Environmental and Sustainability Considerations
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The SMART GUIDE to SYNTHETIC SPORTS SURFACES Volume 3: Environmental and Sustainability Considerations Issue: v1.01 Date: November 2019 The Smart Guide to Synthetic Sports Surfaces Volume 3: Environmental and Sustainability Considerations Acknowledgements The volumes of the Smart Guide to Synthetic Sports Surfaces include: Smart Connection Consultancy is extremely grateful to • Volume 1: Surfaces and Standards (2019) the sport peak bodies, valued suppliers and • Volume 2: Football Turf – Synthetic and Hybrid manufacturers who have provided information, Technology (2019) photographs and case studies for this Smart Guide to • Volume 3: Environmental and Sustainability Considerations (2019) Synthetic Football Fields. • Volume 4: Challenges, Perceptions and Reality (2019) Without their support, we would not be able to achieve • Volume 5: Maintenance of Synthetic Long Pile Turf our goal to enhance the knowledge of the industry on (2019) synthetic sports turf fields. We would also like to thank About the Author our colleagues, clients and organisations that we have Martin Sheppard, M.D., Smart completed work for in the sports industry. It is your Connection Consultancy Martin has worked in the sport appetite for change and progress that makes our job so and active recreation industry for rewarding. 40 years, managing a diverse Copyright portfolio of facilities including leisure centres, sports Smart Connection Consultancy Pty Ltd. facilities, parks and open spaces, athletic tracks, synthetic All rights reserved. No parts of this publication may be sports fields, golf courses and a specialist sports and reproduced in any form or by any means without the leisure consultancy practice. permission of Smart Connection Consultancy or the author. He clearly understands strategic and the political ISBN: TBC environment of sport, whilst also providing tactical and innovative solutions. Martin is an international speaker Disclaimer whose expertise is recognised for aligning synthetic Smart Connection Consultancy do not accept any liability surfaces and facility development, with player pathways, for the accuracy of the information provided. All material supply and demand forecasting and participation and information that is provided from the third parties is strategies. done so in good faith to assist organisations understand the key issues around synthetic sports surfaces. We will Martin is the Technical Consultant for Australia’s leading continually update the Smart Guide to attempt to keep football codes including: the industry updated. About the Smart Guide to Synthetic Sports Surfaces Smart Connection Consultancy is committed to sharing knowledge and learnings with the industry and has produced a number of volumes of the Smart Guide to PO Box 5247 Synthetic Sports Surfaces which can be downloaded South Melbourne, Victoria, Australia 3205 free of charge from our website t: +61 (0) 3 9421 0133 e: [email protected] www.smartconnection.net.au. w: www.smartconnection.net.au © Smart Connection Consultancy – Nov 19 Page 2 of 56 The Smart Guide to Synthetic Sports Surfaces Volume 3: Environmental and Sustainability Considerations Contents Site Management Considerations .......................... 49 Introduction .............................................................. 6 7.1 Understanding your Management Objectives Planning for a Sustainable Future ............................ 7 will Impact Design ...................................................... 49 2.1 Introduction and Context .................................. 7 7.2 Ongoing Compliance Obligations .................... 49 2.2 Components of Synthetic Sports Turf System .. 7 7.3 Conclusion ....................................................... 49 2.3 Environmental Challenges – Perceptions and Key Australian Contacts .......................................... 51 Reality .......................................................................... 8 8.1 Independent Advisory Services ....................... 51 Flooding .................................................................. 18 8.2 Key Sports........................................................ 51 3.1. Types of and Impacts of Flooding ................... 19 8.3 Suppliers and Agents ....................................... 52 3.2 Flooding and Drainage Considerations for 8.4 Independent Testing Institutes ....................... 53 Synthetic Fields .......................................................... 20 About Smart Connection Consultancy........................... 54 3.3 Flood Planning Considerations for Synthetic Sports Surfaces ........................................................... 22 Green Engineering .................................................. 24 4.1 Introduction .................................................... 24 4.2 Recycled Components ..................................... 24 4.3 Recyclable Components .................................. 24 Sustainability Principles to Protect Our Future ...... 25 5.1 Sustainability considerations .......................... 25 5.2 Sustainable Design Considerations ................. 28 5.3 Five Stages to Success ..................................... 28 Sustainable Facility Design Considerations ............ 43 6.1 Introduction .................................................... 43 6.2 Playgrounds ..................................................... 43 6.3 Design Options and Activation of Community Environments ............................................................. 44 6.4 Building Developments ................................... 44 6.5 Multi-use Activity Areas .................................. 45 6.6 Single sport sites ............................................. 48 6.7 School Activity Zones ...................................... 48 © Smart Connection Consultancy – Nov 19 Page 3 of 56 The Smart Guide to Synthetic Sports Surfaces Volume 3: Environmental and Sustainability Considerations Welcome and Purpose provide the community with opportunities to be more The popularity of synthetic sports surfaces used by active more often. many sports, local governments and within the education sector in Australia has significantly grown in the last two decades to complement their natural turf fields. This enables the local community to participate in sport when the demand on natural fields cannot be accommodated. The key football codes in Australia have all embraced Photo 1: Football (Soccer) Gosnells LGA - WA (ABS synthetic sports surface technology for their community installation) clubs and some for their elite players. Their aim is simply to provide more opportunities for communities to play sport and appreciate that the synthetic sports fields is one way of creating significant additional playing hours in many areas where fields are in short demand. The aim of this Smart Guide to Synthetic Surfaces Volume 3: Environmental and Sustainability Photo 2: Rugby Union - Latham Park - NSW (Polytan installation) Considerations is to provide guidance to organisations who are interested in understanding the options available to them for adopting synthetic sports surface technology. It explores the sustainability issues that should be considered as part of the planning, design, procurement and ongoing management of the technology. Smart Connection Consultancy is passionate about Photo 3: AFL & Football - ELS Hall Park - NSW (installed by Turf One) working with organisations that are keen to encourage their community to be more active. Sport is one of the vehicles to achieve this and provides many physical, community and health benefits. Smart Connection Consultancy has embraced the use of sports surface technology, whether that be natural, hybrid, synthetic or alternative sports surfaces to Photo 4: Football, AFL ad Cricket - St Kevin’s complement natural fields, as a vehicle to promote and College - Vic (installed by Tuff Turf) © Smart Connection Consultancy – Nov 19 Page 4 of 56 The Smart Guide to Synthetic Sports Surfaces Volume 3: Environmental and Sustainability Considerations Gore Hill Oval, providing sustainability to community use as the natural turf field couldn’t not cope with the usage and the continued flooding (Source: Willoughby City Council) © Smart Connection Consultancy – Nov 19 Page 5 of 56 The Smart Guide to Synthetic Sports Surfaces Volume 3: Environmental and Sustainability Considerations Introduction intensity of training to allow them to recover during the The growth of the Australian population over the past 21 week as the training is then on synthetic surfaces. years has seen an increase of over six million1 (33%) from The benefits of synthetic sports turf cater for increased approx. 18 million to 24 million people. The expected playing capacity, often more than 60 hours a week, and population in the next 15+ years will rise to be over 31 offering a consistency that is not detrimentally impacted million2 (approx. 40% increase) and this will seriously by drought or excessive rain. Football codes in Australia impact on sports field provision and accessibility in many benefit from this technology and the growth in synthetics cities around Australia. fields for Soccer, Rugby (Union and League), AFL and This demand will continue to place significant pressure on multi-sports fields, continues to increase. sports field infrastructure around key cities in Australia Smart Connection Consultancy are committed to where demands for additional playing fields and designing and procuring synthetic sports surfaces in a additional hours per field continue