Green Sports Alliance | USGBC | Arc Skoru

October 2021

1

Introduction
This document describes the components of the Play to Zero™ program, including
participation requirements, evaluation criteria, and opportunities for recognition. Play to Zeroapplies to sports venues, teams, leagues, conferences, and related organizations. The
program seeks to accelerate the transition toward net zero energy, water, and waste
operations for the sporting industry. To that end, Play to Zero provides a performance-based
framework with opportunities for all market participants to unite, improve, and celebrate
leadership.

Program Elements
Play to Zero is open to everyone in the sports industry - venues, teams, organizations, leagues,corporate partners, and allies. There are five steps to participation:
1. Sign up for free as a Green Sports Alliance member - learn more about membership.
2. Commit to improve sustainability over time.
3. Commit to measuring performance.
4. Apply for recognition as a Player, Leader, or Champion.
5. Use the recognition and support to engage fans and partners.
That’s it. Visit PlayToZero.org to get started. Email analytics@greensportsalliance.org for moreinformation.

2Recognition
Play to Zero participants can earn annual recognition in more than a dozen categories:
1. Everyone starts as a Player by designating leadership, committing to improvement,and measuring performance.
2. Venues and organizations can level-up by creating a net zero roadmap andimproving performance: ≥30% for Leader and ≥50% for Champion.
3.
All recognition is based on improvement measured with data in Arc - the performancescoring platform supporting the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED rating system.

Player+ Leadership+ Commitment to improvement+ Commitment to measurement

EnergyWater

Waste+ RoadmapLeader

Champion≥30% reduction in energy
and/or GHG emissions≥30% reduction in potablewater consumption≥30% solid waste diversion≥50% reduction in energy
and/or GHG emissions≥50% reduction in potablewater use

≥50% solid waste diversion

Net zero energy and/or GHGemissions

Net zero potable water use

Net zero waste

3

Table of ContentsIntroduction2

Program Elements

2

Recognition

3

Player5

Intent5

Opportunity

5

Program Elements

6

Roadmap

6

Energy Performance

7

Intent7

Criteria

7

Community Impact

8

Water Performance

9

Intent9

Criteria

9

Community Impact

10

Waste Performance11Intent

11Criteria

11Community Impact

12About124

Player
IntentPlayer is the entry point for Play to Zero. The Player designation recognizes teams, leagues,and organizations that have taken clear steps to begin their journey to net zero operations.

Opportunity
Player recognition is available to any Green Sports Alliance member. Players must document:
1. Leadership:a. Documentation: Affirmation on organizational letterhead or equivalent stating
the name(s) and email(s) of the sustainability leader or sustainability teammembers.
2. Commitment to improve performance:a. Documentation: Affirmation on organizational letterhead or equivalent stating
the commitment to improve specific areas of performance over time. Thiscommitment will not be made public.
3. Commitment to performance measurement:
a. Documentation: Creation of at least one project in Arc and submission of data
in at least one performance category. This commitment will not be madepublic.
There is no fee for GSA members. Members simply send these three pieces of documentation
to analytics@greensportsalliance.org. They can be consolidated into a single letter orequivalent document.
When the information is accepted, the prospective Player will receive a media kit, including
a Player certificate, Play to Zero logo, and supporting materials. The Play to Zero team willcelebrate the achievement through recognition on social media and other channels.

5Program Elements
Venues, teams, leagues, conferences, and other organizations receive Leader andChampion recognition based on two elements:

1. Roadmap
2. Performance
These combine to demonstrate both the capability for action and real-world outcomes.

Roadmap
Play to Zero recognizes organizations that establish a credible roadmap to measure andimprove performance. Leader or Champion recognition requires a roadmap covering
management, execution, and performance. Essential elements of a roadmap include:
1. Leadership: The organization has designated an individual or group with responsibility
for its conservation and resource protection strategy.
2. Target: The organization has committed to or established a quantitative conservationor management target.
3. Assessment: The organization understands its current operating performance andcircumstances (e.g., a greenhouse gas inventory or equivalent for other issues)
4. Actions: The organization understands where and how it will act to achieve its
performance targets.
5. Measurement: The organization has a specific, resourced-plan to measure relevant
aspects of operational performance (e.g., energy, water, waste).
Venues or organizations pursuing Leader or Champion awards must document these fiveelements and submit information to analytics@greensportsalliance.org The submittal may be6

a single document or multiple items. The transmittal email should clearly indicate how to findevidence for each element.

Energy Performance
IntentPlay to Zero Leader and Champion recognition for energy celebrate actions taken toincrease the use of clean energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in venues, acrossorganizations, and in communities.

