Rubner Holzbau starts a challenge for modular stadiums in completely environmentally friendly glulam wood

Italian company and the leader in glulam timber constructions, Rubner Holzbau has collaborated with Bear Stadiums, a consultancy and design company to conceive and sign the stadiums of the future: modular, made of glulam wood, with a low environmental impact, comfortable and totally green.

Due to its mid-capacity, the stadium is cost effective and will be implemented in 6/8months rather than the 18/24months necessary for traditional sized stadiums. It will cost 1,500 euros per seat /2,000 euros per seat in smaller formats) versus the 2,500/3,000 euros per seat for traditional stadiums. The dramatic reduction makes this solution suitable for seismic areas or areas exposed to hurricanes and typhoons.

“We see a huge demand in the world for medium-capacity stadiums, ranging from 5,000 to 20,000 seats, which actually represents 80% of the global market for this type of infrastructure,” explains Jaime Manca Di Villahermosa, creator of this new format and co-founder of Bear Stadiums. The stadiums should replace existing structures made from reinforced concrete or metal that become dilapidated in just a few decades, resulting in high maintenance costs and low appeal to the public and fans.

Given the significant development of HD television technology which drives us to watch games comfortably seated on the sofa at home, it is necessary to build a new concept of beautiful, comfortable, safe and easy-to-assemble stadium, whose structures express well-being, serenity and are gaining more and more ground, favouring encounters among individuals and team supporters”.

“Wood is an extraordinary building material” – adds Claudio Rustioni, CEO of Rubner Holzbau – “capable to create warmth and comfort and offering a secure and lightweight structure. Our stadium is built with certified wood from sustainably managed forests. In particular, glulam wood enhances the structural capabilities of wood and allows the development of innovative design solutions with efficient engineering qualities. It is an advanced technology product, obtained by gluing layers of boards together, with ecological adhesives, which have high mechanical resistance. The production and installation of glulam wood structures result in low energy consumption that contribute to reducing CO2 emissions into the atmosphere and to respect the environment. ”
Rubner Holzbau and Bear Stadiums have developed the new GREEN stadium to offer customers a “turnkey” formula. Thanks to a partnership agreement amongst a pool of leading Italian companies in each specific sectors, stadiums include a variety of advanced environmentally friendly technology. These include; mini wind turbines, connected to solar panels; high efficiency and low energy consumption light towers and projectors; and recyclable, synthetic or hybrid lawn, built according to standards required by FIFA/UEFA/local federations.  The majority of the technology selected works to reduce maintenance costs such as; internal surfaces treated with natural resins; underground draining on playing fields; and high tech, waterproof steps, to render the bleachers watertight.

The advanced ecological design features have encouraged state of the art designs throughout, to promote stadiums’ life span and boost assembly speeds, further reducing time and money spent on maintenance and construction. This is found within high quality interior furnishings and fixtures; prefabricated systems for bathrooms with new generation water dispensing taps; quick coupling components and metal fasteners; prefabricated modules for stadium enclosures and turnstiles; folding ergonomic seats on bleachers with curves for perfect visibility; and custom design of the outer casing of the stadium proposed by the best Italian designers.

The modular project starts from a minimum of 1,500 seats, conceived for the Italian Pro League and ideal for small sports clubs approaching professional football. It contains all the necessary facilities, such as spacious locker rooms for athletes and referees, an anti-doping area, infirmaries, working rooms for journalists, conference rooms, but also a Club’s terrace on the first floor with a window on the playing field, a bar, a restaurant and easy access to the bleachers. The modular design allows contractors to move with ease of construction. From 1,500 seats,  as mandatory minimum capacity for the Italian Pro League, up to 20,000 seats, as typical capacity for the Italian “Series A” (excluding the larger clubs). With designs for 3,000 seats, 4,500 seats, 5,500 seats (mandatory minimum capacity limit for the Italian “Series B”), 7,000 seats, 8,500 seats, 10,000 seats (typical capacity for the “Series B”), 12,500 seats, 14,000 seats, 16,000 seats (mandatory minimum capacity limit for the Italian “Series A”), and 18,000 seats. Providing a range to reduce management and maintenance costs to offer a stadium that is always tailored to the needs of the club.

Construction sector and climate change
Around 30% of global carbon emissions come from the construction sector – potential savings in this area are immense. According to the report, dated 31 December 2017, by the World Green Building Council, in order to keep global warming below 2°C, each building on the planet should be “net zero carbon” by 2050. Today, new green technologies allow constructions to have a very low environmental impact, minimal operating costs and a positive impact on health.

“Conceived to satisfy the requirements of small/medium sport clubs – Rustioni concludes – the project has already attracted interest from various Italian and foreign football federations, which are planning to implement the sustainability plan announced by FIFA. The Presidents of numerous clubs and local football federations from the Caribbean to China, through Canada, Qatar and Mexico, have seen in the project an opportunity to contribute in a tangible way to the success of the Climate Neutral Now initiative, to which FIFA has adhered since September 2015. Choosing a construction model in Glulam (glulam timber), rather than in reinforced concrete or metal, is drastically reducing greenhouse gas emissions, energy consumption, and, thanks to the lightness of the structures and the possibility to disassemble the stadium, is minimising the impact on the landscape”.

Source: Architect Datafile

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