Sustainable and inclusive design must shape the future of sports venues - IMechE report

The report, ‘Engineering better sports venues: Designing for athletes, spectators and the environment,’ emphasises the role engineers, architects, government and sports organisations all play in creating venues that are sustainable and inclusive for all users.

As sport grows in popularity, so does its environmental footprint, particularly as mega sporting events captivate global audiences and accelerate the demand for large-scale venues.

The IMechE said that this growth comes with a significant environmental cost, with the global sports industry contributing an estimated 350m tonnes of carbon emissions annually – approximately one per cent of global carbon emissions.

In a statement, Tom Greatrex, chair of the Football Supporters' Association, said: “The role that supporters play in providing and enhancing the atmosphere is integral to the spectacle of top-class sport, as the behind closed doors period during COVID-19 demonstrated. ‘Football without fans is nothing’ is a frequently heard statement but fans deserve to be a key consideration in the design of stadia, not just for their own safety and comfort, but also to ensure the acoustics and atmosphere are not compromised by stadia design.”

Noting the role of engineers in sports venue design, Ruth Shilston, fellow of the Institution and co-author of the report said: “As engineers, we’re passionate about bringing our creativity and expertise to create better outcomes. With the climate emergency arguably one of the most pertinent challenges of our time, impacting spectators and athletes globally, we have a fundamental role to play in the creation of sporting venues which are inclusive, sustainable, and resilient to a changing climate.”

The report highlights examples of engineering and design excellence at sports venues, including:

2012 Olympic and Paralympic Velodrome, London

Engineers, collaborating with architects and others, saved approximately 1,000 tonnes of structural steelwork and £1.5m by redesigning the roof from conventional designs. Typically, cable net roofs require a ring beam against which the cables are tensioned. By designing this out to ensure the bowl structure took the load, the engineers and architects created an innovation that resulted in the roof weighing roughly half of any other covered velodrome, at 30kg per square metre.

Alongside a light roof, other benefits of this design meant foundation sizes could be smaller, using less concrete and reducing the carbon footprint.

2024 Olympic and Paralympic Stadium, Paris

The athletics track was designed by a team of scientists and engineers in collaboration with athletes, with the aim to boost athlete performance and reduce environmental impact. The elliptical profile air cells in the lower layer are reported to provide shock absorption and energy storage and return when loading on the rubber top layer. The team used simulation to investigate the connection between the track and athlete.

They also conducted research to improve the inclusivity of the design to ensure Paralympians benefit from the uniform grip, surface hardness and elastic properties needed for wheelchairs and prosthetics.

Report recommendations 

The report recommends, above all else, that sports venues should aim to cut emissions across the entire supply chain, from construction to operations. The report highlights the leadership role of large venues in helping smaller clubs and grassroots organisations adopt decarbonisation strategies.

It suggests greater use of hybrid, temporary, or portable venues to reduce sport’s environmental footprint; a consistent framework for inclusive sports venue design; and increased research funding for sustainable and inclusive venue technologies.

In addition, the report pushes for governments and sports organisations to implement more stringent requirements and greater transparency on the environmental impact of sports venues. Public reporting of emissions and the energy performance of sports venues will drive accountability and progress.