It’s important to consider the practical measures helping to make sports facilities more comfortable, make more efficient use of energy and other resources and help change attitudes and behaviours.
Environmental sustainability involves a wide range of issues and is best considered in a holistic and joined-up way from the outset of a project.
It's important to consider the whole picture. Sometimes there's resistance to implementing sustainable building designs because they're initially considered more expensive and sustainable design is often the first casualty when savings are made.
Any decisions should be made on the basis of an analysis of the total cost over the life of the project and take into account not just the initial purchase and installation but also the running and maintenance costs.
It's important to weigh up the pros and cons and long term implications of the use of new and different technologies in order to decide what may be most suitable in a particular situation.
The diagram below indicates a possible framework for developing a robust strategy for any facility.
This downloadable checklist below highlights key environmental sustainability principles to consider through the a project development process, from inception through to day-to-day operation of the completed facility.
Topics include site selection, transport plan, site layout, facility design, construction elements, monitoring and evaluation specifications, energy recovery and conservation methods.
A range of facilities for sport, recreation and leisure are included from indoor swimming pools and fitness centres to outdoor tracks and pitches.
We've also compiled two case studies to give examples of how environmental sustainability can be incorporated into the design of sports facilities.
