News & Insights
Photo courtesy of: Greg Land
College athletics is a cornerstone of campus identity and community pride. But as universities face increasing pressure to meet aggressive climate goals and manage limited resources, athletic departments have a unique opportunity—and responsibility—to lead on sustainability. From massive stadiums and arenas to training facilities and daily operations, the environmental footprint of athletics is significant. Yet with the right strategies, sports programs can become catalysts for broader institutional change while enhancing their brand, deepening fan engagement, and improving long-term operational resilience.
Stadiums and arenas are among the most energy- and resource-intensive facilities on campus. Events generate vast amounts of waste, consume substantial energy and water, and often depend on transportation systems that add carbon emissions. In a study by the University of Virginia, a single college football game can produce between 50 to 100 tons of waste, much of it destined for landfills unless a clear diversion strategy is in place.
Beyond the numbers, student-athletes, fans, alumni, and sponsors are increasingly demanding environmental accountability. A strong sustainability program not only meets these expectations but also creates opportunities for community partnerships, donor engagement, and student leadership.
Athletic departments don’t need to start from scratch. The most successful programs begin with a few key moves:
True transformation comes from integrating sustainability into the fabric of athletic operations and culture. At the University of Michigan, Michigan Athletics is demonstrating what’s possible when sustainability is embedded in athletic operations. In partnership with the university’s Office of Campus Sustainability, Michigan Stadium implemented a zero-waste initiative that diverts more than 90 percent of game-day waste from landfills. The athletic department has also committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in alignment with the school’s carbon neutrality goals, with renewable energy powering large portions of its facilities
A green athletic program is inherently cross-functional. Success requires collaboration across multiple campus and external partners:
At Brailsford & Dunlavey, we’ve helped institutions build sustainability into the foundation of their capital and operational strategies. From small-scale facility retrofits to comprehensive sustainability frameworks, our work has shown that when athletics leads, the entire campus—and its surrounding community—often follows.
Tune in to the May 20 episode B&D’s Campus Energy & Sustainability podcast, where we sit down with the University of Michigan sustainability leaders Andy Berki and Paul Dunlop to discuss their journey toward a greener game day. Don’t miss it.
David Almany is a senior project manager within the B&D Venues Practice Group. In this capacity, he acts as a strategic advisor to clients in intercollegiate athletics and professional sports organizations, assisting them in defining the initial scope and development of projects related to athletic performance and training, public assembly, and entertainment-based mixed-use districts. His role extends beyond mere consultation; he remains a trusted advisor throughout the entirety of the project lifecycle, providing process oversight and management during the stages of project design, construction, and implementations. He can be reached at dalmany@bdconnect.com.
Dave Karlsgodt is the director of Brailsford & Dunlavey’s Energy and Sustainability practice group, where he leads climate action planning, energy and utility planning, energy public-private partnerships, and energy efficiency program development. He is adept at explaining complex topics at a high level to non-technical client constituents and decision-makers. He previously served as the president of his own software development and consulting firm and has worked in various technical roles, solving clients’ diverse problems with a combination of creativity and business acumen. He is the creator and host of the “Campus Energy and Sustainability Podcast.” He can be reached at dkarlsgodt@bdconnect.com.
