Sustainability at MBS

First stadium worldwide to achieve TRUE Platinum Certification for zero waste.

“We set out to build a venue that would not only exceed expectations, but also push the limits of what was possible in terms of stadium design, fan experience, and sustainability.”
— Arthur M. Blank



Zero Waste

Diverting 90%+ of all waste



LEED Platinum

First professional sports stadium to achieve certification in North America



Energy

Utilizing renewable energy sources throughout the stadium



Water

Maintaining and conserving 47% of usage



Alternate Transportation

Finding greener ways to get here



Urban Garden and STEAM

Ecological/educational opportunities

TRUE Platinum Certification

Mercedes-Benz Stadium is the first stadium worldwide to be awarded with the environmentally coveted and globally recognized Total Resource Use and Efficiency (TRUE) Platinum certification for its zero waste efforts.

Administered by Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI), TRUE certification recognizes buildings and projects which have implemented the foundational programs and policies of sustainable waste management and reduction practices, which contribute to positive environmental, health and economic outcomes.
‍
This accolade underscores the stadium's remarkable success in implementing foundational programs and policies aimed at diverting at least 90 percent of waste from landfill, incineration, and the environment.

MBS TRUE Scorecard

Zero Waste

Mercedes-Benz Stadium is committed to achieving Zero Waste, which is defined by diverting 90% or more of all waste from the landfill.
We strive to achieve zero waste by:

ELIMINATING all unnecessary waste
REDUCING the amount of overall waste generated on site
REUSING, REPURPOSING, or DONATING materials rather than discarding
RECYCLING and COMPOSTING

Zero waste stations and awareness signs are strategically placed throughout the stadium concourses, embodying Mercedes-Benz Stadium's steadfast commitment to leading the charge in sustainable venue practices. Through the implementation of or comprehensive recycling and composting program, we have diverted over 90 percent of all waste generated at the stadium away from landfills.
‍
This achievement is a testament to the unwavering support and dedication of or fans and the community. Together, we have reached our zero waste goal, but our journey towards sustainability doesn't end here. We rely on the continued engagement and participation of our fans and guests to uphold and build upon these sustainable practices. Your ongoing support is vital to continue our efforts towards environmental responsibility and inspire positive change within our community.

Mercedes-Benz Stadium has instituted partnerships with like-minded organizations such as Coca-Cola, Georgia Power, Novelis, phade, Waste Management, Ecoworks, and Kimberly Clark to further enhance its efforts. Through collaboration with organizations such as these, MBS can leverage shared resources, expertise, and innovative solutions to create a more sustainable future for sports venues and communities alike.

CHaRM — The Center for Hard to Recycle Materials

The facility is operated by Live Thrive — a local nonprofit. It is a permanent drop-off facility that aims to improve our environmental health by encouraging reuse and diverting thousands of pounds or household hazardous waste, bulky trash, and other hard to recycle items from Metro-Atlanta landfills and water systems. CHaRM also provides single stream recycling for those that do not have access.

Learn More

Food Recovery

Mercedes-Benz Stadium has partnered with Second Helpings Atlanta to donate unused food from the stadium to provide meals directly to the Westside Atlanta community. Following an event, Mercedes-Benz Stadium packages unused and prepared food for pickup. second helpings Atlanta volunteers arrive shortly after to transport the food to local agencies for distribution.

To date, more than 250,000 pounds of food have been donated to Second Helpings Atlanta, creating over 208,000 meals for Atlanta residents in need.

Learn More

Energy

Mercedes-Benz Stadium is designed to be extremely energy efficient, leveraging renewable energy sources and innovative design to reduce electrical use by 29%.
The stadium site, and Georgia World Congress Center campus, is equipped with 4,000 solar PV panels. These solar panels are located in highly visible areas such as the stadium’s ticketing canopies, parking areas, and VIP Entrances to provide shade and help raise awareness for renewable energy.The solar panels at Mercedes-Benz Stadium produce approximately 1.6 million kilowatt hours of renewable energy per year. That’s enough energy to power 9 Atlanta Falcons games, 13 Atlanta United matches, or 160 households in Atlanta with renewable energy.The renewable energy generated by Mercedes-Benz Stadium reduces greenhouse gas emissions and provides renewable energy for the Georgia Power electrical grid.

Photos: Outside and inside views of the Window to the City at Mercedes-Benz Stadium that allows natural light to enter the stadium and reduces overall electrical consumption.

Water

Stormwater Management

Managing stormwater is an important issue for Atlanta’s westside that has experienced issues with flooding. The stadium sits in the head waters of the Proctor Creek watershed that flows west toward the Chattahoochee River. As good neighbors, Mercedes-Benz Stadium is equipped with a 2.1 million gallon stormwater management system made up of bioswales, a cistern, and a stormwater vault.

A bioswale is a landscape feature that collects stormwater runoff from the stadium site. The bioswales assist with the collection, cleaning, and conveyance of stormwater.

