8-2-16 - FINAL - Capstone Paper - Benjamin C. Karr
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Transcript of 8-2-16 - FINAL - Capstone Paper - Benjamin C. Karr
Stadium Sustainable Systems
A Trend Analysis and Stadium Master Plan for the National Football League
Benjamin C. Karr
Sports Industry Management Program
Georgetown University School of Continuing Studies
Stadium Sustainable Systems1
Table of Contents
Executive Summary…………………………………………………………………………….3
Introduction…………………………………………………………………………………….4
Background/Literature Review………………………………………………………………...5
Environmental Issues…………………………………………………………………..5
Sustainability History in Sport: Greening & Greenwashing………...…………………6
Case Studies …………………………………………………………………………...9
Solar…………………………………………………………………………....11
Wind…………………………………………………………………………...14
LED……………………………………………………………………………14
Waste Disposal Management…………..……………………………………...15
NFL Stadium/Transportation Design……...…………………………………..16
Water Conservation……………………………………………………………19
Other Smaller Initiatives……………………………………………………….19
Summary of Key Issues...……………………………………………………………………...21
Thesis Statement/Research Questions………………………………………………………....21
Master Design Plan…………………………………………………………………………….22
Social Media/ PR for Master Plan……………………………………………………..24
Analysis………………………………………………………………………………………..25
Financial Considerations………………………………………………………………………26
Measurement/Objectives…………………………………………………………...………….28
Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………………..29
References .......………………………………………………………………………………..32
Appendices…………………………………………………………………………………….37
Stadium Sustainable Systems2
Executive Summary
It is imperative to view sustainability and sport intertwined far beyond simply “going green”.
The power of successful sustainability platforms within organizations reaches broad horizons. In
the light of faint efforts, it can be agreed upon that much more must be done towards stadium
sustainability. Over the last decade there have been a number of improvements across many
sectors, propelling teams to adopt proper sustainable systems, forward thinking. Thus, a trend in
the sports industry market has begun. The goal of organizations has now shifted to creating a
positive impact on people, while making profit and taking care of our planet. Furthermore, these
strategies have made sustainable efforts both affordable and paying off in the long run.
In the creation of a NFL Stadium Sustainability Matrix, mapping stadium programs across the
National Football League, a master plan of best practices can be created to be followed by
organizations.
Stadium Sustainable Systems3
Introduction
Professional sports organizations serve as the beating heart to a number of Americans.
Every weekend, millions tune into their favorite teams marching up and down the field to glory.
With these large-scale events comes a price to be paid. Not only do these games cost millions of
dollars to produce, but there is an environmental cost that many choose to ignore, until recent
years. Environmental issues and practices are placed at a higher value, as we have seen drastic
changes to our planet, scientifically. Dr. Allen Hershkowitz, President and Co-Founder of the
Green Sports Alliance and Senior Scientist for the National Resources Defense Council sees the
lack of interest in this area among sports fans: “16% of Americans follow Science, while 70% of
Americans follow sport” (A. Hershkowitz, personal communication, July 2016).
Despite this lack of interest, science and sustainability comes near and dear to my heart as
it has become a major part of my life. My father, Richard Karr, has spent the last 30 years
working as an Environmental Consultant and Engineering Geologist. We were always
resourceful and my father always stressed the importance of sustainability renewable sources to
be used for everyday common life.
The future of sport will be driven by the necessary systems practices by teams and
organizations across all of professional sports. Specifically, the National Football League is
setting the bar extremely high in terms of innovation, design, and implementation. The drive for
change is created through the push for organizations to be held accountable for their
environmental impact. Though, it is clear that business decisions should take sustainable
programs into account much more strongly throughout the league.
Stadium Sustainable Systems4
Background/Literature Review
The sports industry has established embracing the environmentally conscious platform.
Despite the opportunities organizations have already taken advantage of, this is just the
beginning. Society has shifted to push further into this field and adopt environmentally friendly
practices in the limelight of noticeable environmental changes. Through history, humans have
generally lived their lives without the proper knowledge of how their short-term economic gain
came at the expense of the environment. This has erected into the notion that humans have
become the biggest threat to our planet.
Environmental Issues
There is significant data to support the claim that there are environmental changes
happening with human activity serving as a catalyst. Every day, approximately 90 million tons of
potentially harmful greenhouse gasses are added to the air. This number can be attributed to the 1
trillion tons emitted over the last 60 years. Other data shows this has already started to affect
ecosystems across the globe: It is getting significantly hotter, as record breaking temperatures are
recorded nationwide (See Appendix for N.O.A.A. temperature data).
Changes to the environment are well documented and recognized as legitimate. The
issues are rooted much deeper than heat issues over the last decade. Water efficiency continues
as a major problem, contributing to be the single largest cause of death in the world. Human
development of land has broken down rainforests globally and has even destroyed an acre of
wetlands in the United States every minute. Trash, specifically plastic due to careless waste
management disposals linger as a major problem in our oceans. Although changes in our
environmental practices domestically have begun, there still needs to be a continuation of
education and efforts, pushed by social change.
Stadium Sustainable Systems5
Sustainability History in Sport: Beginning with Greening and Greenwashing
Recognition serves as the first step on the path towards solution followed by awareness
and education. Efforts have already been adopted by major sports organizations over time. The
analytical data explains the potential impacts of climate change and environmental wrong-
doings. Many organizations have already implemented sustainable programs – many of these
innovations are still in the formation stages, leaving much room for organizations to step forward
with potentially industry-bar-setting initiatives and programs.
The National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) believes their cooperation with the
National Football League’s Philadelphia Eagles in 2003 started the NFL’s environmentally
conscious practices. “The team owners asked NRDC to help them figure out how to reduce the
stadium’s carbon footprint, both during and after its initial build, and this changed the game for
good” (MacMillian, 2016).
Today’s NFL fans experience various implemented sustainable facility programs,
otherwise known as greening. Greening is the process of creating or increasing awareness of
environmental considerations. In sports, there are a number of ways of doing this: paperless
tickets, water conservation, conserving energy using light-emitting diode (LED) lights, solar
panel powered video boards, and waste disposal to name a few. The process of greening not only
provides an opportunity for improvement operationally, but it is financially feasible. This notion
should be considered as the North American sports market has an estimated worth of $60.5
billion in 2014 and is expected to reach $73.5 billion by 2019” (Heitner, 2016). There’s a
creation of unique cultural and economic influence to be used and these are modeled throughout
the business sector, creating an educational experience on how to be great environmental
stewards. This thus strengthens community ties and builds upon the organization’s brand.
