A sports and entertainment venue requires an abundance of resources to maintain and operate – especially one that hosts a top NBA team. Fortunately, the Chase Center in San Francisco, home of the Golden State Warriors, has several systems in place that efficiently and creatively minimize its environmental impact. SSR’s design consulting services within mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire protection, and sustainable energy modeling earned the venue a LEED Gold® certification for sustainable building solutions. Matt Clark, PE, and Kevin Graham, PE, LEED AP were key team members on the project. As Principals on SSR’s sports design team, they said the Chase Center was designed to mitigate the excessive footprint of such a facility. For example, the irrigation system at Chase Center reduces water consumption by 63% compared to traditional processes. This method, combined with other efficient potable and non-potable water fixtures, reduced water consumption by over 84%. In addition to saving resources, the on-site stormwater management plan also reduces pollution of natural water flow to minimize environmental impact.

Other major sports venues reduce water consumption through the creative maintenance of resources. Facilities such as Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, TN and Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, MI are known for the NHL teams they host, but also serve as multi-purpose arenas for off-ice events. Instead of melting the ice before events that will not utilize it, these venues use advanced insulation and flooring systems that store the ice all season long. By saving and reducing water, sports and entertainment venues maximize the resources used to provide memorable fan experiences.