Transforming stadiums into environmentally sustainable community infrastructure: A holistic perspective

Stadiums are more than structures of steel and concrete; they are the emotional landmarks of a community. They stand as symbols of unity and pride, where people from all walks of life come together to celebrate triumphs, share sorrows, and forge lifelong memories. Stadiums hold the power to inspire, to uplift, and to offer solace to people, reflecting the shared spirit and identity of the communities they serve by connecting them to something that is greater than themselves. As highly visible iconic structures in a community, stadiums have the potential to demonstrate how large infrastructure can achieve "environmental sustainability" outcomes that are good for people and for the planet. In recent years, the focus on environmental performance or environmental sustainability has been increasing, with events such as the Olympics calling for 'net zero' and 'climate positive' games, sports organisations introducing mandatory green building certifications for host stadiums and countries committing to reducing carbon emissions from the built environment. However, improving environmental sustainability of stadiums is complicated by a multitude of factors such as its unique stakeholder, structural and operational characteristics, specific functional needs of the sports and event that use them and a prevalent short-term focus on event hosting and budget. Adding to this challenge is the limited stadium specific environmental sustainability regulations and benchmarks. Stadiums hold immense power to impact humanity in ways that reach beyond geographical and geopolitical boundaries. This influential power can be used to achieve United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, Paris Agreement and other climate related goals. The functionality of stadiums can extend far beyond the realm of sports by acting as community hubs that offer multipurpose spaces to facilitate a diverse array of events that fulfil broader community needs. The indoor and outdoor spaces of stadiums can support the community by sharing resources such as energy, water, materials and food and serve as shelters during disasters, contributing to community resilience. By actively engaging with sports fans and local communities, stadiums can inspire positive behavioural changes. When thoughtfully designed, constructed and maintained, these monumental structures can blend seamlessly with the local community and the natural environment, embodying its commitment to sustainability and environmental harmony. This research study sought to support and sustain the transition of stadiums towards environmentally sustainable community infrastructure (ESCI), asking "How can stadiums be designed, constructed and maintained as environmentally sustainable community infrastructure?". It sought to: 1) understand the current state of ES in stadiums; 2) identify factors influencing decision making in the adoption of ES features; 3) investigate how stadiums' ES is assessed by exploring Environmental Sustainability (ES) certifications and Green Building Rating Schemes (GBRS); 4) explore the journey towards Environmentally Sustainable Stadiums (ESS) and 5) identify the key principles of Environmentally Sustainable Stadiums (ESS). The current state of stadiums was explored through a systematic literature review (SLR) that investigated how ES features are being integrated during the design and construction of stadiums. The review established a baseline for evaluating progress in ES within the built environment sector. It offered a practical definition for Environmentally Sustainable Stadiums (ESS) and included a checklist to guide best practices in design and construction. The factors that affect decision making while adopting ES features along with industry priorities were then explored through semi-structured interviews. An "Environmentally Sustainable Stadium (ESS) Process Model" was proposed to track ES features throughout their life cycle, guiding decisions at planning, design, construction, operation and management stages. Semi-structured interviews were also used to examine the benef ts and challenges of using ES certifications and GBRS in stadiums by exploring stadiums' key ES challenges. It examined seven tools with a focus to understand their effectiveness, limitations and challenges. ESS were conceptualised as ESCI through exploring its characteristics and a set of recommendations is proposed for improving the application of ES certification and GBRS in stadiums. Recognising that stakeholders are fundamental to ensure the ongoing ES of stadiums, industry peer-review was then invited through two online workshops. The workshops explored the journey towards an ideal ESS and identified the best stadium experiences and ES features, characteristics of an ideal ESS and its benefits to community and the environment. The workshops also explored key areas for improvement and outlined the steps necessary to leverage opportunities and address challenges to create an ideal ESS. Four principles for ESS were identified that can help stadiums to transition towards ESS and to sustain this transition: 1) Engage with; 2) Commit to; 3) Design and Build for; and 4) Share through. The workshop findings also confirmed three priorities emerged from semi-structured interviews and literature, for transforming stadiums into ESCI: 1) improving community benefits through design and functionality; 2) integration to nature through nature and place based designs; and 3) enhancement of stakeholder collaboration through early and continuous engagement. Synthesising the findings of the literature review, interviews and workshops, a conceptual framing of the perspectives regarding opportunities to address these priorities was created, in the form of a 'Stadium Tree' and an ESS Project Management Process model. This research bridges the gap between theory and practice by drawing on theory to develop a practical framework for integrating and improving ES in stadiums. For decision makers, the process model and other findings provide readily accessible decision support. This includes recommendations for optimising ES certifications and GBRS for its effective applications in stadiums which can be included in the future iterations of these tools. The research systematically explores the potential for stadiums as ESCI, integrating industry involvement in distilling the challenges and opportunities relating to what stadiums could be. This research provides a baseline for envisioning stadiums as multifunctional, environmentally sustainable community hubs that adopt innovative design solutions and advanced ES technologies and set new benchmarks and examples for other infrastructure. It is anticipated that the findings from this research will be of immediate use to stadium stakeholders enhancing their capacity to make informed decisions, plan for the long term and think beyond current ES needs to achieve significant advancements in stadiums. This research can also be incorporated into teaching curricula focused on sustainability and sports management. Findings can be used to influence public policy by providing research-based recommendations for regulatory standards and third-party certifications. Furthermore, this research can also bring about a positive impact on society by raising awareness of the necessity of ES practices in stadiums and all community, thereby influencing public attitudes and potentially improving the quality of life through enhanced environmental stewardship. Through creating a detailed understanding of ES in the context of stadiums and identifying challenges and necessary changes that should be integrated into stadium projects, this research has revealed a number of mechanisms for ensuring that stadiums are designed, constructed and maintained as ESCI.