Preserving a green legacy or reducing a carbon footprint, these are the significant factors that stadiums consider to increase their sustainability factor. Some stadiums in the world have managed to construct or even renovate existing structures in such a way that they have become the forerunners in innovation and are setting the benchmark to strive for in regards to sustainability globally.
Amsterdam Arena
More than 4 200 solar panels provide the energy to power the home of Ajax football club. An energy-generating escalator can be found within the main building, and they also have installed energy storage. This energy storage system has been constructed from second-life batteries previously used in electric cars. These used Nissan LEAF batteries are used to distribute energy to the neighbouring residential areas when needed and also serves as a backup power source to the stadium. Their lawns are watered from rainwater which they collect from the roofs. Energy is also preserved through the use of residual heat to keep the field frost-free. Also, the supporters travelling to games are always urged to make use of public transport of other energy-saving means of commuting.
Levi’s Stadium
Various innovative sustainability improvements that could be found in Silicon Valley were incorporated by the home of the San Francisco 49ers. They showcase more than 1 000 the best solar elements available in the market which are distributed throughout the entire building. They also showcase a solar-panelled roof deck and pedestrian energy bridges. The top of the suite tower of the stadium is home to a 27 000 square feet green roof. All their cleaning products and materials are purchased from sources providing sustainable materials. Food is sourced locally, and they minimize the carbon footprint by having about 78% of their food suppliers situated within a 150-mile radius, while 85% of their food is sourced locally in California. All these efforts and commitment to combat climate change earned the San Francisco 49ers the recognition of the White House Office of Science and Technology.
Golden 1 Centre
2017’s most technologically advanced and greenest facility for sports and entertainment is home to the Sacramento Kings. The stadium is in the top three of high-performance buildings globally. They are continually conveying the message of promoting a greener lifestyle to their fans and business partners. The stadium harness all the energy needed through solar panels and their water conservation plans managed to reduce their water consumption by 45%. Construction to the stadium was completed during late 2016, where after the construction waste was 99% recycled and the demolition materials weren’t dumped in a landfill.
FIFA World Cup Stadium
Qatar is home to the 2022 football World Cup and is committed to building 12 venues. These venues will have no carbon emission and will thus deliver on a zero-carbon tournament. The stadiums also feature specialized climate controls that can control the temperatures which often exceed 40C during events.