| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 66.51 |
| Liaison | Aurora Sharrard |
| Submission Date | Feb. 28, 2021 |
University of Pittsburgh
IN-16: Green Athletics
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
0.25 / 0.50 |
Eve
Kopicki Sustainability Coordinator Pitt Athletics |
"---"
indicates that no data was submitted for this field
Does the institution’s green athletics program include the following?:
| Yes or No | |
| Zero waste and/or carbon neutral athletic events | Yes |
| A stadium or arena certified under a green building rating system | No |
| A sustainable food and beverage purchasing program that includes athletic event vendors and concessions | Yes |
| A program to minimize the sustainability impacts of turf management (e.g., by installing low input turfgrass or environmentally preferable artificial turf) | No |
| A program to support more sustainable transportation options for athletic events | Yes |
| Community engagement efforts, e.g. to educate students and fans/supporters about the institution’s sustainability initiatives | Yes |
| An athletic team certification program | No |
A brief description of the institution’s green athletics program:
UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH
AASHE STARS
IN-16 GREEN ATHLETICS
2-11-21
The University of Pittsburgh's Athletics Sustainability Program functions under the Pitt Athletics Sustainability Committee (in the Pitt Athletics department).
GOVERNANCE
The Pitt Athletics Sustainability Committee is headed by the Athletics Sustainability Coordinator and is comprised of members from various athletics offices, student athletes, and band members. As a group, the Pitt Athletics Sustainability Committee guides sustainable initiates that Athletics should tackle in collaboration with university-wide sustainability initiatives.
A member of the Pitt Athletics Sustainability Committee also sits on the Chancellor’s Advisory Council for Sustainability and on the Carbon Commitment Committee. In addition, the Athletics Sustainability Coordinator also often represents Athletics at Pitt Sustainability Council meetings.
The Athletics Sustainability Coordinator position was created in Fall 2018 and has been staffed by the same undergraduate student since then; she is graduating in Spring 2021 and Pitt Athletics is committing to regularly filling the position to help provide continuity, evolution, and continued success to the Pitt Athletics sustainability efforts.
RECOGNITION
Pitt Athletics has been a member of the Green Sports Alliance since February 2019.
GOAL SETTING
On January 1, 2020, the Athletics Sustainability Committee rolled out its Implementation Guide to Pitt Athletics’ 2020 Sustainability Goals. This was a document that was made available to everyone in the Athletics department, outlining the 2020 goals and how to achieve them.
In the 2021 calendar year, the Pitt Athletics Sustainability Committee is working to host informational meetings with our various sports teams about both university-wide and and departmental sustainability efforts.
MATERIALS DIVERSION
Pitt’s main athletic building, the Petersen Events Center (“The Pete”), fully deployed a compostable collection program over the past three years. In 2018, 7.53 tons of compostables were diverted from the Pete alone, followed by 16.41 tons in 2019 and 8.68 tons in 2020 (lower than expected due to the Covid-19 global pandemic).
In Spring 2019, the Athletics Department held a spring cleaning event where staff was able to recycle their old technology and office equipment. Due to Covid, the Spring 2020 office clean out was canceled, but it is expected to be revamped in Spring 2021.
The University of Pittsburgh has participated in RecycleMania (now the Campus Race to Zero Waste) annually since 2011 – and RecycleMania’s Game Day Challenge annually since 2014. Most recently, at Pitt’s February 22, 2020, men's basketball game against Virginia, we educated attendees on the topic of waste diversion, including recycling and composting. This fan engagement helps ensure that we can divert as many materials away from the landfill (while of course trying to best our rival Cavaliers in a friendly competition). Pitt Athletics’ Recyclemania Game Day Challenge participation is one of many campus-wide Recyclemania efforts.
FACILITIES UPGRADES
In Fall 2020, the University of Pittsburgh completed an addition and renovations to the Petersen Sports Complex, which allowed for the consolidated of several Pitt Athletics teams and coaches into one building. The new Petersen Sports Complex has 26,500 additional square feet, providing additional space for sports medicine, nutrition services, and equipment. The project is pursuing LEED certification (tracking at least Silver) and adjacent to Pitt’s soccer, baseball, and soccer fields.
Petersen Sports Complex project profile: https://www.fm.pitt.edu/petersen-sports-complex
PSC Architectural description: https://www.dlaplus.com/pages/petersen-sports-complex-addition
In 2019, the lighting in the Petersen Events Center was upgraded. While the Athletics venue benefited from a court flip, new floor, baskets, and courtside chairs, LED lighting was also implemented throughout the entire building, including for a new state-of-the-art center-hung video board and two end zone replay/stats boards. Overall, the project was projected to reduce electricity use by 1,247,259 kWh with a less than 7 year financial payback.
Learn more about the 2019 Pete lighting upgrade: https://pittsburghpanthers.com/news/2019/10/30/general-petersen-events-center-receives-upgrades-for-2019-20-season.aspx
AASHE STARS
IN-16 GREEN ATHLETICS
2-11-21
The University of Pittsburgh's Athletics Sustainability Program functions under the Pitt Athletics Sustainability Committee (in the Pitt Athletics department).
