The Native American Center is the first center of its kind in the nation, built expressly to house a Native American Studies Department, American Indian Student Services offices, and related campus programming. The Center is also the first LEED registered project on the University of Montana campus. The project and site design achieves 9 of 14 possible LEED points in the Sustainable Sites category and also achieves 4 out of 5 possible points in the Water Efficiency category. From the shape of the building to the landscaping, it was all designed to reflect Montana’s 12 Indian tribes.

R-Control SIPs were selected for the walls and roofs creating an energy efficient envelope system. Using SIPs as part of this green building design helped to meet the requirements of environmental conservation, energy efficiency, and sustainability.

R-Control SIPs are environmentally friendly. The structural skins of R-Control Structural Insulated Panels are made from renewable wood resources, and the ThermaFoam R-Control insulation with a borate core is termite resistant, contains no CFCs, HCFCs, HFCs, or formaldehyde, and is recyclable.