This year, the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, will see a monumental event between the Los Angeles Rams and the Cincinnati Bengals. Behind the spectacle, however, is an initiative few will see—one focused on lessening environmental impact.
With 3.1 million square feet to fill in any given event, the SoFi Stadium can see upwards of 95,000 occupants. While this live event will see just over 70,000 patrons, one cannot help but consider how any event of this scale might create a considerable impact?
SoFi Stadium has chosen to implement a diverse offering of environmentally friendly, impact-focused technologies, practices, and design features offering occupants the opportunity to enjoy their events, while minimizing their impact.
Sustainability and the SoFi Stadium
SoFi Stadium completed construction in September 2020, making it one of the newest NFL venues to date. The Stadium was designed with sustainable and modern design at front of mind.
Any visitor to the SoFi Stadium can expect several sustainable advancements, with the first having a focus on energy consumption and efficiency. The stadium was built to incorporate low-consumption light fixtures and controls to dynamic fan systems for efficient air distribution, as well as state-of-the-art heating and cooling systems. These energy-focused considerations make an enormous impact, especially in a venue of this scale.
Water is another vital resource that we as a society must be cognizant of, and SoFi Stadium makes water conservation a priority. The stadium incorporates low-flow fixtures such as sinks and toilets, that work to reduce the amount of water used when needed. SoFi, in partnership with the West Basin Municipal Water District, receives recycled water, used for landscaping, maintenance, and aesthetic purposes. The use of recycled water aids in the city’s conservation of clean drinking water, which is not only environmentally beneficial, but it also reduces the strain on municipal water infrastructure.
Hosting a large-scale event is prone to producing large volumes of waste, but how that waste is handled, makes a world of difference to our health and the environment. SoFi Stadium has invested heavily to integrate sustainable waste and recycling management practices throughout their facility. From the use of compostable service ware, reusing and donating excess food, and facilitating a comprehensive recycling program that includes the use of ORCA’s aerobic digester. At a fundamental level, the materials that enter the facility must leave, and any deficit in terms of waste might undermine the entire sustainability project that underpins the facility’s philosophy.
How is ORCA reducing food waste?
The SoFi Stadium incorporated ORCA systems in their kitchen facilities, allowing for on-site digestion of food waste into an environmentally safe liquid that travels through the existing plumbing infrastructure to be recycled at the local wastewater treatment plant. ORCA utilizes modern technology that automatically tracks, measures, and records every feeding event, empowering the stadium to increase waste diversion, and minimize the amount of waste created, further reducing the overall impact.
With the 2022 Super Bowl just around the corner, all of us at ORCA look forward to doing our part in offering sustainable waste-management practices, closely tied to SoFi’s environmental efforts in their pursuit of sustainable operations.
ORCA is proud to be diverting Superbowl waste and helping SoFi stadium succeed in minimizing their impacts and meeting their sustainability targets. For more information, please visit us online at our website.