We are thrilled to learn the Waniyetu Wowapi (Winter Count) Art & Culture Institute (WWACI) designed by Ferguson Pyatt was selected as a 2025 Frankenthaler Climate Initiative awardee, providing crucial support for the Cheyenne River Youth Project’s upcoming arts and culture center in collaboration with Environment & Culture Partners and RMI.
The Waniyetu Wowapi (Winter Count) Art & Culture Institute (WWACI) will be the first net-zero building on the Cheyenne River Reservation. The building intends to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by using geothermal heating and cooling in conjunction with Solar PV to achieve net-zero energy for the building and offset energy use, resulting in substantial cost savings and an improved environmental impact compared to traditional HVAC systems.