NHL players and fans alike are descending on Nashville this week to celebrate the 2016 Honda NHL All-Star Weekend. For hockey fans, few events capture the excitement and energy of the sport quite like the NHL All-Star Game, which this year showcases a new 3-on-3 format. The buzz that surrounds the event each year is emblematic of how much hockey fans value the excitement of the sport.

For the second consecutive year, the League is proud to partner with Constellation, the official preferred energy provider of the NHL, to mitigate the environmental impact of the NHL All-Star Game. Together with Constellation, the NHL is committed to tracking impacts from League operations (such as electricity use, water consumption and waste) and will counterbalance the greenhouse gas emissions of the NHL All-Star Game with energy generated from renewable resources through Green-e® Energy Certified* Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) and Green-e® Climate certified offsets. 

Constellation works with the NHL to conduct energy efficiency analyses and recommend energy management strategies for NHL arenas and team facilities. Through its partnership with Constellation, the NHL now ranks as the 20th largest user of green power in the U.S., according to the EPA’s Green Power Partnership, and was recognized with the 2015 Green Power Leadership Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for its leadership, overall strategy, and impact on the green power market. 

Constellation is no stranger to Nashville, a vibrant community well known as Music City, USA. Constellation worked with the City to design and develop an efficient, state-of-the-art district energy system, and has operated it since it’s completion in 2003. This facility currently provides heating and cooling for Bridgestone Arena, home of the Nashville Predators and host of the 2016 NHL All-Star Game.

In addition to its efforts to reduce the environmental impact of the upcoming 2016 NHL All-Star Game, Constellation also supplied Green-e Energy Certified* RECs to counterbalance the carbon footprint of the 2016 Bridgestone Winter Classic® held on New Year’s Day in Foxborough, Ma. Constellation also powered the NHL Winter Classic Legacy Initiative, which culminated in the unveiling of the newly renovated Bryan McGonagle Street Hockey Rink at Ryan Playground in Charlestown in December 2015. Constellation facilitated LED lighting upgrades with the support of Exelon Generation and Musco, a local Constellation channel partner. Thanks to the hard work of Constellation, the Boston Bruins, the City of Boston and many committed partners, the newly refurbished Charlestown community hockey court is now open to families, neighbors and future hockey stars.

The competition may be heating up on the ice in Nashville, but many fans are facing winter weather at home and cooler temperatures often bring higher energy costs. As the League’s energy partner, Constellation is here with a few tips on how to be an Energy All-Star this season.

Score on the Power Play:

• Lower the thermostat on your water heater to 120°F. Potential annual savings for every 10ºF you reduce the temperature? $12-$30

• Add an insulating blanket to older water heaters. This could reduce standby heat losses by 25%–45% and save about 4%–9% in water heating costs.

• Insulate heating ducts. In a typical house 20-30% of the air moving through the duct system is lost due to leaks.

• Install a programmable thermostat to lower utility bills and manage your heating and cooling systems efficiently. Turning your thermostat back 10°-15° for 8 hours can save 5%-15% a year on your heating bill.

Get an assist from your oven:

• Having guests over to watch the NHL All-Star Game and doing a lot of cooking? Leave the oven door ajar after you’re done cooking to let the heat exit into the kitchen.

• Don’t peak: As tempting as it is to check on what’s cooking in the oven, the smarter move is to use the oven light. According to Energy.gov, Every time you open the oven door, the temperature drops by as much as 25 percent.

• Bake more than one item at a time. Cooking items that use the same oven temperature can save the length of time the oven is on, reducing energy use. Be aware that you may need to rotate items on racks, depending on what you’re cooking.

Avoid Icing:

• Be a savvy fireplace user. A fire roaring in the fireplace can also add warmth to the room it’s in. Once the fire starts to die down, however, that same chimney becomes an energy vortex, sucking any remaining warm air from the room and forcing your standard heat source to work overtime. To reduce heat loss and save energy during the holidays, open dampers in the bottom of the firebox (if they exist) or open the nearest window about an inch. Also close doors into the room and lower the thermostat to between 50 and 55 degrees.

• Working with the sun to make maximum use of its warmth is a year-round proposition that can take on additional importance during the colder months. Keep curtains and drapes open during the day to allow the sun’s light to naturally warm your home. As the sun begins to set, close them to keep warmth in and cold drafts out.

Data provided by Energy.gov and Constellation #EnergyLifeHacks.