Sustainable Building
Objective: Design, construct and operate FIFA World Cup 2022™ sites to limit environmental impacts, while building local sustainable building expertise, supply chains and standards
Qatar’s bid to stage the FIFA World Cup 2022™ requires the construction or refurbishment of eight stadiums, numerous training sites and supporting temporary infrastructure. Construction of infrastructure can generate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, disruptions to local biodiversity, construction and organic waste, other air emissions such as dust, and significant water use. Similarly, operating FIFA World Cup 2022™ sites requires a significant amount of energy and water, and generates various types of waste and GHG emissions as well.
As per FIFA requirements, all FIFA World Cup™ stadiums will be designed and built following sustainable building standards. As a result, best sustainability practices have been integrated into the design and construction of the stadiums, leading to lower resource requirements and minimisation of any negative ecological footprint. The Global Sustainability Assessment System (GSAS) comprises the sustainable building standards that are used for the certification of all FIFA World Cup 2022™ stadiums. The GSAS framework covers eight environmental impact categories: urban connectivity, site, energy, water, materials, indoor environment, cultural & economic value, and management & operations.
Designing, constructing and operating the FIFA World Cup 2022™ sites to meet these stringent sustainable building requirements will drive the development of sustainability expertise in Qatar and the region, the activation of markets for green products and services, and the constant enhancement of standards.
The operation of other infrastructure that will be used during the tournament, such as a wide range of convention centres and hotels, will also require a significant amount of energy and water, and generate various types of waste and GHG emissions. To support sustainable building practices in the accommodation sector, the Qatar National Tourism Council’s (QNTC) hotel classification system specifies minimum environmental criteria for all hotels, such as waste segregation and specific water and energy saving practices, and rewards green building certification, additional energy saving practices, and sustainable procurement practices.