London 2012 on track with sustainability plans
Elaine Brass
7th December 2009
Organisers of the London 2012 Olympics have said they are on target with their sustainability goals, with the games expected to produce 40 per cent less carbon emissions than they would have without a sustainability plan.
Publishing their updated sustainability plan, ‘Towards A One Planet 2012’, the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) said London 2012 had already delivered a 15 per cent reduction in carbon emissions on its ‘green build’ programme and was on course for zero waste to landfill at the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Overall, the games will release around 1.9 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent, instead of an estimated 3.4MtCO2.
For the first time for a summer games, a study into what the potential carbon footprint of the project could be has been undertaken – from construction to staging. This way, the organisers have been able to identify the main sources of carbon emissions in advance to inform many of their sustainability plans.
The findings have produced detailed work on carbon emissions, with the ODA reducing potential emissions from construction work by 15 per cent across the site and by more than 50 per cent on the Olympic Stadium project alone.
Other sustainable achievements include diverting 90 per cent of construction waste from landfill and delivering 60 per cent of materials by weight by rail or water transport.
The organisers are also claiming a 15 per cent reduction through actions not specifically taken to reduce emissions, including changes to the main stadium since the original design phase.
Other actions that will deliver carbon emission reductions include an onsite wind turbine and initiatives such as a low carbon Olympic flame being developed with EDF.
ODA chief executive David Higgins said: 'We have made sure that sustainability is at the heart of this project from the outset and the 'green build' is on track. As we create the Olympic Park, cleaning the area of contamination, creating world-class new sports venues, thousands of new homes, new infrastructure, transport links and a new green space for Londoners that will remain for many years after 2012, we are doing so in as sustainable way as possible.'
The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, added: "The 2012 Games are transforming the east of London as we create a brand new vibrant quarter, with thousands of new homes and jobs in the coming decades. This updated plan shows how far we've come since the first edition was published in 2007, and the ODA continues to introduce innovative measures on site to ensure the construction project is as environmentally, socially and economically sustainable as possible."