Last week, the San Francisco 49ers organization was recognized as one of nine Bay Area companies receiving Acterra’s 2016 Business Environmental Awards.

Acterra, a non-profit organization with the mission of creating local solutions for a healthy planet, has involved and educated individuals, businesses and communities to address climate change, energy efficiency, and promote corporate sustainability since 1970.

The Forty Niners Stadium Management Company won Large Project for the Sustainable Built Environment category, which rewards a building project that conserves natural resources and promotes the health and well-being of its occupants, and was recognized for its extraordinary environmental leadership in the construction of Levi’s Stadium.

Acterra’s Business Environmental Awards is one of the San Francisco Bay Area’s oldest and most prestigious environmental recognition programs. Initiated in 1990, it is considered a champion among awards programs due to its broad geographic scope and rigorous judging process.

As the first U.S. professional football stadium to open with LEED Gold Certification, Levi’s® Stadium set a new standard for sports greening projects in North America. Of note, Levi’s® Stadium’s 20,000-square foot solar canopy and three solar-array-covered bridges are made up of 1,162 photovoltaic SunPower Solar panels that create enough energy throughout the year to offset the electricity used during the annual 49ers home schedule. In addition, the stadium’s 27,000-square-foot NRG Solar Terrace features 16 native and drought-resistant plants that work to insulate the suites, regulating ambient temperatures and lowering the building’s cooling needs.  Most significantly, over 80% of the water used at the stadium is provided by Santa Clara’s reclaimed water system – or millions of gallons of potable water that would normally be required to operate a stadium of this size have been saved.

In addition to integrating renewable energy generation and reclaimed water systems, the green stadium project made use of sustainably certified, recycled and reclaimed building products during construction, including reclaimed hardwood from a nearby hangar, which is used as decorative wall coverings for two of the 10 club spaces within Levi’s Stadium and on the NRG Solar Terrace.

The 49ers and the remaining eight 2016 awardees will be honored at the Business Environmental Awards Reception on May 26th at Intuit in Mountain View, Calif. Registration for the event will begin in April. For more information, visit www.acterra.org/bea.

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