Uncategorized

ASU wins NACDA Sustainability Award for Sun Devil Stadium

The second annual National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Sustainability Award has been awarded to the Arizona State University for the work done on the Sun Devil Stadium and the Weatherup Center.

ASU was selected as the winner by NACDA and the USG Corporation. The other finalists included the South Dakota State and Louisville. An award of $30,000 in product will be presented to ASU by USG. The other two finalists will receive awards of $10,000 in product. The award will be presented by the USG Corporation on the 10th of November, 2016 during ASU’s football match against Utah. Two of the Sun Devils athletics facilities: The Sun Devil Stadium and the Weathercup Center earned special recognition for the Sustainability Award.    

Pete Wozniak, who is the Sun Devil athletics facilities maintenance manager, said that the current initiative started back in 2007 in order to promote zero-waste. The goal of the department was to take all of the recycling out of Sun Devil and have it be re-purposed. He further added that their goal saw a growth of 40,000 tons of recycling from games and daily operations in just four to five years.


A zero-waste policy has also been adopted by the department for all athletic venues. A partnership with Sodexo was established to use recyclable products, and LED lights were used to reduce heat gain and save energy costs. The custodial staff is also using green products including hand towels, cleaning supplies, etc. While Wozniak is glad about what they have managed to accomplish so far he realizes that they still have a long way to go.

Mike Chismar, the Senior Associate Athletics Director of Operations and Facilities, said that they aim to be carbon neutral by 2025 because of President Crow’s initiative. According to Wozniak and Chismar parking lots and organized tailgates outside the Sun Devil Stadium will be included in their recycling efforts in the future.