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 


competition – a similar type of sport for disabled athletes – that would be subsequently staged in the Paralympic Games. The organisers decided that after the games, the venue would


be turned into a multi-sports arena with multi-coloured seating and a retractable tier, that would offer flexible facilities to hold a range of training and competition events of all levels.


and flexible handball arena that works for the Games and legacy.” Although the use of environmentally friendly renewables can


often push building costs up in the outset, the system was included in the redesign as the whole-life cycle costs are reduced. “It was a more suitable method than borehole extraction or using other forms of non-potable water [and helps] achieve our


After the Games, the arena would have the capacity, not cut –


a common legacy trend – but increased to 7,500. This was part of plans to create a community-use centre that could stage other events such as badminton, netball, volleyball, and crucially, bas- ketball. With the London 2012 basketball venue only a tempo- rary arena, the handball stadium would provide a legacy for a sport that LOCOG hope will get a fillip from the Olympics. The design included 3,000 sq m of external copper cladding


that develops into rich natural colour on ageing and a 700 sq m glazed concourse that encircles the building, allowing in natural light and letting visitors to see other sports nearby. The multi- coloured interior surrounds a 2,744 sq m playing area and 88 light pipes allowing more natural light into the venue. The sun-pipes were not the only environmental feature of the


design, a rainwater harvesting system to flush the toilets and reduce water consumption by 40 per cent was also introduced as an environmental feature. With a huge 90-metre by 70-metre roof, the handball arena was perfect for collecting rain. Higgins adds: “This takes us a step closer towards the simple sustainable


40 per cent reduction in potable water usage over the lifetime of the building,” explains an ODA spokesman. “We looked at a variety of sustainable measures for the building in the concept stage of the design, and the inclusion of a rainwater harvesting system was considered and taken forward. This was because it fitted with the size and shape of the building, and the expected usage patterns. “The system we are using captures the rainwater at roof level


and stores it here in four separate [rainwater harvesting] tanks. The water is then distributed by a direct gravity system, using no pumping or any other energy input, to distribute the rainwater to water fittings on the ground floor of the arena. “The system is going to be used for flushing the toilets in the


legacy areas that are to be used most frequently. This is all the staff areas and all the changing rooms that will be used during the legacy day-to-day usage, and are located on the ground floor level. As the roof area [will not change], nor the amount of san- itary provision that the rainwater harvesting system is servicing, it has been unnecessary to amend the system for legacy.”


Fitting of the handball arena’s sun light pipes


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