New Survey Looks at Energy and Water Performance of Sports Venues
Input Wanted from Stadium and Arena Operators and Managers
WASHINGTON, D.C. — (RealEstateRama) — The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Green Sports Alliance and National Institute of Building Sciences launched a survey today to get the input of sports venue owners and operators about their facilities’ energy and water usage. The purpose of this ground-breaking initiative is to identify opportunities to reduce energy and water use, save money and lead the way towards the possible development of a new ENERGY STAR® score and certification for stadiums and arenas.
For more than 20 years, EPA’s ENERGY STAR® program has helped consumers and building owners identify top-performing products and buildings, thus driving improvements in energy and water use in residential and commercial facilities. Now, stadium and arena owners and operators are working with the EPA to create an ENERGY STAR® score that would allow them to see how well their venues compare against their peers when it comes to energy and water use. Those that score high may receive ENERGY STAR® certification from the EPA and earn recognition for outstanding environmental leadership. But, to develop a certification, the EPA needs the assistance of sports venue operators throughout the United States and Canada to provide anonymous energy and water data on their stadiums and arenas.
The project team, consisting of representatives from DOE, EPA, the Green Sports Alliance and the National Institute of Building Sciences, will take the data received from the Survey on Energy and Water Efficiency of Stadiums and Arenas to examine the current state of energy and water performance of sports venues, and identify the possibilities and challenges that exist in achieving the design, construction and operation of high-performance sports facilities. The team will then compile and publish a report that highlights the key findings of the survey and provides strategies to support enhancing energy and water efficiency across professional and collegiate sports venues.
Results from this survey will be reported only in the aggregate; individual responses will remain confidential. The report of the findings is expected to be released by early 2017.
Need more information first?
The project team will host a webinar on August 31 from at 10:00 am to 11:00 am PT (1:00 pm to 2:00 pm ET), to provide additional details on the survey, discuss the intended use of the results and help answer questions from potential respondents. Co-hosts of the webinar include the International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM), Stadium Managers Association (SMA) and Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). Register to attend.
About Green Sports Alliance
The Green Sports Alliance leverages the cultural and market influence of sports to promote healthy, sustainable communities where we live and play. The nonprofit does so by inspiring sports leagues, teams, venues, their partners and millions of fans to embrace renewable energy, healthy food, recycling, water efficiency, species preservation, safer chemicals and other environmentally preferable practices. Alliance members represent over 370 teams, venues and universities from 20 leagues in 14 countries. Visitwww.greensportsalliance.org to learn more, follow on Twitter at @SportsAlliance, and join the global conversation at #GreenSports.