Criteria
This Energy category provides participants with multiple opportunities for recognition:
VenueOrganization

PlayerPrerequisite for Leader and Champion

LeaderManagement +≥30% net reduction in GHG emissions

ChampionManagement +≥50% net reduction in GHG emissions

The reductions listed above may be achieved through any combination of●Energy efficiency●

Energy supply●

Energy or emissions offsets

Play to Zero recommends the use of a 1-year baseline and a 1-year reporting period.
Alternative comparisons can be proposed and justified (e.g., season-to-season).

7

Play to Zero recognizes any credible, well-documented baseline. This can be a“business-as-usual” performance level (such as energy or emissions intensities derived fromthe U.S. Department of Energy Commercial Building Energy Consumption Survey) or
improvement over time (e.g., 2019 vs. 2021).
Organizations encompass a wide range of entities. For example, a league is an organization.
Its members may include athletic departments, individual teams, and specific venues. Theseentities can participate collectively or individually.

Community Impact
Venues and organizations are encouraged to achieve their energy goals throughengagement and investment in their communities.
Play to Zero provides additional recognition for high-impact community programs. These
programs generate “double” benefits for teams, counting toward net energy and emissions
improvement and recognition as a Community Leader or Champion.
Community programs may include:●

Direct investment in projects such as low-income housing or renewable energy
generation within their community (e.g., engaged offsets).

●Fan-engagement strategies (e.g., behavioral change campaigns).

●Other creative ideas that yield demonstrable impacts on energy and emissions.
Community
PlayerRequired

LeaderImpact ≥30% of annual energy use or GHGemissions

ChampionImpact ≥50% of annual energy use or GHG
emissions

8Water Performance
IntentPlay to Zero Leader and Champion recognition for water celebrate action to promote water
conservation, water restoration, and water resource management in sporting venues andacross organizations.

Criteria
The Water category provides participants with multiple opportunities for recognition:
VenueOrganization

PlayerRequired

LeaderManagement +≥30% net reduction in potable water use

ChampionManagement +≥50% net reduction in potable water use

The reductions listed above may be achieved through any combination of●Water conservation●Water supply●Water restoration credits

Play to Zero recommends the use of a 1-year baseline and a 1-year reporting period.
Alternative comparison can be proposed and justified (e.g., season-to-season).
Play to Zero recognizes any credible, well-documented baseline. This can be a“business-as-usual” performance level (such as water or water use intensities based oncode-compliance or a measured performance benchmark) or improvement over time (e.g.,
2019 vs. 2021).
9

Community Impact
Venues and organizations are encouraged to achieve their water management goals
through engagement and investment in their communities.
Play to Zero provides additional recognition for high-impact community programs. These
programs generate “double” benefits for teams, counting toward net water managementtargets and recognition as a Community Leader or Champion.
Community programs may include:●Direct investment in projects such as low-income housing or verified water resource
restoration projects (e.g., see examples from BEF).

●

Fan-engagement strategies (e.g., behavioral interventions).

●

Other creative ideas that yield demonstrable impacts on water conservation.
Community
PlayerRequired

LeaderImpact ≥30% of annual potable water use

ChampionImpact ≥50% of annual potable water use

10Waste Performance
IntentPlay to Zero Leader and Champion recognition for waste celebrate action to reduce waste
generation and promote waste diversion in sporting venues and across organizations.

Criteria
The Waste category provides participants with multiple opportunities for recognition:
Venue

Organization

PlayerRequiredLeader

Management +≥30% waste diversion

ChampionManagement +≥50% waste diversion

The reductions listed above may be achieved through any combination of:
1. Reduction in waste generation
2. Increase in material reuse
3. Increase in diversion of materials from landfill
All diversion is included for Leader and Champion recognition. Incinerated waste does notcontribute to diversion rate for net zero recognition.
Play to Zero recommends the use of a 1-year baseline and a 1-year reporting period.
Alternative comparison can be proposed and justified (e.g., season-to-season).

11

Play to Zero recognizes any credible, well-documented baseline. This can be a“business-as-usual” performance level (such as regional average diversion rates) orimprovement over time (e.g., 2019 vs. 2021).

Community Impact
Venues and organizations are encouraged to achieve their waste management goals
through engagement and investment in their communities.
Play to Zero provides additional recognition for high-impact community programs. These
programs generate “double” benefits for teams, counting toward zero waste managementtargets and recognition as a Community Leader or Champion.
Community programs may include:●Direct investment in projects such as local circularity infrastructure or litter cleanup andbeautification projects.

●Fan-engagement strategies (e.g., behavioral interventions).

●

Other creative ideas that yield demonstrable impacts on zero waste systems.
Community
PlayerRequired

LeaderImpact ≥30% of annual waste generation

Champion

Impact ≥50% of annual waste generation

About
Play to Zero is led by the Green Sports Alliance in partnership with Arc Skoru, part of the U.S.
Green Building Council family of organizations.
This document was written by Chris Pyke, in partnership with Brett Blumberg and the GreenSports Alliance Advisory Group.
12