Stadium Sustainable Systems6
The NRDC released a professional sports sustainability report in 2012. In this report, the
NRDC found (2012) 15 professional sports stadiums or arenas to achieve LEED green building
certification, 18 with onsite installed solar arrays, and 68 with energy efficiency programs. Some
38 professional teams have shifted to renewable energy for at least some of their operations.
Millions of pounds of paper products have been shifted towards recycled content or eliminated
altogether. Recycling and composting programs have been or are being developed at virtually all
professional stadiums and arenas. The large sports concessionaires that collectively feed tens of
millions of people each year have all developed environmentally preferable menus for at least
some of their offerings.
The U.S. Green Building Council is a top third-party verification system for sustainable
structures around the world. It uses LEED certification, or Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design, by organizations and communities to propose, create, retain and operate
green programs. Based on a numbered point system a green project will receive one of the four
LEED rating levels. These include Certified, Silver, Gold, and Platinum level. Through the
community network, continuous collaboration with industry experts, market research
publications and LEED professional credentials, USGBC remains a key driving force in the
green building sector (USGBC, 2016), specifically the NFL.
The Green Sports Alliance is another entity professional sports use in greening. “By
leveraging the cultural and market influence of sports, they promote health, sustainable
communities where we live and play” (Green Sports Alliance, 2016). Since 2011, this
organization has made a national presence, growing to over 300 professional and collegiate
programs and venues from 20 sports leagues and 14 nations across the globe. Their commitment
lies with environmental performance. The Green Sports Alliance serves as an excellent example
Stadium Sustainable Systems7
of the sports greening movement across a plethora of organizations and leagues. Of the major
four professional sports leagues in the United States, only the MLB, NBA and NHL are included
as active members. The absence of the NFL shows that there is still a need for improvement
regarding the NFL’s involvement with sustainability programs and the collective movement
across professional sports.
Greenwashing is a term that can be seen floating around the corporate world. It is when
companies try to portray themselves as more environmentally minded than the practices they
actually partake in. Brands will try to capitalize on movements at the expense of ethical
depiction. TerraChoice, a consulting firm that studied the phenomenon, found that 95 percent of
the products marketed as eco-friendly had committed at least one of what it called the ‘“seven
sins’ of greenwashing. Those sins include relatively benign offenses like using weak data to
more deliberate deceptions like inventing bogus certifications” (Gelles, 2015). Despite these faux
efforts, greenwashing does not seem to have any roots in the sports industry. In an article
published in the Yale Climate Connections, Green Sports Alliance President Allen Herschkowitz
does not see the connection in sports: "’We are the NRDC. We don’t do greenwashing’ and a
few serious NRDC watchers challenge that assertion. And there’s little question that
Herschkowitz, installed this [2015] October as GSA president, and NRDC have been
instrumental and deeply involved in the greening effort of pro sports teams from the start”
(Ward, 2014). Although moral practices seen across professional sports disprove any notion of
greenwashing, there is always an opportunity for improvement in any program.
Case Studies
The NFL has taken great strides towards the greening task since the first implementations
with the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field in 2003. The NRDC served as a technical
Stadium Sustainable Systems8
advisor that helped create widespread change throughout the league. This partnership led way to
NRDC Trustee Robert Reford to become the principal environmental advisor to professional
sports in September of 2004. With the help of Allen Herschkowitz and the NRDC, they
collectively pushed sports towards environmentally friendly practices by showing it is good
business. By 2008 the NRDC became the environmental advisor to the NFL, boosting
organizations to begin to take data measurements of each individual team’s carbon footprint. By
2010 the NRDC joined Vulcan, Inc., a corporation owned by Paul Allen, Microsoft co-founder,
to form the Green Sports Alliance. This organization was the first of its kind and has shown
steadfast dedication to the best greening programs in the world.
In 2012 the NRDC released a report on greening tasks across all of professional sports,
the first of its kind. Within this report lies a set list of elements of an effective green sports
program. These tasks are what set apart NFL organizations, venues and stadiums from
competitors (See Appendix for Table 1).
The National Football League’s environmental effort focus is creating sustainable
programs for official NFL events and facilities while working with organizations to adopt these
practices into their businesses operationally. According to the NRDC, establishing a clear line of
authority while surrounding the leading figures with enthusiasts that are not only accountable,
but are truly interested in environmentally friendly practices serves as a key factor in green
sports program. Additionally, engaging any stakeholders for support will help sustain these
practices. Being organized will help a green program initiate, including set times for meetings,
data collection of current energy, water and paper consumption trends as well as national and
local resources. The NRDC sees setting a mission statement and goals as the backbone for any
greening program. Rounding off these foundations is the tracking and data collection, post Stadium Sustainable Systems
9
installment. These elements serve as what an effective greening task for the NRDC and the
National Football League.
The NRDC teaming up with the NFL to create an EPA-award winning Greening
Advising initiative serves as a guide to help professional sport team organizations adapt
environmentally friendly practices into everyday business operations. According to the NRDC’s
Greening Advisor website for the NFL (2016), they see many different avenues by which these
eco-intelligent elements can be executed: By promoting energy efficiency, recycling programs,
waste reduction, water conservation and other smart operations, teams will help keep our
nation’s air and water clean, reduce their contribution to global warming and see cost saving
benefits. The league even takes greening concepts into its own office spaces. At the NFL’s three
primary office facilities, a number of changes have undergone, as well as the headquarters
moving in 2011 into a new LEED certified space in Manhattan, New York City.
Individual evaluations of each team’s implemented program have been compiled into a
NFL Team Stadium Sustainability Matrix, the first of its kind. Through these evaluations, we can
build an organization of greening topics, thus creating a summary of best practices. The
summary will provide adequate information on greening initiatives that proves the NFL to be
innovators across professional sports (See Appendix for NFL Team Stadium Sustainability
Matrix).
