The external building envelope (including the façades and surrounding space) make up a large percentage of the stadium’s environment. If this is allowed to weather, fails, become inconsistent or soiled, the stadium space becomes irreconcilably at odds with its core brand values and is likely to open up discussions around product pricing, value for money or visitor experience.
Without a holistic maintenance approach or attention to detail within the built environment, profits may decline as stadium visitors search for new experiences and positive environments in which to spend their time. Visiting a stadium is often a special occasion for many people, so the façades and built environment need to match the desired experience of the visitor. As a result we can ensure that the visitors return home and gush about their day on social media as well as with family and friends, ultimately marketing the stadium and events for the owners.
I believe a clean, cared for and well maintained stadium environment has a direct impact on the visitor’s level of positive experience and therefore the stadium’s ability to retain customers, attract new visitors or events to generate further profits, ROI and a sustainable stadium and business space for the future.
With the leisure industry competing increasingly for the monopoly on our spare time, the need to proactively clean, maintain and protect the external building façade has never been more important. Those stadiums that show commitment and consistency in delivering a more holistic solution and visitor experience will win the profits and ROI battle.
A positive and clean building envelope also provides a tangible reason for stadium owners and managers to increase their premiums. This enables them to deliver a greater visitor experience or to use the extra funds to clean and maintain the environment. Entering into a positive cycle of proactive façade maintenance will protect the asset and the life-span of each material for the future, thus reducing maintenance costs and increasing ROI.
So as well as reaping the benefits of a positive visitor experience, the stadium owners and managers are likely to spend less on reactive maintenance or material replacement as the façade materials are maintained and may outlast their predicted life-span.
I believe that the stadium owners and managers don’t necessarily feel a need to think about the direct link between the façade environment and profits. They may commoditise the process of cleaning or maintaining a building façade as it’s a reactive task constrained by budgets within traditional procurement frameworks.
Stadiums and events spaces need a more holistic and proactive façade and environment management programme. Through a more site/elevation specific and detailed procurement approach, stadiums can manage the environmental condition more effectively and therefore create opportunities in the future to generate further income and positive experiences for visitors.