ENERGY IN RETAIL, HOTELS & LEISURE


How Birmingham’s Sports Quarter can score big on sustainability


The development of the £3 billion Sports Quarter in Birmingham presents an opportunity to set new standards for sustainable and energy-efficient sports venues, says Kas Mohammed.


Birmingham City has targeted 2029 as the completion date for its new 60,000 capacity stadium


Kas Mohammed


Vice president of digital energy at Schneider Electric


www.se.com L


ast year, a £3 billion stadium upgrade was announced for Birmingham City. Birmingham City’s owners Knighthead Capital Management LLC kicked off the initial plan, showcasing real commitment to the club by purchasing a 48-acre site for the venue in Bordesley Green. Undoubtedly, this is an incredibly exciting – and ambitious – project. The stadium will boast 60,000 seats, alongside state-of-the- art training facilities and community pitches. To deliver long-term value and meet


the expectations of investors and the wider community, this project will require the intelligent infrastructure to match. Venues such as Tottenham Hotspur and Co-op Live Arena are already leveraging smart systems for energy management to great effect: reducing waste, improving power distribution, and delivering world-class experiences for fans. Technologies to address energy


waste must be a key consideration in the sports sector. Especially when you consider that large-scale events, such as the 2016 Rio Olympics, release up to 4.5 million tonnes of direct and indirect


38


emissions. But Birmingham isn’t the only city where such redevelopments are taking place; we know Manchester United are planning to revamp their stadium. As such, we’re urging all clubs and regions to follow a similar, smart infrastructure plan – we want all clubs to be in the premier league of sustainability. With plans for the construction of the Sports Quarter on the horizon, Birmingham City is on the cusp of a huge opportunity to create a world- class, sustainable venue powered by intelligent infrastructure. Smart building solutions aren’t just tools that monitor, optimise, and reduce emissions. These technologies also have the potential to drive safer, more enjoyable experiences for fans and the local community, both on match days and beyond.


Detecting energy waste Without the tools to detect energy consumption across a stadium, facilities managers are in the dark when it comes to energy waste. If energy waste can’t be detected, it can’t be reduced. Smart building management systems emerge as a solution which reduce emissions whilst ensuring that stadiums continue to run smoothly. Using a single-pane-of-glass platform, facilities managers can monitor energy consumption across the entirety of a stadium’s assets, using data insights to inform operations and become even more energy-efficient. Via smart building management


systems, engineers can automate control of a stadium’s mechanical plants to intuitively adjust heating, cooling, ventilation and lighting based on occupancy levels or external weather conditions. Engineers can implement and then automate precise environmental controls, from temperature to air quality to lighting. This is a gamechanger for the UK’s summer sporting season. Imagine an unexpected heatwave hits on a day that the stadium is sold-out – intuitive cooling and HVAC systems ramp up quickly to maintain comfort without the need for any manual intervention. Fans can concentrate on the game, and don’t experience any discomfort or delays as a result. This concept, occupancy-based


conditioning, means that energy is only used where and when people are present, cutting down on the costs associated with unnecessary lighting, heating, cooling and ventilation. Tottenham Hotspur is taking advantage of these technologies to minimise its environmental impact, and to great effect. It has been named the Premier League’s greenest club for four successive years, following a study carried out by the UN-backed Sport Positive Summit.


Predictive maintenance For the new Birmingham Sports Quarter, technologies which facilitate predictive and preventative monitoring must be an essential consideration at


the planning and development stage. With a projected 60,000-seat capacity and a constant flow of visitors, these systems will help to ensure that the venue operates at peak efficiency from day one. A stadium that runs efficiently and reliably is more likely to attract loyal customers, encourage talent growth and retention, and act as a true catalyst for economic growth in Birmingham. Imagine this: one unified platform, embedded in the infrastructure, that enables facilities managers to gain a view of the stadium’s assets anytime, anywhere, from moment to moment. If an error is detected with an asset such as HVAC, lighting, power systems, or a connected endpoint, the platform automatically sends an alert to the facilities manager or maintenance team, empowering facilities managers and maintenance teams to respond at speed before faulty components cause disruption for fans. Facilities managers can receive automated alerts anytime, anywhere, by configuring notifications via email, SMS or a mobile app. Alerts are configured based on severity, asset type, or location. This enables managers and engineers to cut through the ‘digital noise’ and focus on the most critical issues first. Birmingham’s new stadium could


also benefit from cutting-edge solutions such as digital twins. These technologies allow operators to simulate different scenarios; for instance, a sudden surge in attendance, and recommend corrective actions in advance. For instance, if a digital twin predicts that a particular transformer is likely to overheat during a high- demand event, maintenance can be scheduled proactively, or load can be redistributed to prevent failure. These technologies help to ensure that matches operate without any issues and that vital assets, such as stadium lighting, scoreboards, and air conditioning, remain functional.


Winning formula Smart infrastructure and predictive monitoring aren’t just shiny new tools: they have the potential to encourage economic growth, attract new talent, and showcase the UK’s commitment to sustainable buildings. Although digital transformation might seem like a daunting prospect, developers and facilities managers don’t have to go it alone. They can partner with industry experts who possess decades of technical expertise and are well- equipped to support developers at every stage of the process, from planning to construction to ongoing maintenance. With the right knowledge, technology, and partnerships in place, the possibilities are boundless. ■


EIBI | SEPTEMBER 2025


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44