USF’s stadium will incorporate sustainability measures, Athletics director says

The 35,000-seat football stadium will meet environmental design standards, Athletics Director Michael Kelly said. USF ATHLETICS PHOTO

While USF’s new $340 million stadium has sparked concerns about sustainability, USF Athletics Director Michael Kelly said environmental measures are being incorporated into the facility’s design.

“Recycling efforts during all our sports events are really encouraged,” Kelly said. “Waste management will have a major impact on the design and activation of this facility.”

Despite Kelly’s reassurances about the university’s commitment to sustainability, some are still concerned.

Joseph Dorsey, associate dean at the Patel College of Global Sustainability, said initiatives, like the regular updates on recycling efforts, would reduce the stadium’s environmental impact.

Dorsey said he is concerned about how the stadium aligns with USF’s sustainability goals. He said one of his concerns is the amount of energy the stadium will consume and where this energy will come from.

As co-chair of a committee that oversees the stadium’s progress, Kelly said the project will meet Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards.

LEED is a leading green building rating system that provides a framework for sustainable construction, according to USF’s administration services.

Kelly said construction manager Manhattan Construction Co. and design firm Populous have LEED-certified experts on their teams.

He said recycling and waste management programs will be integrated into the stadium as part of the LEED Scorecard. The scorecard also takes into account categories such as water efficiency, energy and atmosphere.

Some other LEED-certified USF buildings are the Judy Genshaft Honors College and Morsani College of Medicine and Heart Institute.

Dorsey said USF’s sustainability rating on Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS), a ranking that measures sustainability efforts on college campuses, dropped from Gold to Silver after the most recent report.

The 2022 report indicates fewer sustainability-related courses and initiatives compared to 2018, along with a decline in the effectiveness of sustainable transportation efforts. The next report will not be released until 2026.

Some of Dorsey’s concerns regarding the stadium, which will open in 2027, include increased traffic around campus, which he said would cause more pollution.

“More parking, more cars, and so the campus may become more inundated with pollution around games because of the stadium being there,” he said.

In response to these concerns, Kelly said USF will not need to build more parking since there are already enough spots close to the stadium.

He also said the stadium’s location at Sycamore Fields will “protect” the green space around it.

“The location preserves and adds nature trails into the tree area north of the stadium,” Kelly said. “I think that speaks volumes about our environmental sensitivity and the beautiful environment the stadium will create.”

Morgan Mathews, president of the student organization Global Leaders For a Better Environment (GLOBE), said she would “love” for the stadium to be a model for sustainability.

She said caring for the environment should be a bigger concern than “branding and appearance.”

“I think that with more students and alumni feeling more connected to our campus, they might care more about campus sustainability,” Mathews said.

Lisa Leseigneur, a graduate student at the Patel College of Global Sustainability, said she thinks measures, like planting vegetation or using solar energy, should be implemented in the stadium’s design.

“Planting vegetation so it’s not just blocks of concrete would be really cool,” Leiseigneur said. “That could help both reduce and absorb heat.”

While the Marshall Student Center uses solar panels, Kelly said details about the stadium’s energy sources are still being determined.

Matthews said as the university grows, sustainability should be kept in USF’s plans.

“We can’t have growth without sustainable development,” she said.

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