NRG Energy, Inc. (NYSE: NRG) and the San Francisco 49ers completed a solar installation at Levi’s® Stadium for the 49ers. This significant step will help Levi’s® Stadium to become the first sustainable NFL stadium. So LEED certification standards incorporated into its design and architecture.
The 49 solar frames installed are part of the stadium’s NRG Solar Terrace on the West side of the venue.
The solar frames cover 9,574-square-feet of the suite roof with a total of 544 SunPower E20 Series solar panels. That’s with an efficiency of 20 percent. Levi’s® Stadium also includes three solar panel covered NRG Energy Bridges. That which serve as the main entry and exit to the stadium. This totally demonstrates NRG’s customizable and iconic solar installations.
In total, the solar arrays at Levi’s® Stadium should have a combined peak capacity of about 375 kW. Consequently the amount of solar energy generated annually is expected to be enough to offset the power consumed. Yes folks, at the stadium during 49ers regular season home games.
Finally, NRG continues to explore other opportunities to help enhance the stadium’s sustainability efforts.
In conclusion, Levi’s® Stadium is one of five NRG projects at venues that play home to NFL teams. Other NFL venues, including FedExField, Lincoln Financial Field, MetLife Stadium and Patriot Place have partnered with NRG to showcase renewable energy to their fans. Finally, the NRG and these NFL teams have similar strategies. To invest in a solid combination of proven strengths, flexibility and promising potential. Potential to form a balanced approach toward one sustainable goal.
In BuiltWorlds.com, they added:
Something new. Debuting for usage last season, the HNTB designed Levi’s Stadium, home of the San Francisco 49ers and is currently the newest NFL stadium. The first NFL building to receive LEED Gold certification for new construction, they have set the bar for everyone to come.
As a result of being in drought-ridden California, they are using Bandera Bermuda grass. This grass uses 50% less water than traditional turf. Speaking of water, 85% of it at Levi’s comes from recycled sources. Finally, the installation of LEDs has reduced overall consumption from lighting by 15-20%. Atop the facility now rests a 27,000 square foot “green roof” which reduces the need for heating and cooling. Even though the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) requires a score of 39 in the areas of sustainable construction site development to achieve a LEED Gold certification in terms of energy efficiency, environmental quality, water savings, materials selection, and others, Levi’s Stadium, as of 2014, is far ahead at a score of 41. Can they get to their namesake number?
Sources: Green Sports Alliance, San Francisco 49ers and GTM Research
