New App to Track Greenhouse Emissions at NHL Arenas

The NHL has deployed a new end-to-end cloud-based platform called NHL Venue Metrics, which allows the league to measure and analyze the carbon footprint generated by its 32 teams and their arenas (via The Canadian Press).

The NHL Venue Metrics platform uses similar apps that NHL clubs use to break down their in-game analytics. Similar to the NHL Coaching Insights App, the NHL Venue Metrics app also runs on SAP’s Business Technology Platform.

Instead of visualizing in-game data like shots, saves, faceoffs, and time on ice like its bench-side counterpart, the arena-focused app tracks data like energy usage, water, waste, and recycling in NHL arenas.

“We’re making it as easy as possible for them to input the information that’s needed, so they can start to see the benefits coming out of it on the other end,” said Amy Schulz, senior director at SAP.

“The NHL Venue Metrics tool is a true game-changing innovation to help us understand our environmental impacts and create viable insights to improve our ecological impact,” said NHL VP Omar Mitchell.

• Climate-change studies have found that electricity and heat production sectors account for approximately 49% of carbon dioxide emissions.
• The NHL’s own studies have found that its venue operations comprise approximately 70% of the league’s overall carbon footprint.
• To try to shrink its ecological imprint, the NHL tasked SAP with a technology-based solution, and the Venue Metrics app was the result.

The NHL says that as much as the app led to greenhouse efficiencies, most sustainability initiatives lead to financial benefits as well.