Mace to support London Stadium solar innovation

Mace, the international consultancy and construction company, is providing project management support for the installation of an innovative ‘solar membrane’ on the roof of the London Stadium in a move that will reduce both carbon emissions and energy bills for the landmark structure.

The contract, which comes off the back of an appointment to a London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) framework, continues Mace’s longstanding presence at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, which has been unbroken since 2006 and also sees the firm currently leading on the development of the Stratford Waterfront cultural district.

Supporting the project from the outset, Mace has worked with the stadium operator, LS185, to develop a clear and compelling business case for LLDC. This involved analysis of the environmental benefits, economic viability, return on investment and overall feasibility of the initiative.

Mace also contributed to technical guidance on design challenges, including careful consideration of the weight threshold for the Stadium’s cantilevered roof, which led to the innovative membrane solution. Together, this work ensured LLDC had the information needed to objectively assess the opportunity and approve the scheme.

Project delivery will see the installation of a 6,000-7,000-square-metre solar membrane that is essential to utilise cutting edge technology to generate more than 1 million kWh of renewable energy every year. That equates to 10% of the Stadium’s current electricity usage and represents a saving of up to £350,000 a year in energy costs.

Crucially, the City-Hall-funded innovation will also drive positive environmental change, resulting in a reduction of 270 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per year. This stat comes as welcome news, following a recent report by Mace called ‘Transform & Renew’, which highlighted that non-domestic buildings account for 23% of UK operational carbon emissions from all buildings.

A supplier for the technology hasn’t yet been selected, with the Mace-supported tender process currently underway and attracting a host of interested parties ahead of a planned appointment in November this year.

Commenting on the appointment, Davendra Dabasia, COO for Mace Consult, said: “In addition to continuing our 17-year relationship with the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, this commission is especially pleasing because we’ve been able to leverage our responsible business consultancy services to help LLDC achieve its sustainability goals. At Mace, we recently set an ambitious target of helping our clients to save 10 million tonnes of carbon as part of our responsible business plan and this exciting project is another step in the right direction.

“It’s an example of consultancy work making a difference early on in a project’s lifecycle, influencing outcomes for the better.”

Ben Coulter, the LLDC’s head of sustainability, said: “This a vitally important contract so it’s important to have the right support in place from the outset. Not only will this investment drive financial savings but will also help make significant reductions to carbon dioxide emissions.”