Super Bowl’s Green Stadiums: MetLife and Others Tackle Energy Efficiency
National Geographic, February 1, 2014MetLife Stadium—home to the New York Jets and the New York Giants—won the bid to host Super Bowl XLVIII one month after it opened in 2010, and the stadium staff have been preparing ever since.
Energy savings are part of the plan: In addition to the solar ring, the stadium has initiated composting, water conservation, and building controls that have helped reduce electricity use by nearly 20 percent over the past three years.
MetLife Stadium is the only one in the U.S. to have lined its circumference with solar, as noted in a 2013 EPA report on the facility’s efforts, but it is certainly not alone in boosting sustainability efforts. Several sports facilities in recent years have installed solar panels, efficient lighting, and other measures designed to reduce the impact of their large-scale operations.