In building this Matrix, it is important to identify the various avenues of creating
sustainability initiatives. The green topics defined by teams within the NFL are solar, wind, LED
lighting, waste disposal management & recycling, water conservation, energy conservation, NFL
stadium/transportation design, and other smaller initiatives. LEED certification is another area
Stadium Sustainable Systems10
that is tracked. By grouping selected areas across the league, we can begin to understand which
initiatives are trending, successful, and implemented to be used in an analysis for a master
greening plan. The NFL Stadium Sustainability Matrix is a valuable tool to the NFL, mapping all
greening efforts across the league, the first of its kind.
Solar
Solar energy is the energy captured from the sun and is converted into thermal or
electrical energy. According to the Solar Energy Industries Association, “solar energy is the
cleanest and most abundant renewable energy source available, and the U.S. has some of the
richest solar resources in the world” (SEIA, 2016). The energy is harnessed through
photovoltaics, solar heating and cooling, concentrating solar power, and passive solar.
Mechanical and electrical devices convert energy from the sun’s heat and light to be pumped
back through the facility. When sustainability comes to mind, solar is one of the first, cliché
examples. Though, this area is an extremely effective initiative in environmentally friendly
practices. Many teams have bought into effective solar energy solutions across the league.
Most notably, in 2012 Lincoln Financial Field, home of the Philadelphia Eagles,
underwent massive renovations to push the greening opportunity. “The Eagles partnered with
NRG Solar, LLC and together installed 10,000 onsite solar panels and 14 onsite wind turbines.
The goal of this project was to make Lincoln Financial Field the first professional stadium in the
United States capable of generating its electricity onsite” (Henly & Hershkowitz, 2012, 36). The
venue not only accomplished this goal, but created almost 3 megawatts of electricity, creating an
excess of energy. Don Smolinki, president and C.O.O of the Eagles describes the $30 million
investment yield: “In return we entered into a long-term power purchase agreement with NRG at
Stadium Sustainable Systems11
a rate that grows at a fixed percentage over time. That rate was about the rate we’ve been paying
historically, with a set annual increase year after year. That provides us with the ability to
manage the expense. From a business perspective, the arrangement provides us with some
predictability around the energy expense, which is our largest operating expense for the facility.
That is important because it doesn’t make us subject to the conditions of the marketplace, which
can be tough to manage at times. NRG was also able to take advantage of some federal programs
that promote renewable energy, which also helped with the financials” (Henly and Hershkowitz,
2012, 37). This idea was monumental in the sports industry. To take this idea further, the
organization also implemented smaller energy conservation programs to reduce consumption
rates by more than 33 percent. 100 percent of team operations are powered using clean energy
produced on wind farms. They purchase 14 million kilowatt-hours of renewable energy.
MetLife Stadium also sets the industry standard for environmentally friendly programs.
On June 9, 2009, MetLife Stadium signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that serves
as a commitment to becoming an environmental steward by adopting various programs, in turn
reducing the stadium and organization’s carbon footprint. It did not take long for the industry and
environmental government agencies to take notice – within one year MetLife Stadium was
named the “Greenest Stadium” in the NFL by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and
an “Outstanding Achievement in Recycling” award from the New Jersey Department of
Environmental Protection. A major part of this award came from the solar program. In 2012, just
three years after the MOU, the stadium partnered with NRG Solar, LLC to install Solar Panels
above the catwalk of the stadium, what they coined the “Solar Ring”. The Project highlights
1,350 solar panels joined into 47 modules combing to generate 25 times the power needed to
Stadium Sustainable Systems12
power the NRG Solar Ring LED Lights. This project has a carbon offset equivalent to 244 acres
of pine forest.
San Francisco 49ers’ Levi’s Stadium features complex LED lighting fixtures powered by
concentrated-use energy systems and solar output. “There are more than 1,000 state-of-the-art
solar elements found throughout the building, including three solar array covered NRG Energy
Bridges, as well as automatic sensors and high-efficiency energy management system”
(Associated Press, 2016). According to David Cooper, president of WSP | Parsons Brinkerhoff,
the engineering firm behind the design of Levi’s Stadium, “LED technology is becoming very
prevalent in sports stadiums and the technology and price point evolved to make it worthwhile”
(Newcomb, 2016).
The league-wide solar sustainability strategy doesn’t end there. “Seattle Seahawks’
CenturyLink Field installed solar panels spanning the area of two football fields atop of the
CenturyLink Field Event Center, generating more than 800,000 kilowatt hours of electricity
annually, meeting 25% of the facilities energy needs with solar power” (CenturyLink Field,
2016).
In an interview with Josh Epstein, Director of Operations for the Washington Redskins,
Josh describes some of the bigger initiatives taken on by the organization: “FedEx Field
promotes sustainability and the importance of environmentally friendly practices a few different
ways. We began with power consumption reduction efforts and moved into an 8,000 solar panel
shaded parking installation with solar energy provider, NRC Solar, Inc. in 2011. We sell back the
power to the power company and credit them for power – the same they charge to us typically”
(Personal Communications, July 2016, Epstein).
Stadium Sustainable Systems13
Wind
Wind energy is captured through wind turbines, much like propeller blades on a plane,
spinning in air, turning kinetic energy into mechanical power. “These turbines can stand up to 20
stories high and have a propeller that spans the length of a football field, and produce enough
electricity to power 1,400 homes” (Winder Energy Development Programmatic EIS, 2016). The
Philadelphia Eagles and Lincoln Financial Field set the tone for how stadium sustainable systems
operate. The pioneers established their globally known Go Green program alongside the NRDC
in 2003. The changes came small at first, though over a decade later, Lincoln Financial Field
found itself installing on the most extensive renewable systems of any stadium in the United
States in 2012. The installation of wind turbines on the west side of the venue led the way to
great innovation. The Eagles are one of very few teams in profession sports that utilize wind
energy for their greening initiative.
LED Lighting
LED or light-emitting diodes are characterized by Energy Star as “semiconductor devices
that produce visible light when an electrical current passes through them. LEDs are a type of
Solid State Lighting (SSL)” (Energy Star, 2016). LEDs are now being integrated into bulbs and
fixtures to be used at a large-scale facility level as well as across general lighting fittings
throughout the venue. LEDs are considered as directional light sources, emitting light in a
specific direction, unlike its counterparts, fluorescent and halogen bulbs. This gives LEDs the
upper hand in efficiency.
