We’ve given a great deal of attention in the 2+ year existence of GreenSportsBlog to on-site renewable energy generation (i.e. solar and wind at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia) and energy efficiency efforts underway at stadia and arenas around the world. One thing we have yet to delve into is how “waste heat” is being captured and transformed into energy to power stadia. Well, that changes today in a GSB News and Notes column.

 
WASTE HEAT POWERS REC CENTER AND STADIUM
In “Waste Heat (Not Sweaty Bodies) Powering U.S. Sports Stadiums”, published on June 2 in Triplepundit.com, Allyn McAuley, a 2015 MBA candidate at Presidio Graduate School in San Francisco, took readers on a tour of 2 venues that are being/will be powered in part by the use of waste heat (capture of excess heat that is then used as energy):

• University of Colorado, Boulder: It’s no surprise that CU is one of the leaders in the “waste heat” category, given the commitment to green-sports by the Athletic Department and by Dave Newport, Director of the CU Environmental Center. McAuley highlights how CU’s new recreation center, which is aiming for LEED Platinum status, features a closed-loop heating system that “utilizes waste heat from the ice rink to heat the swimming pool.” Projected savings are stunning: “70 percent reduction in energy use and $300,000 of savings per year.”

Schematic depicting the University of Colorado’s “Closed Loop” building heat recovery system for its new Rec Center. (Credit: Triplepundit.com)

• Target Field, Minneapolis: The home of the Minnesota Twins should not only be known for the surprisingly good results enjoyed by the home team early this season (picked by most experts to finish last in the AL Central, the Twinkies sit in 2nd place today). It should also gain recognition for its innovative program, in partnership with Covanta and the Hennepin County Resource Center (HERC) that transforms solid waste from the ballpark into electricity. McAuley shares how “Target Field provides the (Covanta) waste-to-energy facility with municipal solid waste (MSW) for fuel, and HERC in return provides heat to Target Field by generating steam from the incineration of the solid waste via NRG Energy Center’s downtown heating system.” Between 2011 and 2014, the Twins sent 2,092 tons of solid waste “to HERC to make energy.”

 
DENMARK, NETHERLANDS LEAD EUROPE IN CYCLING PARTICIPATION
Bicycle commuting has been increasing in the U.S. in recent years. In New York City, thanks, in part to the advent of CitiBike, has seen, according to the U.S. Census, a doubling from 0.61% in 2009 to 1.21% in 2013. That’s great news for the fitness of Gotham residents and for carbon footprint reduction (although no hard data exist on the latter.)
However these numbers pale in comparison to bike commuting in Europe. David Thorpe, writing in the May 26th issue of Sustainable Cities Collective, reported that, according to a 2015 survey by the European Cyclists Federation, the Netherlands is the home of the bike commuter, with 36% of residents reporting that the bicycle is their primary mode of daily transportation. Denmark comes in 2nd with a 23% bike commuting rate, with Hungary right behind for 3rd place at 22%.

Danes commute to and from work at the 2nd highest rate in Europe (23%, with the Netherlands leading the way at 36%) and they don’t let winter get in the way. (Photo credit: Denmark.dk)

 
One can look at the fact that the Dutch commute by bike at 30X the rate of New Yorkers as a negative; we at GSB look at that number and see a huge opportunity for growth of two-wheeled commuting in the Big Apple and elsewhere in the U.S.
 
SCOTT JENKINS, CHAIRMAN OF GREEN SPORTS ALLIANCE, PREVIEWS UPCOMING SUMMIT
Scott Jenkins, Chairman of the Green Sports Alliance and General Manager of the New Atlanta Stadium (future home of the NFL Falcons and a new MLS club), was interviewed recently by Stadia Magazine. The wide ranging discussion concluded with Jenkins previewing the themes that will dominate the Alliance’s annual summit, taking place in Chicago from June 29-July 1:
“We’re releasing a healthy food report that looks at food options that aren’t only healthier for guests but also for the planet. There will also be a green cleaning playbook and an LED lighting playbook. Post-summit we’ll be releasing a mascot report to raise awareness of endangered species. When you think about sports teams’ mascots, it’s amazing how many of those animals are endangered and whose habitat is disappearing, yet we pay no attention to the dire straits that those species are in. We’ve gotten some really good response from team ownerships, so we hope to launch a visible program by this fall and into the winter.”
GreenSportsBlog will be reporting from the summit daily so be sure to check in here for all the news from Chicago.
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