Five World Cup Stadiums Earn LEED Certification

The U.S. Green Building Council announced last week that five stadiums built or renovated for this year’s FIFA World Cup in Brazil have earned LEED certification. It continues a growing trend of LEED-certified construction in the South American nation, which has become one of the top five countries worldwide in LEED construction with more than 3 million gross square meters of certified buildings.The stadiums include the Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro, which will host the World Cup final on July 12 and also serve as one of the venues for the 2016 Summer Olympics. Originally constructed six decades earlier as the showcase stadium the last time that Brazil hosted the World Cup in 1950, the Maracanã was certified LEED Silver after incorporating several innovative sustainability features into its renovated architecture – including rainwater reservoirs to supplement water use and photovoltaic panels on the roof that help power the stadium. Other stadiums have also incorporated similar designs, reducing potable water use by as much as 67 percent and diverting 75-95 percent of construction waste from landfills.In addition to the Maracanã, the other World Cup stadiums that earned LEED status include:

• Castelao Arena in Fortaleza (LEED Certified)
• Arena Fonte Nova in Salvador (LEED Silver)
• Arena da Amazônia in Manaus (LEED Silver)
• Arena Multiuso in Recife (LEED Silver)

"The entire country of Brazil is making history with these LEED stadiums,” managing director of Green Building Council Brasil Felipe Faria said about the announcement. “The many green elements incorporated into these stadiums will reduce the environmental impact of the games on Brazil from improved transit access to lower water and energy consumption.”Read the full article here.