Columbia University research project on venue sustainability
A team of Columbia grad students has just completed the first phase of a research project on entertainment venues, and the results are proving meaningful outside of an academic setting.
Titled “Unlocking Sustainability for Entertainment Venues,” the project, in partnership with MSA, aims to “gather insights into sustainability practices across a variety of entertainment venues, bridging the gap between research and industry practices, and supporting MSA’s mission to tackle the climate crisis.” The group hopes to “provide actionable solutions that reduce environmental impact and drive change across the entertainment industry.”
The project’s midterm report just landed on our desks, summarizing the findings from the first of this three-phase project. The first phase involved a detailed analysis of 60 U.S. venues to assess sustainability practices of entertainment venues. The team gathered information on a wide range of venues - of varying capacity - across 11 states. AEG and Oak View Group and their GOAL Program are among the venue management groups participating.
Select takeaways on adoption rates of various initiatives, as presented by the 14-student team:
42% have waste diversion programs
35% use high-efficiency water fixtures
33% promote public transportation
23% use renewable energy
16% utilize reusable and “eco-friendly” products
15% have energy management systems
In the next phase, the students will research policy and financial incentives for these and other initiatives and conduct field research and stakeholder conversations. In the third and final stage, the students will produce a comprehensive report along with a “sustainable venue toolkit.