US Open awarded LEED certification
September 4, 2015
FLUSHING MEADOWS, NY — The United States Tennis Association (USTA) today announced its first LEED® (level of certification) Green Building Certification for its Transportation Building, part of its commitment to create a sustainable future through continuously seeking innovative ways to reduce the impact the US Open has on the environment. The LEED rating system, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, recognizes best-in-class building strategies and practices for high-performance green buildings. The USTA aims to further this initiative for the new Grandstand and Louis Armstrong Stadium; slated to open in 2016 and 2018 respectively.
Since the inception of the program in 2008, the US Open has recycled more than 2.6 million plastic bottles, welcomed more than 3 million fans arriving via mass transit, and diverted more than 1,800 tons of US Open waste from going into landfills. Last year, the US Open diverted more than 70 percent of its waste from landfills through recycling and composting, more than any other year in the event’s history. This year, more than 650 tons of waste will be diverted from landfills, ultimately saving more than 425 tons of harmful greenhouse gas emissions from being emitted into the atmosphere.
The US Open is proud to be at the forefront for green initiatives at sporting events and equally proud to be lessening the event’s ecological footprint. The following is an overview of this year’s US Open Green Initiative program.
2015 US Open Green Initiative Highlights
Recycling & Composting
Transportation
Paper Procurement
Food & Service Ware
On-Site
Fan Awareness
US Open Merchandise
Outreach