Sustainability in the sports centre Tenerife Top Training

The Sustainable Solution to Your Lifestyle Needs

Sustainability in Tenerife. Discover how T3 is being transformed into one of the greenest sports centres in the Canary Islands. Over the last few years, T3 has undertaken an energy efficiency upgrade that has converted our complex into one of the most environmentally sustainable sports centres in the Canary Islands.

Examples of the work involved include:

• Replacing the existing lighting systems with low-energy lighting technologies.
• Installing a new solar panel system.
• Implementing water dispensaries in every location.

Environment and Tenerife
Sustainability and sports complexes
What we do
What you can do

Environment and Tenerife

Tenerife is an island like no other. This natural paradise is home to more than just palm trees and sandy beaches, it’s also filled with quirky characters, hidden secrets and rich cultural heritage. Yet even with all of these attributes combined, Tenerife is perhaps best known for its most obvious feature: its spectacular nature. The largest of the seven Canary Islands, this beautiful island is home to over 5 million palm trees, volcanic peaks and dense forests.

It’s no wonder then that in addition to being a haven for tourists, this green-clad island has also become a haven for sports enthusiasts. This raises the need for sustainable sports complexes in order to smoothly integrate sports tourism within the tourism industry, which already represents an environmental challenge on its own.

recycle bin station sustainability tenerife

tenerife top training sports centre nature landscape

covered swimming pool sustainability tenerife

Sustainability and sports complexes

It’s important to understand the lifecycle of any building, but it’s even more important when it comes to sports complexes. This is because as sports complexes, we are often used on a daily basis, meaning that we are being exposed to a lot of wear and tear. This can be problematic as sports centres are expected to last for a long time – so it’s important to select a building material that is sustainable and can withstand the test of time.

Sustainable building materials are often more expensive than non-sustainable materials; however, at Tenerife Top Training, we understood that the long-term benefits make them worthwhile! Our durable materials can be recycled at the end of their life cycle, so less waste ends up in landfills. Additionally, the careful selection of building materials allowed our centre to, not only be a high-quality sports complex but also aesthetically pleasing and functional.

What we do

To reduce the usage of plastic usage, water dispensaries around the centre have been placed. Concerns about the amount of plastic already polluting the oceans, as well as concerns about plastic bottle toxicity, are all reasons why we ditched single-use plastic water bottles and start promoting the usage of reusable stainless steel water bottles. In addition to that, water doesn't only taste better in stainless steel bottles, but our T3 steel bottles also look much cooler!

For the purpose of heating our Olympic 50 m and 20 m pool, solar panels are being used since 2008.

Solar panels use the single most sustainable resource on the planet - the light of the sun - to convert the sun's energy into electrical energy. When taking into consideration the fact that solar radiations are strong all year long in the South of Tenerife, our panels are utilizing the optimal conditions for a solar thermal heating system. Also, a removable cover is placed over the heated pools at night and whenever they are not in use, resulting in a significant decrease in the heat loss brought on by evaporation.

T3 works in collaboration with Ecoenergetica, which provides green energy on the island.

Examples of the work involved include:

• Replacing the existing lighting systems with low-energy lighting technologies.
• Installing a new building management system.
• Implementing changes to heating and ventilation systems.

Our natural grass pitches are not only beautiful eye-catchers, but also come along with many benefits regarding the environment. One of the most compelling arguments for using natural turf is that it is the most environmentally and carbon-friendly option.

The grass is vital to carbon sequestration – the process of removing carbon from the atmosphere and depositing it in the soil reservoir. For instance, a football pitch measuring around 10,000 m2 or 1 ha is capable of capturing and sequestering an average of 12t of CO2 per year.

To allow a constant airflow with pleasant temperatures at all times, T3 has been designed in a way to minimize the need for mechanical air-conditioning systems. Also, due to its location on a hill, the wind passes through each floor of the centre. This "natural ventilation" is a sustainable and economical way to provide fresh air for building occupants. The main goal is to let the outside weather provide low humidity, and moderate temperature with constant wind currents that can be used as a backup cooling source for the building, letting the air circulate throughout.

T3 applies five key guiding principles to continually improve its performance in waste management:

• Reduce non-recyclable waste.
• Reuse materials where possible.
• Promote recycling by providing appropriate infrastructure.
• Educate employees, guests and contractors.
• Use landfill as a last resort.

