by Dawn Killough

The Houston Toyota Center, home of the NBA’s Houston Rockets, recently earned certification through the US Green Building Council’s LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance Program. The Center becomes the first such venue in Texas to be certified, and joins the Portland Rose Garden, Miami’s American Airlines Arena, and Atlanta’s Philips Arena as the only LEED certified NBA facilities.

The Center received Silver level certification, ranking only below the Rose Garden in Portland, Oregon, which received Gold earlier this year.

Tad Brown, CEO of the Rockets and Clutch City Sports and Entertainment, had this to say in an article on the Rockets’ web site:

“This certification serves as validation that our aggressive approach to energy management, recycling and waste reduction programs have made a difference here at Toyota Center and in our community. Toyota Center has a unique opportunity to serve as an industry leader in the future of sustainability. We are operating in a more environmentally conscious manner and educating the millions of patrons that attend Toyota Center events each year regarding ways they can help.”

Brown also said, “In keeping with Leslie Alexander’s vision of environmental responsibility, we have dedicated many resources over the past few years to gain certification … with regards to sustainability and operational efficiency.” Some of the features of the Center and its operations include:

- 50 percent reduction in landscaping water use

- Reducing energy use to meet Energy Star standards (usually about 15 percent less than national standards)

- Improved indoor air quality

- Innovations included Green Committee activities, Green Games, community outreach, and e-cycling events

The Rockets have teamed up with local hauler, Republic Services, to launch a campaign to educate attendees and fans about ways to reduce their waste and their effect on the environment. The Toyota Center’s web site features a page that offers tips on how fans can “reduce, reuse, and recycle.”

Reprinted with permission from Green Building Elements