While adding one more recognition to its credit for green practices, the Lusail Stadium has won the Global Sustainability Assessment System (GSAS) 5-Star certification. The accreditation certificate was received by senior officials of the Supreme Committee of Delivery and Legacy (SC) from GSAS representatives at a function at the stadium on Monday.
Gulf Organisation for Research and Development (Gord) founder Dr Yousef al-Horr, SC technical services deputy director general Engineer Ghanim al- Kuwari, sustainability specialist Jassim Jaidah and Sustainability and Environment director Engineer Bodour al-Meer and Lusail Stadium operations manager Tamim El Abed were present.
One of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 arenas, Lusail stadium envisages planning and care for the environment while integrating measures to protect the environment. The 80,000-capacity venue boasts a number of sustainability features, including a state-of-the-art roof and water efficiency systems. The stadium’s design is inspired by the interplay of light and shadow, based on the ‘fanar’ lantern, which illustrates the golden age of art and craftsmanship in the Arab and Islamic world.
“This recognition from Gord is an important part of our FIFA World Cup journey,” said al-Kuwari, adding that sustainability has been central to SC’s plans from the start as we are determined to develop venues that boost local communities here in Qatar long after the tournament.
“We are very proud to receive these awards and pay tribute to everyone involved in the construction of Lusail Stadium – an incredible venue that will host the biggest international football match on the planet – the FIFA World Cup final – later this year,” al-Kuwari said.
One of Lusail Stadium’s most notable sustainability features is the roof, made from PTFE – a material that protects the stadium from warm wind, keeps out dust and allows in enough light for the pitch to grow while providing shade to reduce the burden on the stadium’s air conditioning.
“We are proud that this is the fourth World Cup stadium that wins the GSAS accreditation,” al-Meer said. She added that a slew of practices and measures helped the stadium win the prestigious certification. “Sustainability is at the forefront of the priorities of SC. Lusail stadium has followed sustainable building practices with recycling construction waste whenever possible. All suitable green methods have been put in place in the construction phase. Also, the stadium relies upon the public transport system while saving energy at every opportunity,” al-Meer said. The SC official added that Ras Abu Aboud stadium will receive the certification next month.
“Achieving these top ratings is testament to the hard work of the project team, which prioritised sustainability features from the design phase all the way through to construction and operation,” said Al Meer. “In addition to the roof, the project site has conserved 40% more water than conventional stadium developments thanks to efficient fixtures and leak detection systems,” al- Jaidah said.
“We thank all our contractors and stakeholders for helping us to achieve this valuable award, which is yet another proud moment in our FIFA World Cup sustainability journey,” he added.
Al-Horr said that Lusail Stadium has set a new precedent in environmental excellence, guided by the SC’s sustainability strategy. “We congratulate the SC for advancing climate action by successfully translating green building principles into impactful practices. This is testament to the strong commitment to sustainability – which has been apparent from before ground was broken at Lusail and other venues,” he added.
Lusail Stadium will host ten matches during the World Cup, starting with Argentina versus Saudi Arabia on November 22, and ending with the final on December 18, which is also Qatar National Day.
Afterwards, Lusail Stadium is set to host a number of civic facilities for the local community. Any seats removed from the venue could be donated to countries that lack sporting infrastructure.
Eight stadiums will host matches during Qatar 2022, which will take place from November 20. Each venue has achieved a minimum four-star rating under GSAS, which was adopted as a sustainability rating system by FIFA and will ensure all tournament-related infrastructure meets stringent environmental standards.