GOVERNANCE
The Pitt Athletics Sustainability Committee is headed by the Athletics Sustainability Coordinator and is comprised of members from various athletics offices, student athletes, and band members. As a group, the Pitt Athletics Sustainability Committee guides sustainable initiates that Athletics should tackle in collaboration with university-wide sustainability initiatives.
A member of the Pitt Athletics Sustainability Committee also sits on the Chancellor’s Advisory Council for Sustainability and on the Carbon Commitment Committee. In addition, the Athletics Sustainability Coordinator also often represents Athletics at Pitt Sustainability Council meetings.
The Athletics Sustainability Coordinator position was created in Fall 2018 and has been staffed by the same undergraduate student since then; she is graduating in Spring 2021 and Pitt Athletics is committing to regularly filling the position to help provide continuity, evolution, and continued success to the Pitt Athletics sustainability efforts.
RECOGNITION
Pitt Athletics has been a member of the Green Sports Alliance since February 2019.
GOAL SETTING
On January 1, 2020, the Athletics Sustainability Committee rolled out its Implementation Guide to Pitt Athletics’ 2020 Sustainability Goals. This was a document that was made available to everyone in the Athletics department, outlining the 2020 goals and how to achieve them.
In the 2021 calendar year, the Pitt Athletics Sustainability Committee is working to host informational meetings with our various sports teams about both university-wide and and departmental sustainability efforts.
MATERIALS DIVERSION
Pitt’s main athletic building, the Petersen Events Center (“The Pete”), fully deployed a compostable collection program over the past three years. In 2018, 7.53 tons of compostables were diverted from the Pete alone, followed by 16.41 tons in 2019 and 8.68 tons in 2020 (lower than expected due to the Covid-19 global pandemic).
In Spring 2019, the Athletics Department held a spring cleaning event where staff was able to recycle their old technology and office equipment. Due to Covid, the Spring 2020 office clean out was canceled, but it is expected to be revamped in Spring 2021.
The University of Pittsburgh has participated in RecycleMania (now the Campus Race to Zero Waste) annually since 2011 – and RecycleMania’s Game Day Challenge annually since 2014. Most recently, at Pitt’s February 22, 2020, men's basketball game against Virginia, we educated attendees on the topic of waste diversion, including recycling and composting. This fan engagement helps ensure that we can divert as many materials away from the landfill (while of course trying to best our rival Cavaliers in a friendly competition). Pitt Athletics’ Recyclemania Game Day Challenge participation is one of many campus-wide Recyclemania efforts.
FACILITIES UPGRADES
In Fall 2020, the University of Pittsburgh completed an addition and renovations to the Petersen Sports Complex, which allowed for the consolidated of several Pitt Athletics teams and coaches into one building. The new Petersen Sports Complex has 26,500 additional square feet, providing additional space for sports medicine, nutrition services, and equipment. The project is pursuing LEED certification (tracking at least Silver) and adjacent to Pitt’s soccer, baseball, and soccer fields.
Petersen Sports Complex project profile: https://www.fm.pitt.edu/petersen-sports-complex
PSC Architectural description: https://www.dlaplus.com/pages/petersen-sports-complex-addition
In 2019, the lighting in the Petersen Events Center was upgraded. While the Athletics venue benefited from a court flip, new floor, baskets, and courtside chairs, LED lighting was also implemented throughout the entire building, including for a new state-of-the-art center-hung video board and two end zone replay/stats boards. Overall, the project was projected to reduce electricity use by 1,247,259 kWh with a less than 7 year financial payback.
Learn more about the 2019 Pete lighting upgrade: https://pittsburghpanthers.com/news/2019/10/30/general-petersen-events-center-receives-upgrades-for-2019-20-season.aspx
Website URL where information about the green athletics program is available:
Optional Fields
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
2020 Petersen Sports Complex (PSC) Upgrade:
https://www.fm.pitt.edu/petersen-sports-complex
2020 PSC Architectural description: https://www.dlaplus.com/pages/petersen-sports-complex-addition
2019 Pitt Athletics Joins Green Sports Alliance: https://pittsburghpanthers.com/news/2019/2/15/general-pitt-athletics-joins-green-sports-alliance.aspx
2019 Petersen Events Center lighting upgrade: https://pittsburghpanthers.com/news/2019/10/30/general-petersen-events-center-receives-upgrades-for-2019-20-season.aspx
https://www.fm.pitt.edu/petersen-sports-complex
2020 PSC Architectural description: https://www.dlaplus.com/pages/petersen-sports-complex-addition
2019 Pitt Athletics Joins Green Sports Alliance: https://pittsburghpanthers.com/news/2019/2/15/general-pitt-athletics-joins-green-sports-alliance.aspx
2019 Petersen Events Center lighting upgrade: https://pittsburghpanthers.com/news/2019/10/30/general-petersen-events-center-receives-upgrades-for-2019-20-season.aspx
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.