Sustainable stadiums and offices
Initiative description: Delivering GSAS sustainable building certification for all the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ stadium sites and permanent tournament organiser offices based on the applicable standards for design and build, renovation, construction management and operation.
The FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ has set new benchmarks for sustainable stadiums. In addition to achieving sustainable design and build certification (a FIFA requirement since 2012), the stadiums have been certified to sustainable construction management and operations standards, thus meeting all targets set for this initiative. The permanent offices of the tournament organisers in Qatar have also achieved sustainable operations certification. By applying these sustainability standards, tournament organisers have been able to minimise resource requirements and other negative environmental impacts from construction and operation of tournament sites and are leaving a lasting legacy for the region.
Introduction to GSAS
The Global Sustainability Assessment System (GSAS) is an integrated and performance-based system in the Middle East and North Africa region. It is designed to assess and rate the sustainability impacts of buildings and infrastructure, and incorporates best practices from 40 different regional and international rating systems. It was the sustainable building standard used for the certification of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ stadiums and the permanent offices of the tournament organisers in Qatar.
GSAS certification by site
The Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC) set out to achieve 4-star rating design-and-build certification, A-rating construction management certification, and gold-rating operations certification for its sites. These targets were either met or exceeded for all sites that were targeted for certification.
All FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ stadiums achieved GSAS Sustainable Building certification before the tournament, and 75% of stadiums achieved GSAS Sustainable Operations certification, thus fulfilling the target set for this initiative. For more information on this target and other targets associated with the tournament, please visit the sustainability targets web page of this report.
Legacy in Action
Design and Build
Energy efficiency was achieved through the selection, installation and commissioning of energy-efficient lighting in the stadiums, including in the stadium bowl and using the latest cooling and ventilation systems. The pioneering cooling technology was developed in Qatar and requires the stadiums to be cooled only a few hours before the match and prevents hot air creeping into the venue to further reduce energy consumption. In addition, cooling can be restricted to specific areas being used – further reducing energy consumption. This technology also enables stadiums to be used all year-round.
Water efficiency was achieved by installing low-flow fixtures, leak detection systems and recycled-water irrigation systems for landscaping, alongside effective monitoring of water use.
Efficient use of materials was undertaken by allocating space and installing waste receptacles to allow for the separation, storage and removal of a number of waste streams and the re-use of construction materials.
Good indoor air quality was achieved by selecting low-toxicity materials, controlling air flow and temperature to balance energy use whilst providing comfortable surroundings, considering factors such as acoustics, ventilation and natural light.
Overall, the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ stadiums are approximately 42% more energy efficient and use about 40% less water than international benchmarks (ASHRAE 90.1 and International Plumbing Code, respectively).
Construction management
Green practices were implemented throughout the construction phase of all projects. This included monitoring and reducing energy and water use at the construction sites, measuring and controlling noise, vibration, and dust, and minimising and recycling construction waste.
Dust control was carried out using recycled water, which, in addition to other water efficiency measures, helped to save over 1 billion litres of potable water. Furthermore, an average of 79% of waste from construction of stadiums was diverted from landfill.
Wider issues, such as minimisation of erosion, urban connectivity and the development of infrastructure that enables environmentally-friendly transport, were also considered during construction.
A series of best-practice documents have been produced for future construction projects to use. These cover waste, dust, energy and water management specifically for construction sites.
Operations
FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ stadiums also achieved GSAS Sustainable Operations certification (where relevant and possible).
To achieve the operations rating, actual consumption data was collected and assessed against performance benchmarks over a one-year period. Data was collected for waste, indoor air quality, energy and water. Extensive measurements were carried out for indoor air quality during regular operations and football matches, including the FIFA Arab Cup 2021™. Energy and water data was collected and assessed against the predicted performance as per the design of the building. The assessments showed that the stadiums were operated to achieve improvements on the intended performance as per the design. The systems in place for waste segregation and recycling were also inspected. In addition to on-site audits, the certification also covered the establishment and implementation of policies, procedures and training for facility management teams.
GSAS operations certification was also achieved for Al Bidda Tower – the permanent office building of the tournament organisers in Qatar. This building was the first office tower in Qatar to receive the GSAS operations certificate – awarded Platinum certification – which is the second highest rating possible.