Oak View Group (OVG), developer of Co-op Live, has partnered with UK sustainability consultants Hope Solutions to enhance the Manchester arena’s net-zero carbon ambitions, while TSG Hoffenheim has detailed plans to make its PreZero Arena the first zero waste stadium in the German Bundesliga.
The engagement of Hope Solutions, consultants to music industry sustainability leaders such as Coldplay and Glastonbury, seeks to reinforces Co-op Live’s environmental commitments and will help deliver on its plans to be the UK’s most sustainable arena, going above and beyond the original promises OVG made to the city of Manchester during the planning phase.
Co-op Live has built climate resilience into the plans for the new 23,500-capacity arena from the beginning, and Hope Solutions will work closely with the Co-op Live team to maximise opportunities to make it as sustainable as possible from construction to opening and beyond. The partnership will seek to drive the creation of a world-leading venue sustainability policy and carbon reduction framework to help Co-op Live achieve its net-zero goals.
Hope Solutions will support Co-op Live to drive meaningful change in the live entertainment industry by defining what ‘net zero’ looks like for the project and exploring potential options for net-zero verification schemes. Additionally, it will establish a framework for measuring, tracking, reporting and reducing carbon impacts, addressing scope one, two and three emissions.
A key aspect of Hope Solutions’ work will be to establish a planet friendly rider that can help shape discussions with suppliers, artists, and promoters as Co-op Live begins to announce its first raft of events later in 2022, ahead of the venue’s planned opening in 2023.
Luke Howell of Hope Solutions, said: “This project represents a real turning point in sustainable culture – being able to deliver world class entertainment in a low carbon and environmentally positive manner is real progress and we are really looking forward to supporting the Co-op Live team in delivering this.
“Being sustainable and achieving net-zero doesn’t have to impact on the creative integrity and audience experience, in fact it can absolutely enhance it so both people and planet benefit as this venue will prove.”
OVG last month announced that it had closed and funded debt financing to fund the construction of Co-op Live. The Hope Solutions partnership builds on previous announcements by Co-op Live, including the plans to become the UK’s first all-electric arena, and commitment to 100% rainwater harvesting, solar panel covered roofing, target for BREEAM ‘excellent’ rating, and zero waste to landfill.
Mark Donnelly, chief operating officer of Co-op Live, said: “Co-op Live will be the UK’s first all-electric and one of the world’s most planet friendly arenas when it opens in 2023. This partnership with industry-leading climate experts Hope Solutions will enable us to deliver on our net zero carbon ambitions.
“The creation of an eco-friendly rider for artists visiting Co-op Live will ensure we’re ready to accommodate everyone’s needs as we begin to book some of the world’s best artists later this year.”
Hoffenheim’s zero waste goal
Meanwhile, Bundesliga football club Hoffenheim has announced the latest phase of its green ambitions with stadium naming rights partner PreZero.
Hoffenheim in June 2020 extended its stadium naming rights deal with waste management company PreZero, with its 30,000-seat home to be known as PreZero Arena through to June 30, 2025.
Since the two partners commenced their relationship TSG and PreZero have placed an emphasis on encouraging sustainable business practices. A reusable cup system was implemented at the stadium which is helping to prevent the use of 500,000 plastic cups per season.
Meanwhile, a grass recycling project has seen clippings from the stadium’s pitch used to manufacture mobile phone covers. At the time, TSG and PreZero said further projects were under development, with this week’s announcement the latest move.
TSG Hoffenheim managing director, Denni Strich, said: “Together we want to expand the PreZero Arena even more into a place of sustainability. In addition to resource-conserving stadium operations, our ambitious goals also focus on environmental protection and waste prevention.
“The promise of our partner PreZero is our obligation – ‘new thinking for a clean tomorrow’ forms the framework for a groundbreaking project, in which we would also like active support from our fans.”
In the future, 68 to 100 tonnes of waste are to be avoided as far as possible or collected separately, sorted and sent for recycling. Following future home games, rubbish collected in the stadium will be collected and sent to a laboratory, where it will be assessed for how it can be recycled.
Thomas Kyriakis, CEO of PreZero, added: “Together with TSG, we want to make the PreZero Arena a pioneering place for sustainability and resource efficiency. In doing so, we are pursuing the goal of not wasting any resources in the stadium in future.”
Image: OVG/Co-op Live
