USGBC, Green Sports Alliance to Promote Sustainable Sporting Venues

Words: Dan KamysUSGBC, Green Sports Alliance to Promote Sustainable Sporting Venues

With millions of sports fans visiting LEED-certified green sports venues every year, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is proud to announce a collaboration with the Green Sports Alliance, a prominent nonprofit organization supporting the development and promotion of green building initiatives in professional and collegiate sports.

USGBC will support the Alliance to accelerate the green sports movement by exploring LEED certification of sports stadiums across the country. Currently, 25 professional sports venues are LEED-certified, including Nationals Park, American Airlines Arena and Soldier Field to name a few. The partnership will also explore additional engagement opportunities such as USGBC’s Green Apple Day of Service, a day for people across the globe to participate in green school service projects.

“Sports fans stepping into LEED-certified arenas, stadiums, ballparks and more experience the benefits of green building firsthand with water conservation, energy efficiency and responsible waste management,” said Rhiannon Jacobsen, director of strategic accounts, USGBC. “It was a natural fit for USGBC to partner with the Green Sports Alliance, which is dedicated to making professional sports healthier and more sustainable.”

“The Green Sports Alliance consists of over 180 professional and collegiate sports teams and venues, all looking to enhance their operations and environmental performance,” said Martin Tull, executive director, Green Sports Alliance. “Partnering with the USGBC will help us provide valuable resources and guidance to our members as they work to employ and promote green building initiatives at their respective venues.”

USGBC and the Alliance have jointly developed a toolkit focused on advancing green schools through sports, which encourages sports organizations to engage their communities in environmental stewardship through local projects.

The Alliance highlights USGBC initiatives at professional and collegiate sports venues through member resources including webinars, toolkits, best practice sharing and social media events.

USGBC first collaborated with the Alliance last August when the Seattle Mariners, Seahawks, Sounders and Storm collaborated on a school garden project for the inaugural Green Apple Day of Service. 2013 Green Apple Day of Service projects are currently being planned by sports teams in cities such as San Francisco, Kansas City, Seattle and Philadelphia, host of USGBC’s 2013 Greenbuild Conference and Expo in November, where the Alliance will have a presence in the Center for Green Schools booth. 

To continue engaging the sports industry around its programs, USGBC will be joining the Green Sports Alliance at the 2013 Green Sports Alliance Summit in NYC, August 26-28.

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