Oxford United Football Club's new stadium design puts ESG first

Oxford United Football Club’s new stadium design plans scooped the ESG Strategy Award last week at the Constructing Excellence SECBE Awards 2024.

The new stadium’s design, created by built environment consultancy, Ridge, in partnership with the football club, was recognised with the award highlighting its commitment to embedding ESG at the heart of its decision making and future plans for the club.

Ridge accepted the accolade at the Constructing Excellence SECBE Awards gala dinner last Thursday in London. The annual ceremony rewards the best construction companies, collaborations and projects across London and the South East.

The ESG award celebrates social, economic and environmental sustainability and is given to organisations and projects that demonstrate the greatest commitment to upholding these standards. 

Supported by Ridge, the club has set out plans to deliver a stadium with a net zero approach and a strong focus on the impact on its local community.

It is implementing a low-carbon strategy for the operations of the club, incorporating a sustainability framework into the design, construction and operation of the first major all-electric football stadium and becoming a signatory to the UN Sports for Climate Action Framework. 

The club is committed to halving its carbon emissions by 2030 and achieving net zero by 2040. 

Its ESG commitment spans further than environmental factors. The club has launched the Dreaming Spires, a community project which aims to bring improvements to Oxfordshire through initiatives such as mental health support programmes and work experience support for young people.

Ridge has delivered a social value programme which included work experience days and support with interviews with young people in Oxfordshire.

The club is also establishing an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion panel to break down the barriers to attending football matches.

A space with an increased level of biodiversity to retains on-site habitats and provide new and improved spaces.

Jonathan Clarke, Development Director at Oxford United Football Club, said: “Ridge has an exceptional track record of delivering best-in-class developments. The team understands our ambition to build a sustainable sports, entertainment and lifestyle landmark that the whole of Oxfordshire can be proud of and that delivers widespread benefits to our community and environment."

The club will use a low-carbon energy supply to create an all-electric stadium, with power also generated by solar panels. In line with its net zero strategy the proposed 16,000 capacity stadium, will not use any high carbon intensity fossil fuels such as gas. Renewable energy sources, including 3000m² of solar panels on the roof, along with energy efficiency measures will achieve radical carbon emission reductions.  

Paul Robertson, Project Lead at Ridge, said: “Oxford United is an ambitious club, committed to becoming the leading sustainable club in the English Football League. To work with a client that puts the non-match day community at the heart of its stadium is a really exciting opportunity. This is a development in the heart of Oxfordshire first, and a stadium second.

“We have been able to help turn the club’s aspirations into reality through the stadium design, and also to develop a plan for future operations which will complement the new stadium. To have won an award at this stage is a testament to this.”