United States Air Force Academy Foundation Wecker Hall & Yost Plaza

Wecker Hall and Yost Plaza, the home of the Air Force Academy Foundation, is the new hub of innovation, sustainability, and community.

Wecker Hall is setting the bar for sustainable design on U.S. Air Force buildings. As the first net-zero energy facility located on a U.S. Air Force campus, it’s packed with features designed to minimize environmental impact.

The geothermal system, with twenty 505-foot-deep wells, taps into the Earth’s natural temperature to heat and cool the building efficiently. A 2kW solar array on the roof provides renewable energy, while the structure’s tight envelope—R-50 roof insulation and R-25 walls—keeps indoor temperatures stable while reducing energy waste. Together, these systems make Wecker Hall four times more efficient than a typical building, consuming just 25 kWh per square foot compared to the usual 100 kWh per square foot.