University of North Carolina Athletics
Sustainable Athletics At UNC: Monday
January 25, 2016 | General
Sustainable Athletics at UNC
GoHeels.com will look at an area of sustainability each day this week as the site highlights portions of the UNC Athletics Sustainability Report.
Introduction
The purpose of this report is to review the University of North Carolina's actions toward more sustainable, environmentally friendly athletic operations. The report is broken into six areas where the Athletic Department has concentrated its efforts:
1. Energy
2. Water
3. Recycling
4. Transportation
5. Purchasing
6. Service
Since fielding the school's first football team in 1888, UNC's Athletic Department has grown immensely. In that time, the Tar Heels have won 39 NCAA team championships and 238 ACC post-season championships.
Today, more than 700 student-athletes compete in 12 venues across campus, and more than 300 employees are a part of the success of these 28 varsity teams.
The following venues are assessed in the report:
· Loudermilk Center: Houses a premium seating section for UNC football fans called the Blue Zone, the student athlete academic support center, a strength and conditioning center for Carolina's Olympic sports programs, facilities for men's lacrosse, and a visitor's locker room that can be divided to host high school football championships
· Eddie Smith Field House: Houses varsity practices and Indoor Track and Field competitions; Team Camps
· Kenan Stadium: Football Stadium
· Fetzer Field: Home field for men's and women's soccer, lacrosse, and track
· Carmichael Arena: Home for volleyball, gymnastics, wrestling and women's basketball teams
· Boshamer Stadium: Baseball stadium
· Hooker Field: Intramural fields and practice fields for men's and women's soccer and lacrosse
· Dean E. Smith Center: Basketball arena
Energy
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has demonstrated its commitment to energy reduction by pledging to become carbon neutral by 2050. The Athletic Department and related facilities have played a large role in the realization of this goal through changes in lighting, procedures, and technical equipment.
As a part of the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment (ACUPCC), Chancellor Moeser signed a pledge in January 2007 stating that UNC would work to become carbon neutral as soon as possible. Two years later, UNC submitted its Climate Action Plan to the ACUPCC detailing the school's strategy of becoming carbon neutral by 2050. This plan outlined seven areas of focus for emission reduction – energy supply, engineering changes, green development/buildings, transportation, purchasing and recycling, behavioral changes, and offsets. The Athletic Department at UNC engages in measures that address each of these areas in order to reduce energy usage and harmful emissions.
In 2010, Chancellor Holden Thorp assembled the Energy Task Force that set forth to analyze the University's carbon reduction plans and evaluate its ability to be carbon neutral by 2050. A target for this task force and for energy conservation at UNC is the 32-megawatt cogeneration plant on Cameron Avenue. In addition to being nationally acclaimed for its energy efficiency, the plant is seeking to find alternative fuels that will reduce its reliance on coal.
Many athletic facilities have played a role in reducing energy usage by installing LED (light-emitting diode) light bulbs in various buildings. These light bulbs use at least 75% less energy than incandescent bulbs and last approximately 50 times longer. They also don't generate as much heat, preventing wasted energy. Because LEDs are not made of glass, they are less vulnerable to vibration and breakage, which is essential for sport facilities. In 2009, Kenan Stadium installed these new lights on the field and in the stands to lessen the number of fixtures and reduce energy usage.
The majority of the energy used on campus (roughly 60%) is used in buildings for heating, ventilating, and cooling (HVAC). Often, half of the energy used in a building comes from HVAC, so an emphasis on HVAC efficiency is critical to reduce energy use. All athletic facilities have taken energy reduction steps with regard to their HVAC systems by keeping doors closed to prevent energy from escaping. These facilities are also implementing proper set points – the temperature at which the system aims to keep the building's internal air set. A careful study of outside temperatures and a building's responses to temperature shifts aids in the creation of set points that can reduce energy use. Such a study is currently being conducted in the Eddie Smith Field House.
UNC Facilities Services has taken mechanical steps toward energy efficiency by equipping two air-cooling units at the Eddie Smith Field House with variable speed drivers (VSDs). Electric motors often operate at a constant speed but VSDs allow mechanical systems to change their power usage depending on the energy demand. The use of these devices has been shown to save over 60% of the energy used to run HVAC systems.
In addition to installing VSDs, Facilities has begun changing damaged HVAC motors with motors that are more energy efficient. When picking new motors to replace damaged ones, Facilities ensures that the new devices demonstrate an increase in energy efficiency.
UNC is also saving energy through it Energy Management Control System. This dashboard system allows users to monitor current and historical steam, chilled water, and electric usage in 157 buildings on campus. Participating athletic buildings include Carmichael Arena, Boshamer Stadium, Kenan Football Center, the Loudermilk Center for Excellence, Henry Stadium, Eddie Smith Field House, and the Kenan Stadium Guest Box. This system allows for full collection of live data and provides alarms to signify dysfunctional or damaged utility systems, which encourage a fast maintenance response.