T3 coordinates its employees, contractors and patrons to maintain the maximum effectiveness of the waste management strategy.

energy-efficient light sources reduce the energy consumption

Lighting is a significant energy consumer, but cognitive lighting, which combines intelligence, sensors, and energy-efficient sources, can actually reduce the amount of energy consumed by lighting.

The design team took a strategy that relied heavily on natural light, supplemented by LED lighting. To optimize the efficacy of the lighting in the space, and after specifying high-performance light sources, lighting controls are used to further reduce energy use. Our most recent lighting control upgrade has been the installation of motion-sensor lights around the centre, which eliminates the possibility that the lights will accidentally be left on.

biological products and methods reducing pollution

The use of biological products and methods is safer for both the environment and human health, making it central to sustainable cleaning. Eco-friendly cleaning products can help fight climate change by reducing air and water pollution. Furthermore, through the use of emerging technology such as washable microfiber mop heads and cloths, we use less water and laundering materials, reducing waste for the entire sports centre.

Sport can aid in the ecological transition by promoting sustainable production, consumption, and resource utilisation throughout the value chain, as well as sustainable innovation in sports infrastructure.
For more information about the future potential of sports, visit

this site »

What you can do

Nothing unifies people like sports, which brings them together from all backgrounds to support a single goal (or several goals). Climate change is a team effort, just as in sports, and we must all work together to find solutions if we are to stop global warming.

The fact that we are consuming resources at an unsustainable rate is the primary cause of environmental degradation, and as a result, our production of goods is increasing.
Much of the world’s economic growth has resulted from the over-exploitation of resources such as fossil fuels. However, as the world’s resources become increasingly scarce, the constraints to growth become more visible.
For the benefit of ourselves and future generations, we are working to find ways to prosper on our planet and use its resources more sustainably – in a way that does not degrade the environment.

efficient way to say goodbye - sustainability tenerife

Sometimes it's necessary to say good-by. And, while we strongly believe that you should give your gear and kits a second chance if their time has come, don't just throw them away. Gym mats, deflated footballs, and faulty tennis balls can be upcycled for another use, or they can make some furry friends in your local pet shelter happy. Always check repair options or properly disassemble larger equipment before recycling.

no plastic waste sustainability tenerife

This is another old topic, but until the last sports fan sips their beverage from an eco-friendly cup, we'll remind you: 40% of plastics produced each year are single-use, and even when recycled, have a significant impact on our planet. As an alternative, you could use reusable cups, stop using straws, replace plastics with paper, and eat your snacks with wooden forks - there are many options that are more environmentally friendly than plastics.

energy consumption sustainability tenerife

Our next tip is one of the simplest things you can do to make a difference: change your light bulbs! Did you know that simply replacing standard light bulbs in their home with LEDs can reduce carbon emissions by 65 kg per year - the equivalent of driving 354 km?

In the ideal situation, athletes and coaches bike to practices and games to improve both the surroundings and their mental and physical well-being. Instead of having each person drive their own vehicle, you may encourage people to use public transportation or set up carpools. You can encourage your followers to do the same if you want to go one step further with this.

Around 10% of greenhouse gas emissions are attributed to the fashion industry. Polyester, a common material used in sports clothing, has more than twice the carbon footprint of its cotton counterpart (5.5 kg of CO2 per shirt compared to 2.1 kg). In the future, wear your current ones for long periods of time and donate old ones along with your footwear to charitable organisations.
When your current clothes wear out, replace them with greener alternatives and more sustainable materials such as recycled cotton/polyester, organic hemp, and so on.

Following travel, food and beverages account for the second-largest portion of the carbon footprint in sports. Two simple changes can increase the impact of your game-day snacks. To begin with, using local and seasonal ingredients not only benefits the environment, but it also allows you to connect with your community and collaborate with local producers. In addition, you could consider including plant-based options in your menu to reduce the number of animal products used.

Fun fact:

Female athletes should drink about 4.0 litres of water per day on average. Male athletes should drink approximately 5.7 litres. This equates to approximately 25,000 litres of water consumed within T3 since our water dispensers were installed (2018).
Even though PET water bottles weigh nearly half as much as they did in 2000, a single-serve 0.5 Litre PET bottle now weighs 9.9 grams of plastic. The result of the calculations is shocking… 250 kilograms of plastic waste!

Tenerife Top Training – Together against climate change!