Brasília’s Remodeled National Stadium Will Be a Solar Showcase For The 2014 World Cup !

Brasília, Brazil’s mid-century capital, will have a new football stadium by the end of this year that will showcase several green building features. With the 2014 World Cup not far off, Brazil has much work to do as it proves to the world that it can host two major international sporting events. To that end, the remodeled Estádio Nacional de Brasília (Brasília National Stadium) and its lead architect, Castro Mello, will show that Brazil is more than ready to shine on the global sporting stage.

Built in 1974, the former Estádio Mané Garrincha Stadium has been almost completely dismantled and will see its capacity increase from 42,000 to over 70,000 seats. Brazil’s Green Building Council is keen to award platinum certification to the stadium upon completion. From the training of workers to the latest in clean energy technology, The new National Stadium, according to Brazil’s World Cup hosting committee, will not disappoint, starting with its futuristic feel and generous amounts of natural light that will fill the grandstands and concourses. Solar panels will line the perimeter of the stadium’s roof, providing up to 2.5 million megawatts of energy once the remodel is complete. One less-than-green result of the stadium’s expansion and rebuilding is that 80 trees were felled, but one of the construction companies involved with the project said it will donate 5000 tree seedlings to be planted all over Brasília.
To reduce fuel consumption and therefore carbon emissions, the pre-molded concrete parts that will support the stadium’s upper stands are molded at building site. A rainwater capture system will help irrigate landscaping and team with low-flow water fixtures in the stadium to reduce the facility’s water footprint. The on-site prefabricated concrete pieces, of which eight to 10 massive are built daily, increase workers’ safety while ensuring that the concrete will last longer that it would had the cast parts been hauled over a far distance.
As far as mobility and accessibility goes, the new stadium will be close to Brasília’s collection of ultramodern architecture that has earned the 52-year-old city status as a UNESCO heritage site. But a future metro station is still a healthy two kilometer (1.2 miles) walk from the stadium, though at least Brasília’s cool winters will make for a brisk and comfortable stroll. Oscar Neimeyer, Brasília’s lead architect who is still designing at age 104, would surely approve as the new stadium perfectly complements the city’s landscape.