Norway's most environmentally friendly football club - and among Europe's greenest
Thanks to the supporters, the players, the corporate network and the local community, Skagerak Arena is Norway's most environmentally friendly football stadium. But it doesn’t stop there.
Renewable energy
On the roof of the stadium, 4,300 square meters are covered by solar cells. Producing enough energy to supply the stadium facility and more with renewable electric power. The battery storage stores surplus energy and evens out the effect when the floodlights are turned on at home matches.
Skagerak Energilab is Norway's largest test facility for renewable electrical energy.
Artificial turf and rubber granulates astray
Odds Ballklubb works continuously to minimize the environmental impact from artificial turf fields and rubber granulates. We have recently got rid of every black granulate (SBR) from our facility. On one of the training fields, we have replaced the rubber granulates with sand and crushed olive stones. It is purely organic materials that does not harm the environment.
In addition, an extra training track with natural grass is established on Banejordet.
At an early stage we cooperated with Ulefos Jernværk to develop our own granulate catchers for retrofitting in basins. Furthermore measures are taken to prevent granulates getting astray with cast masonry, shakes and more.
Fra sorte gummikuler til knuste olivensteiner
Hindrer gummigranulat på avveie
Støpt for framtida (“Casted for the future”)
In collaboration with BDO, Odds Ballklubb offers companies, organizations and municipalities a deep dive into the UN sustainability goals and the opportunities for innovation and new business areas that it presents. "Støpt for framtida" is the name of the project.
The goal for this work is to unveil innovative collaborative projects in the future. The project operated during the autumn of 2021.
Idèmyldring i Støpt for framtida
Green kids club
In August 2020, the children's club Broddrane was relaunched. This time with a greener focus, including less use of plastic and an invitation to green activities.
No waste stadium
We work hard to offer a tempting variety of food, snacks and beverages in our kiosks that creates as little waste as possible. Odds Ballklubb aims to become a stadium in line with the ideas of the circular industry and Zero Waste. The residual waste is eliminated and all resources in circulation at the stadium are sent for recycling.
Therefore, we will only sell items in the kiosk that can be sorted into three different bins - food, cardboard and recyclable bottles.
Annual environmental conference
This years conference was held at Skagerak Arena on September 28th.
The theme was Green sports facilities with a focus on new national regulations, new environmental solutions and tips for better operations and maintenance.
Framtida for grønnere idrettsanlegg
The first conference was held in September 2020.
Energy efficiency
The club works continuously to reduce energy consumption at the stadium. Through an underfloor heating system supplied by Guard Automation and a de-icing agent supplied by Addcon Nordic, we have reduced approximately 40 percent of the costs of our winter maintenance. The de-icing agent is Ecolabelled with Svanen and environmentally friendly.
In collaboration with the utility company Lede (formerly Skagerak Nett), we work to use the battery storage connected to Skagerak energy lab to reduce the power peaks during flood lighting at matches.
Skagerak Varme delivers district heating.
Kutter energibruken ved avisning
Pilot club for an international Sustainability League
Sampdoria player Morten Thorsby and the We Play Green foundation in collaboration with KPMG have taken the initiative to develop indicators for a new Sustainability League.
Odds Ballklubb is the first pilot club. The goal is to get the new league operational from 2022.
Green walls and ceilings
Skagerak Arena is mostly characterized by concrete, metal and glass. But the goal is to dress the walls and ceiling with plants, flowers and vegetables. In collaboration with, among others, the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) and Langøya hovedgård AS, Odd has prepared a feasibility study.
Electric cars
The very first fast charger for electric cars in our county Telemark was placed outside Skagerak Arena in 2013. The high efficiensy charger was a result of a cooperation between ABB and Skagerak Energi.
Electric car drivers can park for free on match day. Both players and employees have electric cars at their disposal.
Odd har satset på elbiler lenge
Otherwise:
- Cooperation with Miljøagentene i Grenland
- Member of the Climate and Energy Network in Vestfold and Telemark County Municipality
- Bicycle parking with green roof and Kebony cladding
- Campaigns to get more people to go or ride a bicycle to matches
- Clean-up actions
- Environmental focus in all purchases
- Vegetarian alternative at the stadium
- Originally marked hydropower
- Bioenergy as underheating at Skagerak Arena
- Environmental seminar for sponsors
- E-ticket
ODD plays football for the future
Odds Ballklubb is the oldest football club in Norway and played a crucial role in getting football introduced in our country. We were active in starting Norway's first league series. We signed the first professional football player. We had the first Norwegian supporter club and were first off with sponsors on the kit. And much more.
Today, the club is once again leading the way with a solid commitment to young local talents. The Telemark model secure a steady supply of young football talent from Telemark and a place at the top among Norway's best football teams. Through ODD, these young talents get an opportunity to make their mark on a national and international level.
The club is innovative in sports and among Norway's foremost in modern training methods.
ODD is also Norway's most environmentally friendly club. The club was first to utilize solar cells on the stadium roof, first to develop granulate catchers, firsts to use electric car chargers and bicycle campaigns and first to engage in a children's supporter club with an environmental focus. Furthermore the club was first to develop a sustainability league for football clubs and first to initiate an environmental conference.
The club's further ambition is to keep on being brave and future-oriented. We will continue to develop tomorrow's heroes and will work with better and more environmentally friendly operations. We will keep on creating environmental innovation together with both large and small partners. The club will focus on the ability to inspire the local population and attract attention nationally - and internationally.
The club enjoy solid support at home. At the same time, the club’s influence extends far beyond its own region. ODD makes the people of Telemark proud.
