Earth Day 2021: How BC Place is building a brighter, more sustainable future
April 22nd, 2021
BC Place is committed to delivering sustainable experiences for our guests, clients and the community. In recent years, the stadium has undertaken several key projects, including the introduction of a rainwater harvesting project and an upgrade to the field of play lighting system, to help meet PavCo’s environmental stewardship goals.
Rainwater Harvesting Pilot Project
In 2019, BC Place initiated a rainwater harvesting pilot project which was commissioned for full-time operation in early 2021. The rainwater harvesting project has seen the construction of a custom-built system to capture and repurpose rainwater from the 11-acre retractable BC Place roof. Rainwater collected through the system – which would otherwise pass through the city’s storm water system – will instead be used for a diverse range of high-consumption, non-potable purposes inside the venue including field irrigation, toilet facilities, concourse cleaning, and wash down of equipment. The project is projected to save more than 950,000 litres of pristine drinking water from Metro Vancouver’s Regional System per year – with significant potential to expand water conservation in the future.
Energy Efficient LED Lighting Upgrades
As part of BC Place’s Strategic Energy Management Plan, the state-of-the art, energy-efficient field of play LED lighting upgrade in 2019 has resulted in more than 50% energy savings over the previous system, while delivering exceptional experiences for clients and guests alike. The innovative lighting upgrade has enhanced the quality of event lighting for fans inside the venue and around the world via HD TV. The new system meets or exceeds the requirements for MLS, CFL, World Rugby and FIFA lighting standards and boasts energy savings of more than 744,000kWh per year, a reduction of more than 50%, or a reduction of annual energy consumption equivalent to 72 households.
For more information about environmental sustainability and resource conservation at BC Place, visit www.bcplace.com/about-us