Ireland’s biggest stadium goes carbon neutral

Ireland’s biggest sporting stadium, Croke Park, is to be carbon neutral by the end of 2009 according to a joint announcement by the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) and the Electricity Supply Board (ESB).

Croke Park, Dublin, is the sixth biggest stadium in Europe. It is home to the GAA, and hosts the Gaelic games, including the annual finals of the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship and the Senior Hurling Championship.

The GAA’s new six year environmental plan includes cutting the stadium’s annual carbon dioxide emissions of 4,500 tonnes by two thirds in the immediate term.

The GAA aims for the stadium to be carbon neutral by the end of 2009.

Plans include the immediate transfer to a carbon neutral electricity supply, with the possibility of installing wind turbines and solar panels on the roof of the stadium.

An energy audit is also to be carried out immediately, which will assess how energy consumption can be reduced and how waste and water-use can be better managed.

Fans’ activity as they travel to and from games is also to be targeted, and they will be encouraged to use public transport to get to and from games, and to install energy efficient lightbulbs in their homes.

An environmental awareness dimension will be added to the stadium’s museum, which receives around 75,000 visitors every year.

The GAA’s chief executive, Nickey Brennan, has said that the initiative will set a ’standard of responsibility towards the environment’ for everyone who visits the stadium.