The Climate Pledge Arena joins other sports stadiums and large event venues, like Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, that have been designed with renewable energy technology. Incorporating energy-efficient technology, including updated lighting and HVAC systems, along with solar power, can reduce operating costs for venues.
Sports stadiums and arenas sit idle with a return to professional and college sports still hanging in the balance amid the coronavirus pandemic. When fans return, these venues are going to be designed differently, with new ventilation systems potentially required. But some of the biggest changes are dedicated to another global crisis: combating climate change.
According to Amazon, the arena will use on-site solar panels and off-site renewable energy power to be powered 100% by renewable energy. All events at the stadium will be made zero net carbon by sequestering carbon through investment in forestry projects.
With enormous operating costs, these large venues are constantly looking for ways to increase energy and cost efficiency. In using renewable energy specifically, some sports stadiums and arenas have been able to lower costs, or at least achieve a cost-neutral design while simultaneously having a positive impact on the environment, and generate marketing appeal.
“When we think about stadiums, these spaces consume a lot of energy and resources, so finding ways to make those spaces sustainable is going to contribute to the larger city and community goals, and also reduce operating costs,” said Rhiannon Jacobsen, vice president at the U.S. Green Building Council, which handles LEED certification for buildings in the U.S. “There’s a business proposition for these spaces,” Jacobsen said.
Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, has a stadium design that was cost-neutral, but it saves 29% in energy usage compared to that of a typical stadium. Lincoln Financial Field located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, produces 33% of it annual energy use from 11,108 solar panels and was the first U.S. pro sports stadium to generate all of its own electricity for games. Over the past decade, teams have cited cost savings by using renewable technology and other energy efficiency solutions in lighting and ventilation, and noted that energy costs are a significant percentage of a venue’s total operating budget.
Solar-powered sports
Your favorite teams’ stadium already may be powered in part by renewable energy. The NFL, MLB, MLS, National Tennis League, and NCAA have adopted the use of sustainable energy and even further sustainable initiatives.
The Golden State Warriors unveiled the use of 500 solar panels to power their practice facility in downtown Oakland in early 2010. Indianapolis Motor Speedway, home of the “Indy 500,” opened in 2014 and has the highest number of solar panels in the world, with 39,312 solar panels.