims starred Seattle as a net-zero show.

the goal was for the project to become a lasting demonstration of how entertainment, luxury, and sustainability intertwined. the necessities were a plan, an ecosystem, and backing.