In 2009 MetLife Stadium set new procedures and practices to support their energy
conservation practices. The stadium retrofitted 389 fixtures from metal halide to LED lighting.
Stadium Sustainable Systems14
This installment was projected to reduce lighting energy consumption by nearly 87 percent and
contributed to a large portion of their overall savings since their initiative start in 2009. Levi’s
Stadium also places a large emphasis on sustainability through stadium lighting. “40% of the
stadium lighting uses LED bulbs, which are expected to reduce the overall energy consumption
of lighting by 15-20%” (Brown, 2014).
Waste Disposal Management
Waste Disposal Management is a complete design for solid waste disposal and recycling
solution from a stadium. Waste pickup, recycling, composting, trash compactors, dumpsters and
even portable toilet rentals fall into this category. Waste disposal management, specifically
recycling is a massive part of the Eagles sustainability initiative at Lincoln Financial Field, riding
along the lines of fan engagement. By taking the approach of leading by example, the initiative
caught like wildfire. The venue created green teams that handed out recycling bags for tailgaters
to use and be left in the parking lots. They also altered the stadium waste management disposal
by converting trash chutes to recycling chutes and using carts to pick up trash. Because of this
change, the venue is now pushing 75 percent waste diversion from landfills, and still climbing.
MetLife stadium shows strong dedication to composting solutions. Along with the food
service provider for the venue, Delaware North Sportservice, together they created a compositing
initiative geared to properly dispose of biodegradable products. In 2014, the stadium composted
261.26 tons of waste” (MetLife Stadium, 2016). The composting bins were set at the concession
areas and pantries of the venue. There is even a post-event separation in the stadium seating bowl
additionally.
Stadium Sustainable Systems15
CenturyLink Field, along with The Seattle Seahawks and Seattle Sounders Football Club
exhibit a deep connection with positive social change for sustainable programs; unwavering
devotion proves this organization to be leaders in the movement. The greening started with the
Seattle-based company First & Goal, Inc. (FGI), the operating management entity of the venue.
FGI’s assistant manager Darryl Benge founded the Green Sports Alliance in 2010, creating a
relationship that would transpire across the industry. By the 2005-2006 season, many teams
began discussions of their own recycling and composting greening programs across the league.
By 2006 FGI set the first operational recycling program by installing 75 recycling bins across the
venue, educated fans and staff on the power of sustainability, and created a new dedicated area to
track and separate up to 17 different recyclable resources. One year later, FGI installed
equipment for composting, installed 200 recycling bins and a cardboard baler.
NFL Stadium/Transportation Design
Stadium and venue design is an area of sustainability that has increased dramatically in
the last 10 years due to innovative technological advances. This notion pertains to the shape and
structure of the venue and transportation solutions to fit sustainable needs. MetLife Stadium
started its campaign in the stadium design process. They found success in finding reusable, or
recycled materials to build the venue. “40,000 tons of recycled steel was used to build the
stadium and recycled 20,000 tons of steel and 30,000 tons of recyclable concrete from Giants
Stadium when it was demolished. 50 percent of the concrete that was used to backfill the
excavation left behind from the demolition came of the old stadium” (MetLife Stadium, 2016).
During the construction process, all construction vehicles used clean diesel fuel, diesel engine
filters and idling trucks turned off engines in order to reduce air pollution. The consumption of
water in this process was reduced by increasing the efficiency of energy use. Recycled plastics Stadium Sustainable Systems
16
were even used for the new seating. In a 2014 report conducted by the EPA, a large reduction in
the carbon footprint was found. Most notable in the report was, "due to its collective, widespread
efforts,” the stadium reduced its carbon footprint by 247,379.4 MTCo2e (Metric Ton Carbon
Dioxide Equivalent)” (Bellina & Poetzsch, 2014). To put this into perspective, this number into
perspective, the reduction is equivalent to the carbon dioxide emissions from 27,836,053 gallons
of gasoline. Commingled recycling increased by 19% from 2011 and the Stadium even expanded
its recycling efforts into the parking lots, providing the necessary trash and recycling bins,
encouraging fan participation.
Levi Stadium was designed with big-money savings in mind while having a positive
effect on fan experience, serving as an environmentally friendly sports-sanctuary. This led the
way to a LEED gold status nod, the second highest level of recognition by LEED, and the award
of hosting Super Bowl 50. The stadium was built with design in mind by HNTB, an architecture
firm. There were many elements strategically planned in this process, particularly the layout of
the suite tower and premium spaces all configured to one side of the stadium. The idea here is a
conservation of energy by scheme while creating opportunities for more efficient operations.
Due to the prevalent public and professional concentration in greening programs in the
Northwest of the United States, environmentally conscious practices were built into the daily
operations of CenturyLink Field long before the first greening programs even existed in
professional sports. Much like MetLife Stadium, in 2000 CenturyLink Field was built by
recycling 97 percent of the concrete locally, 35 percent of that chunk being used in the
construction of CenturyLink Field.
Stadium Sustainable Systems17
U.S. Bank Stadium The design of the roof of the venue was the first item engineers aimed
to embrace while keep an environmentally conscious mind. John Hutchings, HKS’s sports
principal-in-charge of U.S. Bank Stadium, in an interview speaks about the design of the
building, with its distinctive and asymmetrical, high-pitched roof, which has an important
purpose with respect to sustainability: “The purpose is to shed snow off the roof efficiently into a
giant snow gutter near the roof line that features a heating system to direct the melted snow
through the stadium’s storm water control system. The roof’s ability to shed snow quickly
enabled designers to utilize one central ridge truss and lessen the carbon footprint of the building
by reducing the needed structural steel by an estimated 2,000 tons” (Peters, 2016). Green
innovation is also implemented in the material makeup of the roof. Builders selected ETFE, a
clear, plastic like space-age material, to be used on 60 percent of the roof that ultimately features
many environmentally-friendly benefits. This material is a lighter alternative, helping reduce the
demand for heavier structural steel. The southern facing ETFE portion of the roof will capture
sunlight, propelling thermal heating and a reduction of artificial lighting. This thermal heating is
designed to create a heat reservoir for winter months, pushing warm air to be redistributed by
reversing fans, emitting cooler air in during the warmer months.
