| The initiative builds on The Sevens Stadiums longstanding commitment to environmentally-conscious operations Dubai, UAE, 5 June, 2024 – To mark World Environment Day, the Sevens Stadium has planted 100 ghaf trees at the entrance to the grounds, in collaboration with longstanding landscape contractor, Berkeley Services. This brings the total number of trees planted by one of the region’s largest sporting and entertainment venue to over 1,000 trees. The ghaf tree is a drought-resistant tree indigenous to harsh desert environments, and is celebrated as the national tree of UAE. This planting is part of a long-term initiative from the Sevens Stadium to plant palm trees, Damas trees, Delonix, Millingtonia and Neem trees, aiming to increase biodiversity and support the delicate desert ecosystem. Mathew Tait, General Manager and Festival Director, Emirates Dubai 7s and Stadium said: “On World Environment Day, the Sevens Stadium has taken another step forward in our journey to more conscious operations, by planting 100 ghaf trees on our grounds, bringing our total commitment to 1,000 trees planted to help maintain the local biodiversity. As one of the region’s largest and leading sporting and entertainment venues, we are also committed to implementing meaningful initiatives, such as utilising clean energy and water, and responsible waste management. This enables us to bring world-class sporting experiences closer to the community, while operating more sustainably.” The Sevens Stadium has implemented a number of initiatives to minimise water consumption on its grounds, like year-round modern watering systems that utilise non-potable water to maintain the grass on the rugby pitches, cricket ovals and landscaping. The Stadium was also the first to introduce a solar powered car port in the region in March 2022, utilising 4,500 solar panels over an area of 10,550 m2. Between January and December 2023, the solar panels generated 3,556,070 kWh of energy, providing clean energy to power all operations throughout the year, including floodlights, indoor and street lighting, chillers, as well as water and irrigation pumps. Supplementary power is required only during the Emirates Dubai 7s week, the biggest sporting and lifestyle event in the city. Since installation, the solar panels have saved over 3,000 metric tonnes of CO2e. Promoting good water stewardship for athletes, coaches and staff, the Sevens Stadium installed filtered water dispensers in the employee pantry and accommodation, reducing the reliance on plastic water bottles. The Sevens Stadium is an important part of Dubai’s sports scene, bringing sport closer to the community. With a dynamic calendar of community sports including cricket, football, rugby, netball, and other sports on its ground, the Stadium has established itself as a best-in-class choice for local and international events and teams looking for world-class facilities in Dubai and across the region. |
By
Emirates Public Relations