Mercedes-Benz Stadium’s 680,000-gallon cistern harvests rainwater that is used for irrigating the exterior landscape and for make-up water for the stadium’s cooling towers.

The stadium is also equipped with a 1.1 million gallon underground stormwater vault designed to capture and slowly release stormwater to help prevent flooding in the neighboring communities.

The design and function of the stormwater management system contributed to Mercedes-Benz Stadium receiving all water-related credits as part of the LEED Platinum certification and allows for the stadium use of recycled water where appropriate.

Water Conservation

Mercedes-Benz Stadium achieved every available water related credit under LEED certification and is designed to achieve a 47% reduction in water use.

For example, nearly all plumbing fixtures inside of the stadium, including faucets and toilets in the concourse restrooms, are equipped with “low-flow” plumbing fixtures that use significantly less water in comparison to traditional plumbing fixtures. Further, the men’s restrooms at Mercedes-Benz Stadium are outfitted with waterless urinals.

The stormwater management system on the exterior of the stadium also contributes to Mercedes-Benz Stadium’s water conservation efforts. The captured stormwater collected in the underground 680,000 gallon cistern is used for landscape and urban garden irrigation at the stadium.

Photo: One of the many bioswales located at Mercedes-Benz Stadium that helps with stormwater management.

Alternate Transportation

Mercedes-Benz Stadium is conveniently located in the heart of downtown Atlanta. The site’s central location promotes the use of public and alternate transportation to events held at the stadium.

Parking and Transportation



Public Transit

Mercedes-Benz Stadium has two MARTA rail stations (Vine City and GWCC/CNN/State Farm Arena) located within ¼ mile of the stadium. Each station provides guests a convenient and affordable public transportation option to travel to and from stadium events.



Bike

There are 250 bike racks available for use around the stadium and on the Georgia World Congress Center campus. Fans can also take advantage of Mercedes-Benz Stadium’s complimentary bike valet program. The stadium has partnered with Atlanta Bicycle Coalition (ABC) to provide free bike valet services for all Atlanta Falcons games and Atlanta United matches.



Walk

Fans can beat the traffic and avoid parking by walking to the stadium. Mercedes-Benz Stadium is located adjacent to the Westside PATH; an off-road trail for pedestrians and cyclists connecting the stadium to Centennial Park, Georgia Tech, and the Westside Atlanta Beltline.



Drive

Mercedes-Benz Stadium and the surrounding Georgia World Congress Center parking decks offer electric vehicle (EV) charging stations with capacity to charge up to 48 electric cars simultaneously.

Urban Garden

As part of the LEED Platinum design, Mercedes-Benz Stadium installed edible landscape and an onsite urban garden on the exterior of the building to create a biological ecosystem within a built environment. The urban garden is used as a laboratory for our AGSTEM program, Westside Works Culinary program, and our stadium associates, with a hands-on approach to growing food and carbon sequestration.

Using the garden as a place to share the importance of our food system’s ecological footprint, we connect these lessons to the overall sustainability effort at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. For example, soil regeneration as a best practice in the urban garden, is a key element to fighting climate change, and also improves our personal nutrient intake from the meals we eat. By growing our own food and utilizing compost in the Mercedes-Benz Stadium urban garden, we allow a full circle food system to thrive!

STEAM Program

Mercedes-Benz Stadium has established a STEAM based curriculum for grades 3-12 that meets the Georgia Department of Education’s Georgia Standards of Excellence (GSE) criteria. STEAM focuses educational efforts on science, technology, engineering, art, and math.

The Mercedes-Benz Stadium’s STEAM program pairs a tailored STEAM stadium tour with a classroom curriculum that teachers can incorporate into their lesson plans pre and post stadium tour. Interactive activities at Mercedes-Benz Stadium allow students to see STEAM disciplines applied directly to the stadium environment, igniting professional aspirations to pursue careers in related fields.

STEAM Tours

Sustainability at MBS

First stadium worldwide to achieve TRUE Platinum Certification for zero waste.

Zero Waste

LEED Platinum

Energy

Water

Alternate Transportation

Urban Garden and STEAM

TRUE Platinum Certification

Zero Waste

CHaRM — The Center for Hard to Recycle Materials

Food Recovery

Energy

Water

Stormwater Management

Water Conservation

Alternate Transportation

Public Transit

Bike

Walk

Drive

Urban Garden

STEAM Program

Plan Your Visit

About the Stadium

Teams

Contact

Our Founding Partners

Sustainability at MBS

First stadium worldwide to achieve TRUE Platinum Certification for zero waste.

Zero Waste

LEED Platinum

Energy

Water

Alternate Transportation

Urban Garden and STEAM

TRUE Platinum Certification

Zero Waste

CHaRM — The Center for Hard to Recycle Materials

Food Recovery

Energy

Water

Stormwater Management

Water Conservation

Alternate Transportation

Public Transit

Bike

Walk

Drive

Urban Garden

STEAM Program

Plan Your Visit

About the Stadium

Teams

Contact

Our Founding Partners

MBS Newsletter