What do old seat belts, stained glass scraps and sunflower seed hulls have to do with health clubs? They are materials in the eco-friendly furniture at Sonoma State University's campus recreation center in Rohnert Park, CA.

Benches and chairs in the facility were constructed with woven, reclaimed seat belts. Tables around the building were made with recycled materials, including stained glass scraps and post-industrial glass. And office furniture was made with sunflower seed hulls, an environmentally friendly alternative to hardwood.

But furniture isn't the only green feature at the Sonoma State rec center. The building's design uses natural daylight and ventilation to save energy costs. Its lighting system runs on fluorescent bulbs attached to occupancy sensors that use 75 percent less energy than incandescent bulbs. The floors were equipped with radiant floor heating, and solar photovoltaic panels on the rec center roof help offset the facility's energy costs.

Signs throughout the building explain these green features to students and educate them about the lifecycle of production, says Pam Su, director of campus recreation at Sonoma State University and chair of the sustainability committee for the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA).

We're teaching students to ask before they throw something away if it can be reused or recycled, she says. We wanted to carry that into operations as well, so we purchase environmental cleaning solutions and office supplies with as high of a recycled content as we can afford.

Although the economic downturn prompted many club owners to focus more on the bottom line than going green, certain sectors of the fitness industry are still making strides toward sustainability. University recreation centers and military fitness facilities in particular are reaping the benefits of resources dedicated to green practices.

In higher education, there's a push for new construction that tries to incorporate sustainable design if we can, Su says. Universities also recognize that it's a way for them to be able to save money on energy efficiency. It may cost more to put the money into the building at the construction phase, but they can save money later.

Last year, several rec center administrators ordered retrofitting devices for their ellipticals to educate students about renewable energy and harness user-generated energy. Texas State University-San Marcos (TSU) installed 30 such machines in December.

We want the Texas State community to gain a better understanding of how much energy it takes to power simple devices we use on a regular basis, university officials said in a statement. We believe that once students understand how much energy it takes to power appliances or electronics, they will adapt their lifestyles to create a more energy-efficient and sustainable community.

This educational, philosophical approach to sustainability represents one reason the fitness industry has adopted greener practices, says Will Phillips, CEO of Rex Roundtables, Quincy, MA.

There are two types of green initiatives, Phillips says. The first one saves you money and has a great deal to do with energy management. The second kind is more of a philosophical commitment where the return on a facility's investment is very long-term or indefinite, but people pursue them because they think it's the right thing to do and there's a side benefit of positive public relations.

MILITARY MANDATES

The U.S. military also adopted a multifaceted approach to sustainability. The Navy mandated that all new building projects and major renovations strive for LEED Silver certification, says Mason Lowery, public affairs and communications spokesman for Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Washington, DC. LEED is a green building certification from the U.S. Green Building Council with goals to improve energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction and indoor environmental quality.

The decision was based on the return on investment that sustainable features offer, he says.

The Navy builds 'green' buildings not only because it's the right thing to do, but because it saves money in the long run, which is important to us as good stewards of American taxpayers' money, and lets us focus resources in other areas and contribute more to the Navy's global mission, Lowery says.

The Navy is using many green building techniques, such as incorporating recycled building materials into construction and renovation projects, using natural daylight and ventilation, installing low-consumption lighting systems,specifying light-colored roofs to save on cooling bills and employing water-conserving landscaping techniques, says Craig Chapman, facilities section head, Fleet and Family Readiness Programs, Commander, Navy Installations Command.

Navy fitness facilities are built to incorporate green cleaning practices, too, he notes.

We are specifying finish materials that require less cleaning, Chapman says. The cleaning products we use for counters, equipment and floors — and even laundry products — are specified as mild as possible in keeping with our hazardous waste minimization efforts. Wherever we have vending operations, we provide bins for recycling of aluminum and plastics.

The Air Force also is committed to green building practices. The $15.5 million fitness facility that opened last year at Vandenberg Air Force Base in Burlingame, CA, is one example of the Air Force's sustainability efforts.

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