From world-class soccer stadiums to iconic ice hockey arenas and pro beach volleyball courts, Holcim is building the future of sporting infrastructure with our leading brands - from ECOPact to ECOCycle and beyond.
As the leading partner for sustainable construction, we’re partnering with city planners and architects and developers to build sustainable, resilient sporting facilities that perform for elite and casual athletes alike, and build inclusivity for our communities.
Here are seven standout projects with Holcim inside.
At a glance: Holcim’s sporting impact
400 000+ m3 of ready-mix concrete for London venues in 2012
5 new soccer pitches for Argentina’s Club Athlético Talleres
An Elevate roofing system ensures energy-efficiency for Valigloo ice rink in France
Arena Santa Giulia, Milan, Italy
Arena Santa Giulia was designed as a signature ice hockey venue for 2026 winter sports events that would leave a permanent legacy for the city of Milan. This 16 000-seat stadium and concert venue is an architectural gem designed by David Chipperfield Architects and Arup.
Holcim supplied over 40 000 m3 of concrete, including 3 500 m3 of ECOPact low-carbon concrete specially cast for the massive foundation piles. We also provided a customized ECOPact mix with our ECOCycle circular technology inside to expand roads around the venue.
Our work to help regenerate the Milano Santa Giulia district goes well beyond ice hockey. Holcim supplied 26 000 m3 of specialized pozzolanic and lightweight concrete to build Spark One and Spark Two. Thanks in part to these materials, these two office towers are among Italy’s first buildings to achieve prestigious LEED Platinum and WELL Gold certification.
© David Chipperfield Architect
© Fanelli Factory
© Fanelli Factory
London Stadium, London, UK
London 2012 sporting venues set historically high standards for sustainable construction, and Holcim won the tender to supply aggregates, ready-mix concrete, asphalt and surfacing for a wide range of projects, including what is now known as the London Stadium.
We supplied over 400 000 m3 of ready-mix concrete and over 1 million tons of aggregates to bring the project to life, alongside specialized concrete mixes with 50% or more recycled aggregate content for several venues, achieving an average cement substitution of 32% to reduce over 85 000 tons of embodied carbon.
Holcim solutions for London 2012 venues
| Holcim Solution | Volume | Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Ready-mix concrete | 400 000 m3 | 32% average cement substitution |
| Aggregate fill materials | 1+ million tons | 50% or more recycled aggregates used in concrete mixes |
| Bespoke precast concrete units for the velodrome | 1 500 units | Fast-track solution to build 3 500 trackside seats |
Our relationship with the London Stadium is still going strong. In June 2024, we supplied over 5 000 tons of specialized aggregates to construct a temporary baseball diamond and pitcher’s mound for the New York Mets v Philadelphia Phillies game. After the match, 100% of this material was removed and recycled in our local asphalt plants.
The following month, we supplied 4 800 tons of specialist clay and soil to create high-impact, durable ramps for the Marvel Monster Jam, a large-scale monster truck event. This material was later used to create new wetlands habitats at a local RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) nature reserve in Rainham, East London.
Beach Volleyball Arena, Stuttgart, Germany
Imagine Stuttgart’s historic Schlossplatz as an urban beach oasis. Vision became reality in early June 2026, when
Holcim helped transform the square for the U20 European Championships beach volleyball qualification rounds, an event we also sponsored.
Supplying sand for elite athletic events requires specialist know-how, and Holcim delivered with 20 truckloads of our DVV-certified
(Germany Volleyball Association) BeachSand lines.
In May, we also brought our BeachSand Pro to the German Beach Tour (GBT) in Düsseldorf, Germany. The best part? After the final whistle blew, the 450 tons of quartz sand used was donated to volleyball clubs in the region - ensuring the fun keeps going for local athletes.
Specialized offering for beach volleyball
| Holcim Solution | Technical Qualities | Benefits |
|---|---|---|
| BeachSand | Precise grain size of 0.063-2.0 mm | Highly rounded edges prevent skin abrasion |
To ensure weather resilience, the sand was multi-washed to remove fine dust particles, giving it high water permeability. Even after heavy summer rains, such courts are playable again within minutes. And don’t forget the sand's golden color. It brings that beach vibe straight into the city!
Club Athlético Talleres, Córdoba, Argentina
As part of our strategic alliance with Club Athlético Talleres, an historic soccer club based in Córdoba, Argentina, we’re helping build the club’s Amadeo Nuccetelli High-Performance Sports Center (CARD) – with our high-value building solutions.
Our common goal is to transform the existing training ground into one of South America’s most advanced, sustainably built and high-performing “sports cities”. The project involves constructing five professional-grade football pitches over a 50 000 m2 space, as well as hockey fields and training spaces for professional, youth and women’s football teams.
Holcim will provide our broad portfolio of sustainable building solutions for this build and other club projects – including cements, concretes, aggregates, adhesives, precast and prestressed concrete, waterproofing materials and paints.
The ultimate goal? Making significant progress towards the construction of a new stadium.
Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Ebimpé, Ivory Coast
Did you know that Ivory Coast’s national stadium has Holcim inside? Inaugurated in October 2020, the Alassane Ouattara Stadium – seats 60 000 spectators and is the official stadium for the national soccer and rugby teams, while it also hosts athletics events.
Nicknamed the “Arc de Triomphe”, the stadium is surrounded by 96 massive concrete columns that form a perimeter arcade and support its roof, and Holcim supplied 60 000 tons of specialized, high-performance cement to provide structural integrity for this sporting icon.
We developed specialized cement mixes to ensure superior strength, workability and proven durability in tropical weather conditions, as well as lower embodied emissions compared with standard Portland cement.
Valigloo Ice Rink, Valenciennes, France
Valenciennes Métropole sports ice rink or “Valigloo” is an important ice hockey and figure skating hub in France – recently renovated with a high-performance Elevate roofing system.
Spanning two distinct areas – a 700 m2 recreational rink and an 1,800 m2 Olympic-sized arena – the ice rink needs careful thermal control and absolute waterproofing. To renovate the venue built in 2008 for its 180 000 annual users, Valenciennes Métropole decided to renovate its 8,000 m2 roof to ensure energy efficiency and resilience.
Holcim supplied a complete roofing system featuring a vapor barrier and high-performance thermal insulation. The roof is crowned by an Elevate UltraPly TPO thermoplastic waterproofing membrane that “seals” the building.
Clay Tennis Courts, Epsom, UK
Holcim served up a masterclass in Epsom, UK, supplying bespoke solutions to build three artificial clay courts for Ewell Castle School.
The courts were developed using a layered approach that included a recycled sub-base, drainage systems and attenuation features, foundation stone kerbs, a macadam base layer and a high-performance artificial clay surface in red - using Smashcourt Granucol Dura G Infill.
The ace up our sleeve, this premium infill solution is made from quartz sand particles with rounded edges and a durable color coating, giving outstanding UV stability, abrasion resistance and low maintenance – to ensure excellent ball bounce for optimal play.
Holcim also carried out extensive groundwork and environmental management prior to the build, recycling and reusing existing sub-base material onsite to build up the court levels and support effective drainage.
Ready to build the future of sustainable sports infrastructure? Contact our experts to discuss your project requirements, or explore our full portfolio of sustainable building solutions.
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