Commonwealth Games set to provide a sustainability legacy for Glasgow

The Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games is providing a platform for Scotland’s renewable energy projects and developments to be showcased to an international audience and the organising committee plan to see a legacy of sustainability created for Scotland.

The trade body, Scottish Renewables, is highlighting the benefits of clean energy solutions at the Games and has released a video filled with the aim of giving the public more information.

The animation will have an official showing at a renewables event in Glasgow that is scheduled this week and printed copies of the information will also be released next week.

Scottish Renewables is hoping that the video and publication will communicate the key advantages of renewable energy generation in Scotland and the positive impact it could have on the economy, local communities, and the environment.

Niall Stuart, chief executive at Scottish Renewables, said: “As the video sets out, renewable energy is bringing investment and jobs to Scotland, helping to cut carbon emissions, and delivering funds to communities across the country – exactly what support for the sector is designed to achieve. The video is designed to inform the incredibly important debate about how Scotland meets its future energy needs and set out the benefits of the huge growth in renewable energy output in recent years.”

Scotland has more than doubled its renewable energy output since 2007, and just under half of the country’s demand is currently being met by clean energy sources.

Organisers of the Commonwealth Games have implemented a range of environmentally friendly measures aimed at making the event sustainable.

Athletes, officials, staff and volunteers at the events are also being served fairtrade-only products.

The Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre (SECC), the Games' largest precinct venue, hosting judo, wrestling, gymnastics and netball, was the first to sign up to Zero Waste Scotland's 'Resource Efficiency Pledge' in April. The pledge challenges organisers to enact between three and six sustainability actions over 12 months.

Glasgow 2014 was also presented with its certificate for achieving ISO 20121, the international standard for sustainable event management, in June this year.

In some instances, recycled food waste has been used to construct Commonwealth Games venues; food and garden waste has been collected from households throughout the country, recycled at GP Plantscape's In-Vessel Composting facility, and used to grow turf at the Athletes' Village and at some of the Games’ arenas.

Solar panels have been installed on more than 700 residential buildings in the Athlete's Village in Dalmarnock, which will produce 60 per cent less carbon average homes.

The carbon footprint of travelling to the events has been targeted and is being significantly reduced with public transport being provided free of charge to all ticket holders on the day of the event and to the entire workforce for the Games.

The organising committee and Zero Waste Scotland are also planning to divert 80 per cent of waste from the games away from landfill sites and are encouraging recycling and composting by businesses and visitors.

Zero Waste Scotland has appointed 'Recycling Ambassadors', volunteers who will help visitors with recycling at the Glasgow Green hub and ensure that waste from the opening and closing ceremony parties is cleaned up in an environmentally-friendly way.

The Games' legacy policy involves urban and environmental regeneration. The Athletes' Village is set to become affordable housing with large green areas and there are plans to regenerate the derelict site at Cuningar Loop on the River Clyde into a woodland park.