UCLA Replaces 8-Acre Intramural Field with Artificial Turf

UCLA’s Intramural Field reopened today after a six- month renovation project that removed the grass and replaced it with artificial turf, a move the university says will save 6.4 million gallons of water a year.

“Grass is much more water intensive, and while we don’t want to get rid of all of it, we’re systematically moving away from it for ornamental areas,” according to Nurit Katz, UCLA’s chief sustainability officer. “It’s part of our response to the drought, and part of our long-term water action plan.”

Replacing the eight acres of turf on the intramural field is the largest such project so far on the UCLA campus. Along with four other turf- replacement projects, the university anticipates saving 11.3 million gallons a year.

UCLA recently renovated the 45,500-square-foot lawn in front of Murphy Hall with drought-tolerant landscaping. It also plans to replace strips of grass between the Humanities Building and Powell Library, between the intramural field and soccer field and on Veteran Avenue between Sunset Boulevard and Gayley Avenue.

Other areas are also being evaluated for possible drought-tolerant landscaping, officials said.

City News Service