Scant data hampering energy, water efficiency at sports venues

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.