U.S. Bank Stadium was built strategically to reduce the transportation carbon footprint
within the community. The area is located at the METRO light rail station, which will serve
multiple lines to and from the venue. It is reported (2015) that the METRO light rail station
served as a connection for more than 1.3 million riders. As well, the Minnesota Vikings
strategically planned for fewer parking spots to be made in the surrounding lots of the stadium,
encouraging fans to take public transportation, walk, or share riding to stadium events. This also
presents a business opportunity for both organizations, naming the station as “U.S. Bank Stadium
Stadium Sustainable Systems18
Station”. $300,000 will be awarded to Metro Transit in annual in-stadium promotions and
various media outlet coverage to increase ridership to U.S. Bank Stadium events.
Water Conservation
Water efficiency is the reduction of water wastage compiled by measuring both the
amount of water needed and the amount of water used. This system is a staple for Levi’s Stadium
sustainable program. In the design process, the team created a system to intentionally grab run-
off water from all areas of the building and use it for watering he landscape grounds, field, and to
be used for bathroom areas. They also installed artificial turf on the “apron” areas surrounding
the field. Water needs have diminished in the stadium by near 30 percent. In the efforts to
minimize usage of water while cleaning the building, power washers that use more pressure and
less water were invested in.
U.S. Bank Stadium also shows commitment to greening with water conservation. Low-
flow technology has been implemented into the plumbing of the building, reducing the use of
water drastically, almost 37 percent below requirements. With this innovation, the venue saves
roughly five million gallons of water annually. An intricate irrigation system was built for the
landscaping outside U.S. Bank Stadium.
Other Smaller Initiatives
Lincoln Financial Field began its environmentally friendly practices with a few smaller
ideas. After getting the right people behind the initiative, the team prioritized paper reduction
strategies and purchasing recycled paper. They even switched to recycled paper for items as
small as tissue paper. The financial savings from cutting paper allowed the organization to pay
for better paper products made from recycled paper, resulting in 100 percent use of recycled
Stadium Sustainable Systems19
paper. They even invested in cardboard and aluminum balers. After closely tracking the progress
of these changes, the organization decided to implement other smaller programs. This took
complete collaboration with partners such as ARAMARK was well. Going further roughly 37
percent of cleaning chemicals used throughout Lincoln Financial Field came from green product
lines. Water use has been cut by just over 20 percent using increased monitoring methods.
Lastly, any request for proposal for special events at the venue decrees vendors use green-
certified materials as standards. The success of this initiative is rooted from smaller
implementations.
Many of these systems are in place at Levi’s Stadium. “These include clustering premier
seating, paperless ticketing, waste management efficiency, and even a 27,000 square foot green
garden on the roof of the building. For transportation, the stadium is located on a sustainable site
with access to public transportation and a bike path to reduce the greenhouse gas portion of the
carbon footprint” (Levi’s Stadium, 2016). Transportation is a major area where teams work
together and use initiatives by other stadiums to reduce the community’s carbon footprint, along
with their own. The metrics documented by Levi’s Stadium, NRG, Inc., and LEED show much
success in the sustainable effort: 67 percent of consumer goods are recycled, while 87 percent of
durable goods are recycled. They operate at 34 percent below the energy demand of a venue
that’s the same size, saving $1 million in energy costs.
The formation of the “Green Team” serves as the second biggest key factor in kick-
starting green initiatives in Seattle professional sports. “The green team was made up of FGI and
Seahawks staff, vendors and contractors who sought out developing long term policies and
initiatives to reduce energy and resource consumption. The Green Team met on a quarterly basis
to discuss all initiatives with representatives from all FGI departments, the Seattle Seahawks Stadium Sustainable Systems
20
(and Sounders in 2009) and key partners such as ARAMARK and Levy Restaurants” (Henly &
Hershkowitz, 2012).
Smaller initiatives followed the formation of the Green Team across different areas green
elements, along with a new partnership with McKinstry, a design, build, operate, and maintain
firm. In 2011, FGI committed to beginning to use green cleaning supplies in the venue. They
chose to use Green-Seal certified products and begin monitoring paper consumption data. Soon
after, FGO purchased 100 perfect recycled plastic trash liners and recycled paper for the offices
and bathrooms. This ultimately contributed to a 23% increase in recycled waste. Along with the
recycling program, FGI began to donate all unused prepared food to organizations such as Food
Lifeline and Operation Sack Lunch, initiatives driven to tackle hunger in the community.
Summary of Key Issues
Issues pertaining to current NFL stadium programs can be seen through the creation of
the NFL Team Stadium Sustainability Matrix. Although 11 stadiums fall into the successful
category of 5 or more total systems, 19 stadiums (excluding Los Angeles) combine for four or
fewer. Through the gaps in this matrix, the lack of significant contribution in many categories,
including solar and wind sustainability is evident. Water conservation, energy conservation, and
NFL stadium/ transportation design are sparse through 58 percent of the league. Finally, there are
six organizations that only implement one system, Tennessee not showing any efforts in greening
at all. In essence, 60 percent of the NFL exhibit minimal effort towards stadium sustainability
practices. Age of stadiums, conservative executives, financial constraints and even complex high
safety standards could all attribute to this concept.
Thesis Statement/Research Questions
Stadium Sustainable Systems21
Sports organizations globally are adopting environmental practices for a number of
reasons. The process of greening not only provides an opportunity for improvement
operationally, but it is cost-effective. Furthermore, it creates unique cultural and economic
influence to use these models throughout the business sector creating an educational experience
on how to be great environmental stewards. Advancing the collective effort towards
sustainability in facilities across sports the National Football League can be achieved through
design, innovative technology and implementation of sustainable system while addressing the
need to achieve a maximum triple bottom line.
Master Design Plan
The creation of a master plan of best practices for professional sports venue serves as a
solution to help teams implement sustainable systems into their organizations. The first step to
this process (See Appendix for Figure 4) is evaluating the organization as a whole based on a set
of criteria such as if the venue is standing or in the creation stage, the geographical climate,
financial budgeting and other operational factors. The potential for business partnerships must
also be considered. As drivers for social trends, corporate social responsibility practices affect
the thoughts and beliefs of consumers, ultimately driving consumption. This, in turn could bring
massive business between organizations and environmental businesses.
