Football stadiums must be made climate resilient and where possible, climate-positive

Bristol City FC has been ranked as the leading club in the Championship for its sustainability efforts. In lieu of building a new club, Ashton Gate, home of Bristol City FC, was renovated with 460 solar panels installed on the roof. A joint initiative between Bristol City Council and stadium owner Bristol Sport, the installation coincided with the £45m redevelopment of the West Stand. The energy will be used on site, and the investment in solar power is forecasted to reduce carbon emissions by 20% and cut energy costs by £150,000 over 20 years. In addition to clean energy, Bristol City FC has shown a commitment to single-use plastic reduction and biodiversity.

Further afield, in France, Le Havre’s 25,000-seat Stade Oceane stadium is Europe’s first ‘carbon positive’ stadium, achieved through the use of Ethylene Tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) cladding. The ETFE’s carbon footprint is much lower than comparable systems and weighs as little as 1 to 3% of traditional cladding systems.

In the US, MLS club Atlanta United’s MercedesBenz Stadium is pioneering a series of sustainable approaches. The stadium uses 29% less energy than most other stadiums worldwide through the use of LED lighting and 4,000 rooftop solar panels. The stadium has committed to achieving zero waste and composts the waste accumulated at the stadium for use in its urban garden, which grows food for the on-site restaurants. The stadium owners have installed a 2,100,000-gallon stormwater management system to combat the risk of flooding from stormwater, harvesting rainwater which is then used for irrigating the exterior landscape. The stadium is also equipped with a 1,100,000-gallon underground stormwater vault designed to capture and slowly release stormwater to help prevent flooding in the neighbouring communities.

Over the coming years in the UK the relationship between stadium developments and nature will grow in importance with through Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) requirements by the UK Government. The new mandatory development policy aims to make sure that habitats are left in a measurably better state than they were before development by ensuring projects deliver a BNG uplift of 10%.

English Championship team Oxford United have submitted a planning application for a brand new all-electric and nature-positive stadium, the first of its kind in the UK. The site is undergoing a detailed BNG analysis to ensure it helps to enhance local woodlands. The project is aspiring to achieve a 20% BNG which is in line with targets in the local area.

In the near future we can expect to see sports clubs demonstrate a growing commitment to their approach to ESG. It’s anticipated that future generations of supporters will be more likely to follow a team that leads the way both on and off the pitch. We might even see brands base their sponsorship decisions on a club’s sustainability performance as well as on-field performance.

Jack Sallabank is Founding Director, Future Places Studio