Envisaged as the ‘living room’ of the college, the $26 million SLTC has been designed as a place where students can gather to share ideas, practice leadership and master technology. The facility includes the state-of-the-art Oathout Educational Technology Center and numerous specialized technology clusters throughout the building.

Opened in January 2010, the 77,000 square feet SLTC is studded with a string of sustainable and eco-friendly features. SLTC has managed to reduce water use by 60% by incorporating sensor faucets, dual-flush toilets, and waterless urinals. Drought-tolerant vegetation and highly efficient drip irrigation system help Hendrix to further reduce water use. Quality air implemented during construction to prevent the spread of mold, dust, mildew, or contaminants helped in improving air quality. The SLTC is also installed with a high efficiency filtration system and individual thermal and lighting controls to improve the health and well-being of occupants and visitors.

The roof on the SLTC has a high solar reflectance index, displaying the roof’s ability to reflect the heat of the sun off the building instead of absorbing it, creating lower utility usage and costs. The facility features a host of windows to provide plenty of natural light, keeping the building warmer or cooler, depending on the season.

At least 20% of the materials used to construct the SLTC include post-consumer and post-industrial recycled content, while more than 75% of the total construction waste from the building process was diverted from landfills.

With a goal to promote the use of alternative transportation to reduce the impact of automobile use, the SLTC includes easy access to bicycle storage areas and showering and changing facilities in the building. In order to promote carpooling, no new parking lot was built on the SLTC site. Instead, the building staff and students will share existing parking across campus. Also, specific parking spaces near the building are designated for alternatively fueled cars.

The facility is hailed as the largest capital project in the history of Hendrix College.