For the majority of this market, which is currently standing stadiums, you must first
assess what programs are currently in use. Though, based on the information taken from the NFL
Stadium Sustainability Matrix, the best practice to begin with would be to build a solid
foundation, this being recycling and waste management systems as well as power consumption
reduction methods such as water and energy conservation. In 2013 a sports sustainability trade
journal released an article that featured a panel or engineers discussing energy efficiency
Stadium Sustainable Systems22
programs in sports venues. Kevin Lewis, LEED certified professional in design and construction
and Vice President of Henderson engineers sees different systems in stadiums helping improve
efficiency: “For arenas with large occupancies, we specify units with CO2 sensors, energy
recovery systems, and enthalpy economizers where it makes sense. For stadium suites, we have
integrated variable refrigerant flow (VFL) technologies that provide very efficient condensing
units to reduce consumption. We also tried to reduce the lighting wattage below ASHRAE
minimums as well as incorporate low-flow fixtures as much as possible to keep water usage at a
minimum” (Cooper et al, 2013). Building upon this, fan engagement along the lines of smaller
marketing initiatives will help drive the demand for change. Most of these systems are dependent
on fan activity. Finally, the organization must move into the higher levels of sustainability,
implementing LED lighting, solar panels, and wind energy turbines, depending on evaluation of
the organization. LEED certification must be the end goal for these greening methods. These
implementations may take more time to show immediate impacts, but should be implemented
over a space of three to nine years, depending on size and financial commitment to the system.
For stadiums in the concept process, the foundation must be built upon stadium and
transportation design. In design, many of these systems can be created interconnectivity, much
like U.S. Bank Stadium’s. Water and energy conservation methods fall into this system. Building
upon this, LED lighting must be installed to further reduce energy consumption, as well as solar
and wind programs. From the stadium matrix, these categories all seem to lack: 40 percent of
venues have LED lighting, 33 percent have solar, and only six percent hold wind systems. Power
consumption reduction and its relation to utilities charges is a driver for the Washington
Redskin’s “winterizing” protocol. “Electricity is expensive - utilities make up 30 to 40 percent of
our annual budget. We do whatever we can to winterize the venue when we aren’t using it. That
Stadium Sustainable Systems23
is the issue with Northeastern stadiums – because of the weather; we must do things like drain
water out of all the bathrooms, all the piping so it doesn’t freeze. We can make money back
through computerized operational stadium management, making sure these things are done”
(Personal Communication, July 2016, Epstein).
Much like MetLife Stadium’s construction plan, it is recommended to use similar green
construction methods. Once the stadium has structure, organizations must implement waste
management programs, ultimately resulting in LEED building certification. These systems
should take anywhere from two to five years to implement, including construction time, based on
how fast each criteria is fixed and how large the initiative is. LEED certification ought to be
accomplished within the first four or five years after an accumulation of points. These
recommendations will increase the bottom line, or profit portion alongside respect to planet of
the triple bottom line, which both play a large role in the business plan.
A few NFL sources could help fund the initiative at all NFL stadiums. This would come
at the cost of the NFL joining the Green Sports Alliance, which ironically is the only major
American professional sports league to not be included in. Roger Goodell, the NFL
commissioner commented on the first Green Sports Alliance summit held in August 2011 in
Portland, Oregon: “The NFL is proud to support the greening efforts of the Seattle Seahawks…
Enhancing the sustainability of professional sports is a worthy goal, and we wish the Green
Sports Alliance great success” (Wilner, 2011). Why would the NFL solely support an
organization, casting as an outlier, even if the founding member of the GSA is a NFL team
executive?
Social Media/PR for Master Plan
Stadium Sustainable Systems24
Social media will play a key role in the fan engagement portion of the master plan.
Organizations can take full advantage of real-time public relations, announcing new innovative
ideas to be featured through stadiums. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat are all
excellent sources to announce different initiatives, system installments and even marketing
platforms. Awareness is a key element when introducing new, creative ideas to consumers.
Video presentations explaining innovative ideas implemented into the stadium system would
increase popularity, forming new marketing initiatives to help create on the fan engagement
front. These platforms should be rolled out across social media in real time, as the projects are
completed and ready to be unveiled. A commitment to people through fan engagement will
round off the success of meeting the triple bottom line.
Social media must also be used to promote changes in mass transit. To promote
sustainable mass transit, endorse ride sharing, increase the price of parking, provide electric car
charging ports, or even offer proper bike securing areas. This all should be emulated through the
stadium’s green building marketing initiative, explained by social media posts.
Analysis
There is great strength to the master plan of best practices. The systems recommended are
strategically placed to build upon the foundation set. This foundation is specific to the type of
venue being addressed, standing or new. There is a lack of effort in recycling and waste
management, water conservation and energy conservation throughout the league, so starting with
these areas and building upon those initiatives is recommended. Waste management, water and
energy conservation all are cost-effective, easily adaptable sustainable solutions. For new
stadiums, stadium and transportation design is the most important first step to stadium
sustainability. Energy and water conservation can be achieved through the structural makeup,
Stadium Sustainable Systems25
scheme, and operational systems of a stadium. Computerized operational management systems
control, monitor, and record energy use must be considered for both standing and new stadium
programs.
Implementation, depending on the initiative can be costly at first, and the actual programs
set-up can serve as a weakness, due to mass amounts of planning. It also takes an entire
organization to get on board with these initiatives, which can require many meetings education
on the topic. The costs of new stadiums are currently extremely high, causing the programs to
result in large bills: “With construction costs that reach over $1 billion, facilities’ monthly utility
bills can exceed $200,000 with annual consumption at over 23 million kilowatts” (Waste
Management, 2016). Technological and design advances not matching those currently installed
in stadiums, making it a pain to deal with.
Opportunities come with greening programs in professional sports. While many stadiums
may be old, this urges organizations to renovate or rebuild, including green systems. LEED
green building recognition can come from any successful program. Partnership opportunities
provide this plan a lucrative incentive. U.S. Bank Stadium penned a $300,000 partnership with
METRO transit for naming rights of the stadium station as well as in-stadium assets.
Stadium operations and construction can pose as competitors to any system initiation. As
well, executives in the industry are cautiously conservative towards sustainable efforts. There are
complex safety standards associated with implementation of any engineered structure,
specifically stadiums. The number one priority to any sports organization is the fans and their
safety.
