SPOKANE, Wash. — A groundbreaking ceremony was held Wednesday afternoon in the University District for one of the largest net-zero energy buildings in the world.
The 150,000 square-foot Catalyst building, located at 501 E. Sprague, will be the first office building in the state constructed out of environmentally friendly cross-laminated timber and will be connected to an energy resource sharing eco-district planned for the development.
The building will be primarily occupied by Eastern Washington University’s Computer Science, Electrical Engineering and Visual Communication Design programs, according to Avista authorities. Those programs would be moving to the area from the Cheney campus.
Senator Maria Cantwell, Spokane Mayor David Condon, Avista CEO Scott Morris, McKinstry CEO Dean Allen, Eastern Washington University President Dr. Mary Cullinan and Katerra President of Construction Mike Rock all spoke at the event.
