Olympics green build ‘on track’ say organisers

The Olympics Delivery Authority has said it is either meeting or exceeding all the sustainability targets laid down for the 2012 construction project.


In 2007, the ODA published a Sustainable Development Plan outlining how it would meet the commitment in its bid to be the greenest games to date.

It announced this week that the plan’s goals are all in hand.

Minister for the Olympics Tessa Jowell said: “The London 2012 Games is an iconic project taking place at a time when the world is faced with the global challenges from climate change.

“That’s why they must be more than just six weeks of sport, they must also provide a blueprint for sustainable working and living.

“Whether it’s using rail and water routes to get materials on to the Olympic Park, building an Energy Centre to provide low-carbon power or designing park venues to be as energy efficient as possible, sustainability has been embedded in the planning, staging and legacy of London 2012 from the outset.”

ODA Chairman John Armitt said: “Sustainability is at the heart of our plans and what we have tasked our contractors to achieve is unprecedented for a project of this size and scale.

“Our targets include reusing and recycling 90% of waste, delivering over half the materials needed by sustainable transport, using natural remediation methods to clean soil, barges to take away segregated waste through newly-dredged waterways and only legal and sustainable timber sourced through a supplier panel.

“We wanted to lift the bar for the industry and set new sustainability standards and our contractors and suppliers have more than risen to the challenge. We hope that this project becomes a beacon for the planning, design and delivery of future large-scale projects.”

Despite the green credentials the games are expected to generate an additional two million tonnes of carbon dioxide – but this, the ODA argues, is considerably less than the 3.4 million tonnes that would have been released without carbon abatement measures in place.

The sustainability plan covers issues such as low-impact venues, both in use and during construction, green transport and waste and recycling.

Sam Bond

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