Sustainability

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About Dow

Through the power of science and innovation and strong focus on sustainability, Dow is committed to delivering the key infrastructure components that have a positive impact on the Olympic Movement. As the Official Chemistry Company of the Olympic Games, Dow provides science-based innovative solutions that improve the Olympic experience for host cities, athletes and fans everywhere.

Dow provided improvements to infrastructure and the environmental legacy that helped to make the London 2012 Olympic Games successful – both for the athletes and those watching around the world.

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Olympic Stadium

London’s Olympic Stadium is “wrapped” with fabric panels produced by Dow and made with Dow resins. Dow’s product was also included in the 5000 metres of the Olympic track. Roofing insulation materials from Dow offer moisture resistance and structural strength.

Olympics and Paralympics: Athletics and Ceremonies.

Future use: Under tender – possibly a football club.

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Olympic Village

Insulation from Dow is used in the Olympic and Paralympic Village apartments to protect 17,000 athletes and officials from the elements.

Olympics and Paralympics: Home to the athletes and officials during their time at London 2012.

Future use: Community and premium housing.

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Westfield Shopping Centre and Parking Deck

Insulation materials from Dow are helping to ensure long-term moisture resistance and durability of the Shopping Centre's roof. Below, Dow insulation materials help ensure strength, durability and moisture resistance for a safer parking deck.

Olympics and Paralympics: Corporate hospitality, “Olympic Houses”, media facilities, office space.

Future use: Hospitality and “House” areas to be converted back to commercial office space for rent.

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Copper Box

High-strength insulation materials from Dow help meet high structural and energy efficiency demands for the handball structure's inverted roof.

Olympics: Handball, Modern Pentathlon (Fencing).

Paralympics: Goalball.

Future use: Multi-sport entertainment arena (community sports centre with concert staging).

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International Broadcast Centre

Insulation systems from Dow help provide energy efficiency and structural moisture resistance to protect 20,000 media members and hundreds of thousands of visitors to these media hubs. Dow also provides materials in wire and cable that enable reliable and efficient transmission of the Olympic Games around the world, while simultaneously protecting the cables from damage.

Olympics and Paralympics: Electronic media (television and radio).

Future use: Cloud computing centre.

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Riverbank Arena

Resins from Dow help provide a durable, soft and safe field for the 380 athletes competing in more than 75 hockey matches during the Games.

Olympics: Hockey.

Paralympics: 5-a-side and 7-a-side football.

Future use: Not yet under tender – possibly hockey arena or football club.

Sustainability News

Offsetters co-founder still seeking further gains after helping Vancouver 2010 become first carbon neutral Games

By Mike Rowbottom

Offsetters logoAs chief executive of Offsetters, the first official carbon offset supplier to an Olympic Games, you might expect Dr James Tansey to be gung-ho about his company's role in helping the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games to become the first carbon neutral Games in history.

The key steps to a sustainable Olympic Games

By Russ Swan 

Vancouver 2010 Opening CeremonyIn addition to their sporting achievements, both of the last two Olympic Games – Vancouver 2010 and London 2012 – were marked by their emphasis on sustainability and environmental protection.

The final chapter on a sustainable London 2012

By Tom Degun

Cable car London 2012The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games have already been hailed at the most sustainable in history but it was only this month that we essentially received the official confirmation.

How rowing is protecting the very thing it is reliant on – clean water

By Mike Rowbottom

rowing clean waterThe pristine mountain water lake in Bled, Slovenia, features centrally in a video highlighting a new environmental section on the World Rowing website.

Is this the future of the Olympic Village?

By Tom Degun

Dow invision homeIt is already well beyond doubt that London 2012 staged the most sustainable Olympic and Paralympic Games in history. The key was putting sustainability at the heart of the Games from the very outset, from the construction of venues to the recycling of composite materials across the Olympic Park in Stratford.

How London 2012 lead the way in countering recycling problems

By Tom Degun

Oscar Pistorius of South Africa technology in sportIn the world of 21st century sport, technology is virtually everywhere and it is helping to move performance to levels that were almost unthinkable even 20 years ago.

How Coca-Cola helped make London 2012 the most sustainable Games of modern times

By Tom Degun

Coca-Cola London_2012_Worldwide_Olympic_partnerWorldwide Olympic Partner Coca-Cola knows more than most about the Olympic and Paralympics Games. After all, its association with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) goes back more than 80 years, when it got involved in the Amsterdam 1928 Olympic Games. The American multinational beverage corporation have been involved in every Olympics Games since. But in all those 80 years, perhaps its greatest achievement came at London 2012, as it contributed significantly to making those Games the most sustainable in history.

Why sustainable temporary structures are one of the leading legacies of London 2012

By David Gold

London 2012_Basketball_Arena_Olympic_ParkDebate is now raging over whether London 2012 was the greatest Olympic Games ever. That, ultimately, will be a subjective judgment, to be debated endlessly but with little definitive proof. But what is certain is that this summer's Games used more temporary venues than any other major sporting event in history.

Venues may be temporary but London 2012 sustainability legacy is permanent

By Lauren Mattera

Beach volleyball_28_SeptBeach volleyball has quickly established itself as one of the most popular sports featured in an Olympic Games. But with sunshine and sand a little unfamiliar to we Britons, providing a top-class venue for the players and vast army of fans at London 2012 exerted its own pressure on organisers.
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