The Luzhniki Stadium has received final certificate from international green standard BREEAM
The Spartak Stadium and Kazan Arena have also undergone certification
Certifying stadiums in accordance with sustainable standards is a mandatory requirement of FIFA and an integral part of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Sustainability Strategy
The FIFA World Cup has always had a strong influence on many aspects of society in Host Nations, and Russia is no exception. With just over four months remaining until the start of the tournament, the venue hosting the Opening Match and Final of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ has received a final certificate of pass from international green standard BREEAM.
Certifying stadiums in accordance with sustainable standards is an important aim for the tournament organisers: building sporting arenas in line with ‘green standards’ not only reduces their impact on the environment but also, to a great extent, determines usage in the future, including a decrease in the use of water and energy.
The Luzhniki Stadium, which last November welcomed the Russian and Argentinian national teams for the first game at the venue after a comprehensive renovation, has gone through an entire cycle of certification from design to construction by the same standard. Decisions concerning the green construction and environmental efficiency of the facility were incorporated into the project from the very early stages.
The Luzhniki: a green stadium
Energy conservation at the Luzhniki Stadium is achieved through modern heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems, as well as bringing together all essential utilities into one automated central system. This will allow complete monitoring and control of how much energy the building is consuming.
Using LED-based lamps instead of incandescent lights will save a significant amount of electricity. The lighting outside of the venue was also installed using electricity-saving strategies.
Water-saving technology at the stadium will allow hundreds of thousands of litres to be saved during a match at full operational capacity.
Large green spaces and a high number of trees already present on the surrounding territory were preserved during the reconstruction, while even more greenery was also added. According to the stadium managers, 1,050 trees and bushes were planted, and 15,700 squared metres of flower beds were laid down.
Environmental protection reaching new heights Apart from the Luzhniki, two other World Cup stadiums have undergone certification according to sustainable standards. In January, the Spartak Stadium in Moscow received its final BREEAM-in-use certificate with level ‘Good’. This venue is surrounded by large green spaces and its energy supply is regulated effectively by various management systems that ensure significant resources are saved.
The Kazan Arena has received ‘Silver’ on its final certificate from “RUSO. THE FOOTBALL STADIUMS”, which was set up as part of the 2018 World Cup preparations and to fullfil the mandatory requirement of FIFA for green certification of football stadiums used for the tournament. A group of experts working for the Ministry of National Resources and the Environment – and supported by the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia Local Organising Committee (LOC) – developed this national green standard, which is the first of its kind in the country. It was designed especially for the voluntary certification of football stadiums in accordance with the principles of sustainable construction.
"Stadiums are key in our efforts to stage a successful and more sustainable FIFA World Cup, which is why FIFA has made green certification mandatory for all arenas used for the event,” said FIFA Head of Sustainability & Diversity Federico Addiechi. “I am very glad to see that three of the 2018 FIFA World Cup stadiums have already successfully achieved their sustainable certification following Russian as well as international green building standards."
“The World Cup is taking place in Russia for the first time in history, and today we see how preparations become a catalyst for important changes in all walks of life,” commented the LOC's Head of Sustainability Milana Verkhunova. “Building World Cup stadiums in accordance with green standards will ensure we have resource-efficient, safe and comfortable football arenas and it will also mean the country’s culture of environmental awareness reaches a new level in general.”