The BBVA Stadium also changed everyday practices, such as waste management. The challenge was not only separating waste, but also ensuring that all suppliers of everything from food to cleaning products operate in accordance with sustainability criteria. Club de Futbol Monterrey has started to include environmental considerations in its supplier contracts, from recyclable packaging to reusable or compostable products.
“We even ask them for documents indicating the final destination of the waste,” says Molina.
The stadium has eliminated approximately 90 percent of PET plastic during games through pliable drink dispensing machines and the employ of reusable cups. On the water side, meters have been increased from 6 to 20 and irrigation has been fine-tuned with predictive analytics to determine when and how much to water.
This efficiency is helpful, but vast amounts of water are still needed. The official regulations of this year’s World Cup require that matches be played on natural grass, as it is believed to provide players with better playing conditions. Watering is done using drinking water, not treated water.
Since the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, FIFA has had guidelines on the environmental performance of stadiums, such as responsible water employ, but some of its own requirements are not always in line with the sustainability goals the organization promotes.
“Previously, reclaimed water was used for irrigation, today we have to use drinking water to care for the grass,” explains Rocha. In a city celebrated for water shortages, drinking water is both more high-priced and circumscribed in availability.
Artificial grass also requires water for purposes such as temperature control, using approximately 900 liters (238 gallons) per day. However, natural grass needs about 50 times more, requiring irrigation of up to 50,000 liters (13,209 gal) per day. For comparison, the average daily water consumption per person in Mexico is 150 liters (40 gallons), which means that 333 people employ the pitch every day.
Certifying the operation of the BBVA Stadium was not just about meeting indicators, but about changing operational habits in a city with sophisticated environmental conditions. Ensuring the quality of the environment in Monterrey, where there are high levels of pollution and extreme temperatures, was a major task.
The internal environment is one of the certification criteria. Although the stadium is mostly open, it had to provide well conditions in closed spaces such as offices, locker rooms and VIP areas.
“One of the most important challenges was the quality of the environment, but also comfort: keeping people comfortable in terms of health, temperature and even mental state,” says Rocha. To achieve this, ventilation systems with special filters, pollution sensors and turbines were implemented to improve air flow in the stands. The stadium invested over 1 million pesos (approximately $57,400) in a carbon dioxide extraction system.
As part of the certification process, BBVA also underwent a cultural change. Coordinating the work of over a thousand suppliers, raising staff awareness and changing everyday habits is work that continues long after certification.