NHL and Constellation Increase Energy Efficiency, Support Environmental Sustainability for Kraft Hockeyville™ USA

NEW YORK (Sept. 2, 2015) – The National Hockey League (NHL) and its official energy services partner, Constellation, will extend their joint commitment to improve environmental sustainability within the sport of hockey for Kraft Hockeyville USA, the Sept. 29 preseason game between the Pittsburgh Penguins® and Tampa Bay Lightning® at the Cambria County War Memorial Arena in Johnstown, Pa.

As part of the Arena’s electricity supply agreement with Constellation, energy efficient LED lighting will be installed throughout the facility, including above the ice surface to reduce glare and improve game presentation and visibility for players. Installed with support from SYLVANIA Lighting Solutions, an OSRAM Americas company and local Constellation channel partner, the new lighting will help the Arena to control electricity and maintenance costs.

 As a result of the LED lighting upgrade, the Arena is expected to reduce electricity consumption by more than 25 percent and avoid the creation of 336,836 pounds of carbon dioxide annually. The upgrade requires no upfront investment from the Arena through Constellation’s Efficiency Made Easy program, which combines energy supply with energy conservation measures.              

“Constellation is pleased to support the NHL in achieving its energy and environmental goals,” said Bruce Stewart, senior vice president and chief marketing officer for Constellation. “Energy efficiency is an essential part of an effective energy management strategy. We look forward to working with the Cambria County War Memorial Arena on this efficiency project and a great preseason game in September.”  

In addition to Constellation’s implementation of LED lighting improvements, Johnstown’s Cambria County War Memorial Arena is currently undergoing $150,000 in upgrades to its ice-making equipment and youth locker rooms, with support from Kraft, the NHL and the NHLPA, to provide a better game experience for community members year-round.

As the official energy services partner of the NHL, Constellation – a leading competitive energy and services company – conducts energy efficiency analyses and recommends energy management strategies for the NHL’s facilities. 

Constellation is also a supporter of NHL Green, the comprehensive environmental sustainability initiative launched by the League in 2010 to address the effects of climate change and freshwater scarcity on the game of hockey.  The NHL is the first professional sports league in North America to issue a sustainability report, documenting and disclosing the League’s carbon footprint.  For more information on NHL Green, visit NHL.com/Green. 

Greenhouse gas emissions from League activities during Kraft Hockeyville™ USA – from electricity consumption to player travel – will be counterbalanced through Green-e Energy certified renewable energy certificates and carbon offsets, supplied at the NHL’s request by Constellation.  Through its partnership with Constellation, the NHL® now ranks as the 17th largest user of green power in the U.S., according to the EPA’s Green Power Partnership.  

_{^{* Green-e Energy certifies that renewable energy certificates meet the minimum environmental and consumer protection standards established by the non-profit Center for Resource Solutions. For more information on Green-e Energy certification requirements, call 1-888-63-GREEN or log on to www.green-e.org.}}

_{About Kraft Hockeyville
In 2006, Kraft, in partnership with the National Hockey League® (NHL) and the National Hockey League Players’ Association® (NHLPA), introduced Kraft Hockeyville to support youth hockey communities in Canada. For the past nine years, Kraft Hockeyville has been inspiring communities across Canada to share their passion for the game. The program was extended to the U.S. in 2015.} 

_{After hundreds of U.S. communities submitted thousands of stories showing their hockey spirit and 20.4 million votes were cast, Johnstown, Pa. was named the first-ever Kraft Hockeyville USA.} 

_{About The NHL
The National Hockey League (NHL), founded in 1917, consists of 30 Member Clubs, with players from more than 20 countries represented across team rosters, competing for the most revered trophy in professional sports – the Stanley Cup®. Each year, the NHL entertains hundreds of millions of fans around the world. The League broadcasts games in more than 160 countries and territories through its rightsholders including NBC/NBCSN in the U.S., Sportsnet and TVA in Canada, and Viasat in the Nordic Region. The NHL reaches fans worldwide with games available online in every country including via its live and on-demand streaming service NHL GameCenter LIVE™. Fans are engaged across the League’s digital assets on mobile devices via the free NHL app; across nine social media platforms; on SiriusXM NHL Network Radio™, and on NHL.com, available in eight languages and featuring an enhanced statistics platform powered by SAP, providing the definitive destination for hockey analytics. A historic media rights partnership between the NHL and MLBAM will transform the fan experience across the League’s digital and broadcast assets, with an emphasis on deeper access into the game and enhanced storytelling. To celebrate the NHL’s international diversity, the World Cup of Hockey will return in September 2016, a best-on-best international tournament featuring eight teams comprised of the world’s best hockey players. On Founder’s Day in November 2017, the League will be celebrating its Centennial anniversary, commemorating 100 years of NHL hockey. The NHL is committed to giving back to the community through programs including: Hockey is for Everyone™ which supports nonprofit youth hockey organizations across North America; Hockey Fights Cancer™ which raises money and awareness for hockey's most important fight; NHL Green™ which is committed to the pursuit of sustainable business practices; and a partnership with the You Can Play Project, which is committed to supporting the LGBT community and fighting homophobia in sports. For more information, visit NHL.com.}