Arenas are sometimes considered purely useful: a music venue, an expo or a spot the place athletes go head-to-head and the place rivalry is inspired.
However what if there was extra to those locations? What if they might additionally lead new improvements?
That is precisely what the Johan Cruijff Area did on August 11, 2024, when its residence soccer group Ajax hosted rivals SC Heerenveen in a recreation that ran totally on renewable vitality.
Through the use of the venue’s photo voltaic panels to energy two tremendous batteries and a wind turbine, the stadium lights, escalators, beer faucets and the lighting within the gamers’ tunnels had been all powered by clear vitality.
“We attempt to not solely be extra sustainable as a complete area, but additionally attempt to educate our supporters” Tanja Dik, CEO of the Johan Cruijff Area, advised CNBC’s Converge in an interview.
The stadium’s long run purpose is to realize web constructive by 2030, not only for matches, however for live shows and different occasions too. By collaborating with numerous companions together with AFC Ajax and the Metropolis of Amsterdam, the Johan Cruijff Area stated it has created a inexperienced ecosystem.
“We’re not solely a industrial targeted firm, however we’re additionally there for the individuals who dwell in Amsterdam. We’re a part of town, and in addition a part of all of the issues that town is aiming for,” Dik stated.
One key partnership led to an vitality storage system constituted of new and secondhand automotive batteries. Extra vitality generated from the photo voltaic panels is saved for later use, whereas reusing automotive batteries helps create a round financial system for expired ones.
“It is also in regards to the future, a few win-win scenario and looking for the place we will strengthen one another. I believe sustainability is a subject the place the world may be very skilled, to be sincere,” stated the world’s CFO Susan Lenderink.
Be taught extra about how the Johan Cruijff Area is setting the usual for different stadiums by watching the video above
