Sustainability

All waste on site is collected and sorted by a dedicated cleaning and sustainability team. We separate waste into 15 different streams, which helps us divert as much material as possible away from landfill. In 2023, we diverted over 70% of event waste, and at the Foo Fighters concert in January 2024, that number jumped toan impressive 90%.

Our goal is to consistently divert more than 80% of stadium and event waste from landfill.To get there, we work with local recycling, composting and resource recovery facilities, finding new uses for everything from event signage and furniture to scrap metal.

All food and drink serve ware from our public outlets is fully compostable. After each event, it’s collected along with food scraps and sent to Capital Compost, where it’s transformed into premium compost (perfect for Kiwi gardens).

Fans can do their part too. You’re encouraged to bring a refillable water bottle and top itup at one of the 10+ water refill stations located throughout the stadium.  

We also work closely with event hirers and partners to make sure sustainability is built into event planning, delivery and marketing.

Ahead of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, we upgraded the stadium’s floodlighting system, replacing 392 metal halide fittings with 404 energy-efficient LED lights.

The result? Better lighting quality and uniformity, and a big efficiency win, reducing energy demand from 748kW to 606kW, delivering an estimated 23% energy saving.

Beyond the pitch, we’re working with energy efficiency specialists Ecobulb as part of our long-term energy transition plan. Thousands of lights across the stadium are being replaced with modern LED luminaires that use around one-fifth of the electricity of older technology, cutting both energy use and carbon emissions.

We’re also reducing how much water we use to clean the venue. Where possible, high-volume water cleaning is being replaced with enzyme-based cleaning products, particularly for deep cleaning the seating bowl, roof areas and inner and outer concourse plazas.

Prior to the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, we were awarded a Green Star – Performance 3 Star rating (NZ v1.2) from the New Zealand Green Building Council (NZGBC) for our work in improving sustainable building operations. 

We are one of only two venues in Aotearoa New Zealand to have achieved a 3 Green Star - Performance rating, no mean feat for a building that is nearly 25 years old, built at a time where sustainability was not a key focus of building requirements.

FillGood is a collective of partners helping events reduce their impact on the planet by providing New Zealand with simple and reusable serviceware solutions.

FillGood is a collaborative project to initiate a city-wide reusable serviceware system for food & drink at commercial & community-run events in Wellington. The project working group includes Wellington's major venues & event operators, Wellington City Council, community groups, event waste managers & reusable serviceware operators.

Kaibosh is New Zealand's first-ever food rescue organisation that supports people in need, ensuring that quality surplus food reaches those who are struggling rather than being needlessly discarded.