The Oxford United Football Club, which bills itself as “the most sustainable mid-sized sports venue in the country,” has revealed plans to construct the first stadium in the UK that runs entirely on electricity.
The club has released information on the planned development to employ a low-carbon energy source to create an all-electric stadium using power generated by solar panels, as part of its commitment to build a state-of-the-art new stadium. To achieve drastic reductions in carbon emissions for the new stadium, energy efficiency measures and renewable energy sources—such as 3,000m² of solar panels on the roof—have been planned.
The 16,000-seat stadium at the Triangle, close to Kidlington in Oxford, is planned to be built without the use of fossil fuels with a high carbon intensity, such gas.
Air source heat pumps will serve as the development’s main heat source, and the plan calls for maximizing thermal efficiency through the use of contemporary building fabric design and heat recovery techniques. When compared to gas boilers, the club estimates that, when combined over the course of a year, this will result in an 80% annual reduction in CO2 emissions.
Along with rainwater collection, recycling, and drainage systems, the stadium will also have initiatives to improve biodiversity on the Triangle property, which would result in a large net gain.
The implementation of a fully automated Building Energy Management System will oversee, regulate, and generate reports on energy use in order to guarantee peak performance throughout all seasons and sustainable reduction of energy usage.
In addition, a 180-bed hotel, restaurant, conference center, health and wellness area, gym, and community plaza are also part of the stadium’s plans. The club is getting ready to submit the development’s complete planning application.
The club revealed its intentions to address the climate catastrophe a few days prior to the revelation that it had signed the UN Sports for Climate Action Framework. The club has reaffirmed its commitment to doing its share to help the sports industry reach a low-carbon future by joining the Framework.
“The standout element of the stadium is that it will be the most sustainable mid-sized sports venue in the country,” stated Jon Clarke, development director of Oxford United. It would be among the greenest football stadiums ever constructed, therefore we want to take advantage of the chance to build something truly unique.
“The visitor experience and sustainability are at the center of the stadium’s design.
In order to set the standard for stadium design in the future with environmental preservation as a top priority, we have made the most of contemporary technology, design, and forward-thinking thought processes.
“This unique venue will have significantly lower carbon emissions thanks to its avoidance of natural gas usage on site and use of highly efficient equipment to serve a high-quality building, resulting in a very low impact home.”
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