Financial Considerations
Stadium Sustainable Systems26
Expansion into the sustainability market for professional sports teams is extremely
retaining. Review of HRM contributors Gunjan Mathur and Deepali Dabas see sustainability
guiding the path for all innovations in the sports industry. “May executives have a belief that
sustainability is a burden on bottom line but apparently it seems that becoming environmentally
friendly lowers the costs and increases revenue…sustainability is a key driver to innovation
wherein becoming a key for business success” (Marthur & Dabas, 2014).
The cost green programs are dependent on the type of initiative and installment, among
other parameters. Solar panels cost comes at a scale of systems that are larger than 10 kilowatts.
“According to a study by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), the average consist of
installed PV in the first quarter of 2013 was $2.92 per watt” (BEF, 2016) Prices can be lower
when solar panels are bought in volume. Pricing also is determined by the structure the panels
would be installed on. A three megawatt system would cost a stadium $8.76 million minimum,
before installation costs. Wind turbines are charged by the wattage as well. A 100 kilowatt wind
turbine can cost $350,000 per turbine. Using this metric, the 14 wind turbines at Lincoln
Financial Field cost approximately $4.9 million before installation. Though, many smaller
initiatives are extremely cost effective and can be paid for through partnership opportunities,
much like the Philadelphia Eagle’s relationship with NRG.
Lincoln Financial Field’s partnership with NRG shows how even high-cost installments
can be managed. NRG Solar, Inc. entered a relationship with the Philadelphia Eagles, providing
11,000 solar panels and 14 wind turbines at a cost of $30 million. Though, NRG provided the
installments up front, in return entering a long-term power purchase agreement that grows at an
annually increasing fixed percentage. “The power purchase agreement has guaranteed the team
annual price increases that are well below predicted utility rate hike. Over the 20-year agreement,
Stadium Sustainable Systems27
the Eagles anticipate saving millions. For its part, NRG has a guaranteed 20-year revenue stream,
and whenever the energy generated at the stadium exceeds the Eagles’ needs, NRG can sell the
excess back to the grid” (Wharton, University of Pennsylvania, 2013).” This initiative is geared
to save the organization $60 million over 20 years, or annual savings of $3 million.
According to practices defined by different organizations across the NFL, there are many
areas by which savings are notable. An EPA environmental assessment MOU annual report of
MetLife Stadium was conducted in May of 2015 by EPA engineer Michael Poetzsch, the ninth
update documenting green initiatives. “Due to their progressive greening efforts, the
organizations has managed to reduce its carbon footprint by 247,379 MTCO2e and saved an
estimated $23.5 million in operating expenses” (Poetzsch, 2015). This is equivalent to $3.35
million in savings annually since the signing of the MOU by MetLife Stadium in 2009. This
number has resulted purely from reducing energy, water and solid waste production across their
entire operations. In a breakdown (See Appendix for Figure 3) of environmental metrics and cost
savings estimate published in the same report, the three highest savings came from mass transit
($10,325,081), green procurement ($8,272,940) and energy conservation ($3,698,614).
Currently, there are 30 active stadiums across the country, and 60% of those stadiums
show minimal effort towards sustainable practices. If the NFL were to adopt the necessary
practices recommended in the master plan created, there are massive savings to be seen.
According to the savings metrics of stadium sustainable programs using the top venue examples,
$3 million can be saved per team every year. The NFL could see league-wide potential savings
of $90 million to $100 million annually.
Measurement/Objectives
Stadium Sustainable Systems28
Data collection and analysis will help propel these programs forward. By retaining
financial and operational information on the acceptance, promotion, financial effect, and
communal benefit, organizations can determine which plans should be expanded upon.
The measurement for these systems should align with the stadiums commitment to the
triple bottom line. The triple bottom line, while including the bottom line, mainly profits, also
pays respect to people and the planet. Stadiums have an ethical obligation eliminating potentially
environmentally harmful practices, keeping the community in mind. The obligation to keeping
our planet green without causing harm to its ecosystems and environment will propel any
sustainable green building system with a good triple bottom line. It is important to keep in mind
that these programs can come costly, depending on the size and consideration of the system;
though data collected over the past 7 years show the pay-off to be not only cost-effective, but
potentially profitable.
An objected that should be set by any green system implementation at a stadium should
be the achievement of LEED green building certification by the USGBC. LEED certification
would credit the stadium with success in the planned sustainable system. This accomplishment
could potentially drive interest in fan consumption, partnerships with business that place an
emphasis on sustainable programs, and further recognition from public relations. This
recognition would be a best-case scenario for any business.
Conclusion
The solution to creating a successful stadium sustainability system begins with proper
planning pertaining to the current progress of the stadium. This should lead to the creation of a
“Sports Green Initiative Consulting Business”. This business would consult any stadium or
sports facility in need of implementation. It would work in partnership with the NRDC, Green
Stadium Sustainable Systems29
Sports Alliance, and U.S. Green Building Council. In due course, this organization would help
organize programs that would result in a USGBC LEED certification after completed success of
the program implemented.
Depending on the initiative, it is important to recognize that these systems may take some
time and money to establish. The consulting business would help ease the transition and provide
the proper strategy guidance to the organizations that should be partnered with to carry out the
programs. It will also take the industry trends and apply to the venue defending on a set of
criteria by which what the organization’s goals are, arena design, energy providers, and financial
considerations.
The Sports Green Initiative Consulting Business will align its work with the future
sustainability and reporting trends defined in the 2015 Global Reporting Initiative analysis
report. According to this analysis, there are a number of reporting trends interviewees see as the
future to promote organization transparency, alignment with values, and suitability growth.
“Sustainability related to disclosure and reporting should demonstrate proactive commitment
towards sustainable economic development. Reporting will focus on the abilities of companies to
create value for business and society. Reporting will be digital and almost real-time. There will
be an integration of financial and sustainability value creation and an integration of a companies
reporting with that of the suppliers and even peers that are committed to the same regional
development goals” (Global Reporting Initiative, 2015).
