Mercedes-Benz Stadium, which also earned points for its access to public transportation, charging stations for electric cars and valet parking for bicycles, is the latest in a line of green sports venues. Dozens of sports arenas and stadiums have installed solar panels, LED lighting and scoreboards, energy efficient air-conditioning and dehumidifiers, and even composters. More stadiums include a translucent coating on windows to reduce the amount of sunlight shining in and cut the amount of air-conditioning needed.

While some of the most eco-friendly sports venues are in the United States, many of the innovations are being developed in Europe, where laws and regulations governing greenhouse gas emissions are stricter. Many buildings used in the London Olympic Games were designed to be removed and the land used for other projects or, like the velodrome, sustainably sourced wood and other materials were used. An international standard for sustainable event management, ISO 20121, was developed.

The UEFA Cup soccer tournament held in France in 2016 included an array of environmental initiatives, including efforts to reduce energy and water use. About 80 percent of the carbon produced by the monthlong event, though, came from the stadiums, including during their construction. The Stade de Nice, for instance, used locally sourced building materials to reduce transportation. The stadium includes 4,000 metric tons of wood, reducing the amount of concrete and steel.

The key to reducing the impact on the environment is integrating these measures into the design of the building from the outset. In Atlanta, Mr. Blank, who contributed roughly $1.1 billion toward the $1.6 billion price tag, said from the start that he wanted his building to be LEED Platinum. So groups of architects, contractors, stadium operators and team executives started brainstorming at the beginning.

“We were trying to send a message to the construction industry to be efficient but also build great buildings,” said Mr. Blank, who made his fortune as the co-founder of Home Depot. “I told them it was important to me and for the environment and the community. They knew from Day 1 that it was a priority.”