A slightly lighter footprint

Now that building materials and equipment have been shipped from Europe, can Soccer City still score a “green goal”? Architect Damon Lavelle of Populous thinks so.

In an effort to reduce the environmental impact of the 2010 FIFA World Cup and future sporting events in South Africa, the local organising committee (LOC) of the World Cup launched its “Green Goal” programme in November 2009. Just as the initiative was announced, South Africa’s Environmental Affairs Minister Buyelwa Sonjica drew parliament’s attention to a study claiming that the 2010 event will generate about 2.8 million tons of carbon emissions – nearly 10 times the amount produced during the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany.

A special crane had to be shipped from Austria
to lift the roof sections

Danny Jordaan, LOC CEO, said this was an unfair comparison. “Studies done in Germany in 2006 did not include travelling. South Africa is a long haul destination for most fans. It is a known fact that transport and travelling have a major impact on one’s carbon footprint.”

Shortly afterwards, South African president Jacob Zuma told the Copenhagen Climate Conference that industrial nations should take the lead in reducing carbon emissions, despite the fact that South Africa is amongst the highest polluters in the world.

As consciousness grows about the environmental impact of major international events like this, South Africa will be the centre of attention in June 2010 in many ways. With many observers prematurely branding as a white elephant the centrepiece of the world’s last sporting showcase, Beijing’s Bird’s Nest stadium, the pressure is on for the jewel in South Africa’s crown, Soccer City in Johannesburg, to deliver a sustainable legacy.

Mass transit unavoidable
Damon Lavelle, associate principal of Populous, was involved in designing the stadium alongside South African architectural firm Boogertman and Partners. He recognises that transportation plays a huge part in the environmental impact of a major sports venue. But attempts to minimise the movement of goods were derailed, he informs Host City. “We considered the establishment of new businesses in South Africa that could supply certain materials that were required for the stadium. But this turned out to be not financially viable.”

This meant that products and equipment required for the distinctive shape and look of the stadium had to be imported. The reinforced concrete panels were produced in Switzerland while the steel structure was imported from Italy. The crane that was needed to lift the steel structure had to be purpose-built in Austria, shipped to South Africa and returned once finished with.

Despite all this transit, Lavelle says, the total carbon footprint of Soccer City is relatively small. “We only used 7,000 tonnes of steel for the structure of Soccer City, compared to 49,000 tonnes that was used for the Bird’s Nest in Beijing.” He says this lowers the amount of energy embodied in the structure.

While special equipment and materials were sourced outside the country, transport of material has been kept to a minimum wherever possible. “All concrete elements were produced on-site, as the contractor established a batch plant next to the construction site,” Lavelle says. With 14,000 precast elements and a concrete volume of 80,000 cubic metres this had a significant impact.

The architects also had success looking for local companies that could produce essential parts. “Initially we were planning to have the 94,000 seats produced in China but we found a supplier in Durban who was able to produce the seats as well. The reality is now that the same producer has been awarded the tender for a project in Europe, meaning that we continue to reduce the carbon footprint of transport even further, as seats no longer have to be produced in the Far East.”

The “stars” that ventilate
The climate in South Africa requires buildings to be cooled down. But as 20 per cent of a building’s energy consumption is typically determined by requirements for heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), Soccer City will use natural ventilation where possible.

Fans sitting in the lower stands will benefit from fresh air drawn in via the concourses on the podium level. These concourses are ‘open’ and allow the wind to blow through. Lavelle says: “This links the inside of the stadium to the outside; it also contributes to the airflow inside the venue.”

Natural ventilation is also used to cool down the venue higher up in the stands – particularly on the ramps leading to the various levels. “The facade has many open spaces that will allow the wind to blow through, thus cooling down the temperature,” Lavelle says. The designers used computer simulations to decide the exact location of these gaps.

These holes also have another meaning. “The San tribe in Africa believes that the stars in the sky are actually sun light that filters through gaps of a rusted pot that is covering the earth. Soccer City resembles an African pot meaning that we have incorporated functionality with aesthetics and heritage.”

Light filtering through these gaps will also reduce the amount of power needed to illuminate the stadium precinct at night. Lavelle cites this as another example of how Soccer City will ultimately have a limited footprint.

Tickets to a greener future
Perhaps the biggest achievement of ensuring a small carbon footprint is one that will only pay off in the future. In order to get fans to and from the stadium, the train station next to the venue has been completely revamped. A bus and taxi station has been integrated, while a rapid bus system passes the stadium every few minutes on route to link the city centre with the suburbs.

For a nation that has never seen a proper public transport system, this smooth and safe public transport in the precinct will ultimately drive fans to leave their vehicles at home. A better way of reducing a venue’s carbon footprint is almost unimaginable.