Olympics organisers release sustainability plan, which includes measuring carbon impact of the Games
The organisers behind the London Olympics have released their sustainability plan for the 2012 Games.
The plan outlines a host of measures including measuring the carbon impact of the Games, a low-emission Olympic flame, and a 120m wind turbine at the north end of the Olympic Park.
It also collates the various targets for the construction element of the Games, including:
- Zero waste to landfill for the entire Olympics including preparation, Games-time and in legacy mode.
- Ensuring goods and services to be sourced under a set of acceptable environmental and ethical guidelines.
- Reuse and recycling of demolition materials to meet a target of 90% - ODA design and regeneration director Alison Nimmo revealed the demolition contractors have thus far managed to recycle 97% of materials.
- The proportion of reused or recycled materials to account for at least 20% of the value of materials used in the permanent venues, and venues and infrastructure to be built using 25% recycled aggregate.
- 50% of Olympic Park construction materials to travel to site by rail or river
- Homes in the Olympic Village to be built to Code for Sustainable Homes Level 4.
- Permanent venues across the Olympics will be expected to achieve 15% carbon dioxide reductions beyond 2006 Building Regulations, and achieve an ‘excellent’ BREEAM rating. Contractors will be expected to prove that embodied energy in construction materials has been minimised.
- In legacy mode, the organisers are aiming to reduce the Olympic Park’s built environment carbon emissions by 50% by 2013.
Alison Nimmo said: “Sustainability is at the heart of our programme and runs through all we are doing – from the recycling of waste materials from the demolition programme through to venue designs and energy source and supply. We have set ourselves challenging targets but have already made a strong start.”