The formation of a consulting firm with an expertise in this field would surely benefit
organizations and their venues across the NFL. “We would want to use a service like that to help
our bottom line…there is a PR aspect to greening, along with fan experience, but if there is a
way to enhance the organization economically and measure the cost/benefit analysis through
Stadium Sustainable Systems30
sustainable efforts, that would be a mechanism we are interested in” (Personal Communication,
July 2016, Epstein).
This proposed Sports Green Initiative Consulting Business would be a monumental
organization working towards higher regulated sustainable practices. Mark Gutierrez, chief
executive officer of NRG describes the importance of contributing to green programs and
sustainability in NRG’s 2015 Sustainability Report. “I am constantly reminded of the importance
of what we do and the great responsibility we have to think not just about the impacts of our
business today, but also how those impacts will affect tomorrow. I invite you – colleagues,
investors, customers, partners and all consumers of electricity – to join us in this journey towards
creating an energy future that is cleaner, more reliable and that enables us to continue improving
people’s lives for years to come” (NRG, 2015). By analyzing industry trends, it can create an
effective best-practices strategy for venues to use, a potential of $100 million in savings annually
across the NFL collectively. Therefore, advancing the collective effort towards sustainability in
facilities across the National Football League can be achieved through design, innovative
technology and implementation of sustainable system while addressing the need to achieve a
maximum triple bottom line.
Stadium Sustainable Systems31
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Appendix
22,000 heat records were broken across the United States in the first six months of 2012
The year 2015 was by far the warmest year in the global record
In the last year, 29,152 daily high max temperatures were broken in the United States
alone
From June 7, 2016 to July 7, 2016, out of approximately 100,000 potential “stations”, or
the complete daily weather records at a particular location in the United States, 658
stations saw record tying temperatures, while 1,281 stations record breaking
temperatures. The highest record broken was found in El Cajon, California on June 20,
2016 at 107° F, 13 degrees higher than the previous record set in 2007
Figure 1:
ELEMENTS OF AN EFFECTIVE GREEN SPORTS PROGRAM Establish an internal Green Team leader supported by interested staff from top to bottom
of your organization, and engage leadership as early as possible Engage your operational partners, vendors and community experts Set regular meetings for all stakeholders Get a facility-wide audit to track waste generation and your use of energy, water and
paper and monitor data carefully Identify resources available nationally and locally (both free and for higher) Learn from peers’ green initiatives Write a green mission statement and set goals Make a list of greening ideas, both short term and long term. Prioritize initiatives on the
basis of return-on-investment, ecological urgency, feasibility, sponsor support and fan interest
Develop a flexible implementation plan Establish a tracking system for measuring savings, progress and setbacks After implementing your plan, translate successes into easily understandable sound-bites
for staff, fans, sponsors and for other stakeholders
The NFL Stadium Sustainability Matrix maps the different areas by which stadiums take part in suitability practices collectively. In using this matrix, we can see where improvements are needed, as 60 percent of the league shows insufficient effort towards greening programs.
NFL Team Stadium Sustainability Matrix
Stadium Sustainable Systems37
Figure 2:
Stadium Sustainable Systems38
STRENGTHS Business Opportunity Cost Effective High productivity
WEAKNESSES Implementation Takes Time Stadium Age
OPPORTUNITIES New stadium design LEED recognition Partnership opportunities
THREATS Competing Stadiums Conservative Executives Complex safety standards
Figure 3:
ENVIRONMENTAL METRICS COSTS SAVINGS (EST.)Energy Conservation $3,698,614Alternative Energy $131,565Water Conservation $308,813Solid Waste Recycling $611,847Green Procurement $8,272,940Green Landscaping $60,335Electronics Recycling $153Mass Transit $10,325,081Transportation $140,000TOTAL $23,549,348
Figure 4:
:
U.S. Bank Stadium & Mercedes-Benz Stadium Information
Stadium Sustainable Systems39
LEED
Solar, Wind
LED Lighting
Fan Engagement
Recycling/Waste Management, Water & Energy Conservation
LEED
Waste Manageme
nt
Solar, Wind
LED
Stadium/Transportation Design
STANDING NEW
Currently, there are two venues in development, U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis,
Minnesota and Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, with the exception of the new Lost
Angeles Rams stadium that is still in the concept stage. This three stadiums are geared to not
only foster the most successful sustainable systems in all of professional sports, but will serve as
an example for how stadiums should employ green opportunities. The key issue assessed by the
venues was finding a sustainable system that compiles all methods into one solution
Mercedes-Benz Stadium, along with U.S. Bank Stadium, will help set the standard for
incorporating the most advanced sustainable systems relating to the design, construction and
operations. Much like the design of Minnesota’s stadium, we can find an emphasis in similar
areas. Water conservation comes at a large emphasis for this stadium design. It is anticipated that
there will be achievement in all LEED water related acknowledgments, which would be a first
for any professional sports venue. The stadium design includes an intricate rainwater-collection
system geared to capture and redistribute to use. Water use efficiency will be accomplished
through similar plumbing installations.
Renewable energy and the reduction of energy usage are areas the Atlanta Falcons and
Mercedes-Benz Stadium will include in the greening campaign. Solar PV panels are being
installed on the building and at the close-by Georgia World Congress Center. Furthermore, the
venue plans on an installation of electric vehicle charging stations in parking lots. The stadium
possessing a retractable roof will provide opportunities to use natural light and air from outside
the stadium, reducing energy usage. LED lights are planned to reduce energy usage by 50
percent. The building also includes a control system for managing the consumption of energy,
monitoring lighting, heating and cooling, and the installed LED fixtures.
Stadium Sustainable Systems40
The venue features alternative transit to keep environmentally friendly transportation
practices. “The Mercedes-Benz Stadium site provides excellent transit access for patron use, with
three MARTA rail line stations within .7 miles or less of the building. The new stadium property
layout also encourages use of bicycle and alternative fuel vehicle usage through direct
connection to the Atlanta Bike Trail Network and the availability of electric vehicle charging
stations. In addition, pedestrian-friendly walking paths allow for easy connectivity between the
communities on the west side of the stadium and the downtown area to the east.” (Mercedes-
Benz Stadium, 2016).
U.S. Bank Mercedes-Benz
Solar SolarWind Wind
LED LED
Waste Management Waste Management
Water Conservation Water Conservation
Energy Conservation Energy Conservation
NFL Stadium Design NFL Stadium Design
Stadium Sustainable Systems41