The three dimensions of sustainability shaping modern venues
Governments across the Middle East have committed $100bn to improve sports infrastructure by 2034. Their aim is to create jobs, lift community engagement in sport and leisure and promote healthy lifestyles.
Successful venues need alignment between the business case, design, legacy and operations. There needs to be partnership across the value chain.
A fine-tuned operating model can consistently deliver community value and generate positive revenues. Operators, user groups and commercial partners need to be involved in decisions from day one.
The Middle East is focused on creating sports and cultural venues that are economically sustainable, create social value and inspire national pride. Kam Al-Mazrui, director of sports and events in the Middle East at Mott MacDonald, sets out three dimensions of sustainability that need to be aligned from day one to create venues with enduring value.
The Middle East is investing record amounts in sports and cultural venues, training centres and entertainment districts. Behind this investment is an ambition to create enduring economic and social value, not just to host spectacular one-off events.
Governments across the region have committed $100bn to improve sports infrastructure by 2034. This is expected to increase sports participation by 5% annually, grow the sports economy by 10% and increase sports tourism by 14%, according to consultancy Oliver Wyman.
In Saudi Arabia, the aim is to support the country’s expanding domestic sports leagues; become a destination for international sports events; add 100,000 jobs within the sports industry; provide flexible spaces for Riyadh’s booming music scene; and create vibrant multi-use community hubs.
The three dimensions of sustainability
Successful venues need a sustainable business case, sustainable design and sustainable legacy and operations. Each of these dimensions of sustainability depends on the others. They need to be joined up from day one with inputs from key stakeholders from across the value chain. To be clear: there is no room for silos.
When a building is designed and constructed without the right operating requirements, it can lead to complex rework and additional approvals post-handover. For example, if the media centre is too small or there's not enough VIP parking, the operator may require redesigns and structural changes. This leads to cost overruns and operational delays.
If the operating strategy doesn't link back to the business case, then the space may be underused and revenues reduced. This could threaten the economic viability of a venue, its social value and long-term future.
Creating partnership across the value chain
To achieve success, there needs to be partnership across the value chain. From project sponsors and funders; business case, land, transport and commercial specialists; architects, engineers and sustainability advisors; to future operators and user groups.
Each has a role to play in creating long-term value and needs to be involved in strategic decisions from the start.
A sustainable business case: from match day to every day
Sustainable venues must work every day of the year, not just on opening night. Diversified year‑round revenue streams need to be built into the business plan. This might include retail, hospitality and educational opportunities, renting adjacent spaces, venue naming rights, premium experiences and structured community use.
These levers diversify revenue, reduce risk and connect the asset to daily life. Crucially, the business case is a living process. It needs to be revisited as the design develops and operational realities change.
For example, extra food and drink outlets open to the public during the week could be justified if financial models show the investment will be repaid in higher long-term revenues. Decisions need to be grounded in evidence and benchmarks, not best intentions.
Sustainable design: balancing creativity with compliance
Venues don't fit neatly into standard sustainability frameworks. Pitches, event floors, seating areas, concourses and food and beverage areas have distinct operational requirements. Designs need to be creative to take account of access, crowd flow, energy and water systems and digital infrastructure.
With a bespoke sustainability strategy, venues can combine the best components from different green building frameworks. This can reduce whole-life cost, carbon and water use while enhancing athlete performance and fan experience.The use of natural ventilation, smart acoustic layouts and inclusive design can create comfortable and welcoming spaces for a wide-range of different users.
It takes discipline to embed sustainability into the design DNA. When objectives get lost, it can lead to retrofits. Users, operators and maintenance experts need a voice throughout design development. Regular financial checkpoints are also needed to validate the viability of the project. Keeping Capex and Opex aligned, improves long-term profitability and sustainable performance.
Sustainable legacy and operations: planning the long road ahead
Sustainability is not proven on the opening day, but in the decades that follow. The measure of success is whether a venue consistently delivers customer value and generates positive revenues.
With the right scale, adaptability and a diversified programme, venues can balance the needs of major events and community use. To future proof venues, we need to expand the definition of ‘sport’. Recreation and wellness spaces, gyms, walking tracks, meditation zones, even healthy cafés are part of the modern sport ecosystem. These areas attract different user groups, keep the building active all day, and support public health and quality of life.
Modern venues have been shown to generate enduring economic and social value – creating jobs, promoting active lifestyles and lifting community engagement.
The three dimensions of sustainability is a way of getting the whole chain aligned around common goals. It can break down silos and prevent different stakeholders from developing their own narrow, one-dimensional view of sustainability.
It encourages connected thinking about the business case and design and helps to shape a fine-tuned operating model. When this happens, a venue can rapidly start paying for itself and perform well for 10, 20 and even 30 years after handover.
Five steps towards sustainable venues:
- Frame the value chain early: involve operators, user groups and commercial partners in decisions at the initial project stage.
- Make the business case “live”: review and update assumptions against market, design and operational data.
- Choose the right sustainability pathway: use sustainability criteria that materially change performance and reduce risk. Avoid a tick-list mindset – don’t follow frameworks simply to comply.
- Design for 365 days: plan the programme mix (sport, conferences and exhibitions, education, community) and the physical adaptations that enable different uses.
- Plan the handover and beyond: develop a detailed operating model alongside design development so revenues start to flow fast at handover to the operator and profits remain resilient long-term
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