A lack of metrics and associated data to establish current performance is holding back efforts to improve water and energy efficiency at sports venues, according to a new report from the National Institute of Building Sciences (NIBS).
More data is needed at both an individual venue level and across the building type, the report says. “Some venues do not have the tools, resources, or training to effectively manage and measure their performance, while those that have undertaken steps to improve do not have the data to compare themselves with their peers to determine if they are leading the pack or if there is still much more to be done,” it says.
NIBS, the Green SportsAlliance, and the Environmental Protection Agency are working to fill in the knowledge gap, but more data from arenas and stadiums is needed. Improving efficiency requires cooperation from operations and other departments,sponsors, vendors and concessionaires, government, utilities, allied organizations, leagues and conferences, management companies, designers,athletes, and fans, the report says.
The report recommends using financing mechanisms to improve access to capital. Technologies and practices of particular interest include lighting, renewable energy,refrigeration, occupant comfort, field maintenance (including irrigation, grow lights, and hydronics), plumbing, and metering, measurement, and verification tools.
Related Stories
| Oct 28, 2011
OSHA requires training module on top causes of construction deaths
The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) now requires a training module on the top four causes of death for construction workers.
| Oct 28, 2011
New York City requiring building energy use to be posted online
Owners of every New York City commercial and residential building larger than 50,000 sf will have to post each building’s energy use online by 2013.
| Oct 28, 2011
New ISO standard for escalator safety
A new ISO standard specifies safety requirements for escalators and moving walks.
| Oct 20, 2011
LEED 2012 to require real-time energy, water use reporting
The LEED 2012 rating system, set to launch in November 2012, will contain features to make sure buildings function as intended, and improve over time.
| Oct 20, 2011
New York City moving to speedier, online design reviews
New York City is moving towards a development design review process that will let officials and developers review blueprints for new projects online in a virtual conference room rather than in person.
| Oct 20, 2011
Michigan bill would let private firms operate as a city’s building department
Michigan House Bill 5011 would change state’s building code to allow private companies to operate as a municipality's building department.
| Oct 20, 2011
Alabama’s strict immigration law drives away construction workers
Alabama's strict new immigration law is driving many construction workers and roofers from the state.
| Oct 20, 2011
Fed bill would allow school rehab funding via historic tax credits
Virginia Sens. Jim Webb (D) and Mark Warner (D) introduced a bill this month to rehab aging schools across the country through the use of historic tax credits.
| Oct 20, 2011
Process leads to new design values for southern pine and other visually graded dimension lumber
A summary of the process used to develop new design values will clarify many of the questions received by the SFPA.
| Oct 19, 2011
Another drop for Architecture Billings Index
Positive conditions seen last month were more of an aberration.
