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How sustainable are our sports facilities? Dr Iain James Senior Lecturer Centre for Sports Surface Technology Cranfield University i.t.james@cranfield.ac.uk
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Sustainable facilities Environmental sustainability Sustainable sport
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Key themes Sustainable SportEnvironmental Sustainability Participation Revenue generation Expenditure Facilities Quality of surfaces Durability of surfaces Tenure Resource consumption Water Pollution Habitat Climate change Mitigation Adaptation
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UKCP Climate change projections for 2080s All areas of UK warm, summer more than winter (SE England up to +4.2°C) Very little change in annual precipitation totals... Western UK +33% increase in winter precipitation Southern England -40% decrease in summer precipitation Source: UKCP09 Briefing Report June 2009 from ukclimateprojections.defra.gov.uk
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Reacting to climate change...
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Reacting to climate change (preferred model) Adaptation Mitigation Reducing Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions Adapting to projected effects such as drought and flooding
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Reducing GHGs Greenhouse Gas Sink? Greenhouse Gas Source?
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GHG Balance Mowing IrrigationFertiliserSpraying Trees Other vegetation Turf SoilAeration GHG Emission GHG Sequestration
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Modelling greenhouse gas emissions Greenhouse gas emissions in g CO 2 e /m 2 /y CranTurfC Model Data CO 2 e
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Carbon Footprints for Golf Courses Parkland Golf Course- 430 ± 90 g CO 2 e m -2 y -1 Links Golf Course 0 ± 20 g CO 2 e m -2 y -1 Parkland Golf Course (without trees) 70 ± 20 g CO 2 e m -2 y -1 Winter wheat (UK)242 g CO 2 e m -2 y -1
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On the subject of footprints... 6-12 m 3 round -1 Water footprint for Spanish Golf Club 0.15 m 3 round -1 Water footprint for the Parkland Course Rodríguez-Díaz, J.A., Weatherhead, E.K., García Morillo, J., and Knox, J.W. (2010). Irrigation and Drainage (in press). Rodríguez-Díaz, J.A., Weatherhead, E.K., and Knox, J.W. (2007). Irrigation and Drainage, 56(5):541-549.
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Case study: The Sustainable Cricket Project Funded by ECB Places With: Dr Andre Daccache, Dr Jerry Knox, Dr Keith Weatherhead, Andy Carmichael
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Aims Develop a ‘Climate’ strategy for adaptation and mitigation of: Future climate projections Current climate variations Provide advice and guidance to clubs to achieve the ‘win-wins’ from reducing resource consumption and better preparedness.
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Irrigation need (max potential soil moisture deficit) Based on UKCP09 50% scenario 1961-1990 (Current benchmark) 20302050 ClimateClubs with PSMD max > 200 mm % Current978/706413.8 20303519/706449.8 20505047/706471.4
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Benchmarking survey Conducting structured interviews at clubs in: Essex/London (dry) Worcs/Warwks (experience of flooding) South West (high rainfall, warm) Wales (high rainfall, warm) North East (high rainfall, cooler) At each location: 1 x county ground (CCC) 1 x premier league (PL) 1 x small club (SC) 2 x intermediate clubs (IC)
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Water use 14/16 clubs (surveyed so far) use mains potable water for irrigation 3/16 abstracting water for irrigation Grounds water use (10-20% of total water use): 1 – 25 m 3 y -1 (SC/IC) up to 250 m 3 y -1 (PL) 10 times this where outfields are irrigated (similar to a golf course irrigating tees and greens) Only 3 clubs have ever stopped watering due to water restrictions (1976) Clubs insensitive to current water costs
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Mains water stress StressClubs% Low2012/680729.5 Moderate2150/680731.6 Serious2645/680738.9 Not classified257/68073.8 70%
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Abstraction resource stress StressClubs (7064)% Water available178425.3 No (summer) water available 230032.6 Over licensed106415.1 Over abstracted104814.8 Not assessed620.9 Not classified80611.4
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Water storage is key. Total rainfall is not changing – distribution is. Need to store water from excess winter rainfall Investment in water storage capacity for winter abstraction Water harvesting
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Drought not the only problem Photograph from: Worcs CCC (www.wccc.co.uk)
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Flooding 5/16 clubs surveyed to date affected by flooding Flooding only affects insurance of 3/16 clubs Clubs experiencing regular flooding appear well adapted (but there are limits) Only 1/16 clubs have a documented flooding procedure.
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Flood risk No%Risk 2693.8Significant (>1:75) 2393.4Moderate (1:75-1:200) 2763.9Low (1:200-1:1000) 628288.9Not mapped (<1:1000) (7066)
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Adaptation Typically clubs are fundraising to survive not to invest. Premier LeagueSmall Club Cost of cricket£750 /mbr£142 /mbr Fees & subs£200 /mbr£54 /mbr Shortfall£550 /mbr (73%)£88 /mbr (62%) Shortfall funded by: Sponsorship (including donations) Fundraising Bar revenue and functions limited capacity to adapt
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Initial thinking How can clubs generate more revenue so they can invest? e.g. more functions = more bar revenue?
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Alternative model How can clubs cut costs to fund investment?
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Costs 25 – 45% of costs on grounds 13 – 30% of costs on energy Cut input costs Reduce impact (mitigation) Improve balance sheetInvest (adaptation)
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Cutting energy costs Q: Are your energy bills going up? A: Yes! Q: Is this because of price inflation or consumption? A: Not sure... Q: Would you consider adaptation such as insulation to reduce consumption? A: Yes but cannot afford cost...
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Facilities survey Majority of building stock from 1960s-1980s. Designed for use in summer Difficult to heat cheaply, difficult to insulate... Common to find cricket clubs on the flood plain
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Scales of adaptation Cranfield CC Flood and Water Management Plan Cost Building a flood wallMachinery replacement Planning & management Energy saving lighting
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Integration of environmental and sport sustainability Sustainable SportEnvironmental Sustainability Participation Revenue generation Expenditure Facilities Quality of surfaces Durability of surfaces Tenure Resource consumption Water Pollution Habitat Climate change Mitigation Adaptation
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How do we achieve this? Strategy at ECB level Strategy at club level Education: Helping clubs analyse current practice Signposting information & resources Providing guidance (Cranfield/ECB) Providing training/reinforcement (IOG/ECB)
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Summary Sport needs to adapt and mitigate to effects of: Current climate Future climate Other challenges (resource shortfalls, population increase) Case study of how cricket are doing this reveals close relationship between environmental and sporting sustainability
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Future sports facilities? Fewer, more intensively used facilities Greater sharing among clubs Alternative funding models Smaller resource footprints (carbon, water, minerals, chemicals) Greater participation? Increased population Participation = health and social well being (for now) ‘Better’ summer weather?
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How sustainable are our sports facilities? Dr Iain James Senior Lecturer Centre for Sports Surface Technology Cranfield University i.t.james@cranfield.ac.uk
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Carbon foot-printing golf with CranTurfC From: Bartlett MD, James IT. A model of greenhouse gas emissions from the management of turf on two golf courses. Science of the Total Environment
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Other factors Source: DCMS Climate Change Plan 2010-2012
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Pressures on sports facilities Current 1.Sustainable resourcing and funding 2.Weather patterns 3.Cost inflation 4.Sustainable participation 5.Land availability Future 1.Climate change 2.Water availability 3.Energy price inflation 4.Population growth & land pressure 5.Reduction in chemical use on turf
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