Something you probably don’t know about Dropps is that we are an official sponsor of the Sacramento Kings! Now, you may be wondering what laundry and basketball have in common (besides both being a thrilling pastime)? Well, the reason why are so invested in this partnership is because the Kings have accomplished a truly incredible feat: their arena, Golden 1 Center, achieves among the highest sustainability standards as a LEED platinum-certified venue and the world’s only 100 percent solar-powered arena! (You KNOW that had our CEO Jonathan doing a dance!)
Championing Firsts
As the first inventors of the detergent pod, we know what it’s like to learn on your feet and pave the way to a more sustainable future. The good news is that there is always a community of people championing green initiatives. We all want a safer planet. When the Kings set out to develop an arena downtown , they surveyed local residents asking what they wanted to see in the building. Across the board, a top answer was for it “to become a model of sustainability.” The organization took that feedback seriously and used it as inspiration for exciting innovation. Can you imagine a world where this is the standard?
The entire structure was crafted with the most intentional design and the highest technology. Five massive hangar doors above the grand entrance can open and allow the arena to use the natural cooling phenomenon in Sacramento – the Delta Breeze – to efficiently control the building’s climate. That’s what we at Dropps refer to as power from nature! And the visual effect is stunning.
The Kings architectural choices were estimated to keep nearly 2,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions annually out of the atmosphere – equivalent to emissions from approximately 4 million vehicle miles. (Try picturing that, but don’t give yourself a headache! We can attest that this is quite impressive.) 
Numbers Worth Celebrating*
Let’s get down to brass tacks. Exactly how impactful is it to build an eco-friendly arena like this? Well, with the construction of Golden 1 Center, the Kings:
- Reduced water consumption by a 45% reduction over stringent California Code.
- Reduced average miles traveled per attendee by 20%, cut overall air emission by 24%, and reduced travel-related greenhouse gas emissions per attendee by 36% by 2020.
- Used 2,000 fewer tons of annual carbon emissions.
- Reduced energy use by 30% over the stringent California Title 24 code requirements.
- Recycled 99% of demolition materials.
- Diverted 95% of construction waste.
- Used 36% of construction materials from recycled sources and 30% of construction materials from regional sources.
We are looking forward to another fabulous year celebrating the wins together (both on the court and in the field of sustainability). Go Kings!
*Source: Sacramento Kings