Copper Box: Rainwater Harvesting & Recycled Materials
(images via: london2012)
Covered in 3,000-square-meters of mostly-recycled copper, the Handball Arena has earned its nickname ‘The Copper Box.’ 88 pipes bring in natural daylight to eliminate the need for electric lighting for most of the day, and the roof collects rainwater for use in the toilets.
Plastic Bottle Recycling Initiative
(images via: coca-cola.co.uk)
In an attempt to reign in all of the plastic beverage bottles that those millions of Olympics spectators will be discarding, Coca-Cola has placed 260 new recycling bins in locations around the city. It’s all part of the soft drink company’s global initiative to recover 50 percent of used bottles and cans by 2015.
Sustainably Sourced Timber at the Aquatics Center
(images via: london2012)
The Olympics’ second-largest building was constructed on a brownfield site using sustainably sourced timber. The exterior is made of precast modular blocks of concrete which eliminate the need for painting, and the stands are made of steel and phthalate-free PVC wrap which will be recycled. Most of the building materials were delivered by train instead of truck to save on fuel.
Reclaimable Shooting Ranges at the Royal Artillery Barracks
(images via: london2012)
The shooting ranges at the Royal Artillery Barracks are another example of temporary, reclaimable buildings at the 2012 Olympics. The shooting ranges were built from steel, covered in plywood and then skinned with phthalate-free PVC membrane that will be recycled after the games. Those blue openings in the white exterior allow natural ventilation inside. Once the centers are dismantled after the game, they’ll be rented out for other events.
