Image courtesy Amazon
Tech giant Amazon has secured naming rights to the new home of Seattle’s to-be-named National Hockey League (NHL) team and Women’s National Basketball Association’s (WNBA’s) Seattle Storm, and is calling it Climate Pledge Arena.
The name refers to The Climate Pledge, launched in 2019 by Amazon and Global Optimism, which calls on signatories to be net-zero carbon across their businesses by 2040—a decade ahead of the Paris Agreement. Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle is expected to be the world’s first net-zero carbon certified arena, and set a new sustainability bar for the sports and events industry.
“We have secured naming rights to the historic arena previously known as KeyArena. Instead of naming it after Amazon, we are calling it Climate Pledge Arena as a regular reminder of the importance of fighting climate change,” said Jeff Bezos, Amazon CEO.
Highlights of the arena:
- first arena in the world targeting net-zero carbon certification by the International Living Future Institute (ILFI);
- it will have all-electric operations and be powered with 100 percent renewable electricity, both from onsite solar panels and offsite renewable energy, and events at the arena will be made fully net-zero carbon through investments in forestry projects;
- carbon emissions and sustainability performance of the arena and all events will be measured and publicly disclosed;
- all operations and events at the arena will be ‘zero waste’ with durable and compostable containers, and a minimum of 95 percent of all arena waste will be diverted from landfills on a weight basis;
- the arena will use reclaimed rainwater in the ice system to create the ‘greenest’ ice in NHL;
- the original 20-million kg (44-million lb) roof from the existing arena will be reused in construction to reduce the embodied carbon of the building;
- at least 75 percent of the arena’s food program will be sourced locally on a seasonal basis to support regional farmers and producers, and all viable unused food from events will be donated to local community food programs;
- NHL Seattle and WNBA Storm tickets will double as free public transit passes to promote use of public transportation for attendees; and
- Amazon and entertainment company Oak View Group will form the Climate Pledge Arena Sustainability Advisory Council in partnership with community groups to support local environmental initiatives.
Seattle’s National Hockey League (NHL) team has now been named. It is called the ‘Kraken.’- The Construction Specifier team
A significant set of goals. I’m glad for the public disclosure of performance, and hope it can be meaningfully used by facility designers and owners.
I am disappointed by the 95% by weight goal for zero waste, only because it’s well known the lightest waste (plastic) can have the largest volume. It would help to see a plastic use goal.
Does that net-zero-carbon include transportation to and from events? How does the impact of transportation compare to that of operating the facility?