University of Pittsburgh
IN-16: Green Athletics

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

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