Wittenborg Amsterdam Students Visit Home Ground of Dutch Football Club Ajax

Johan Cruijff Arena One of Europe's Most Innovative Stadiums in Terms of Sustainability

A group of students from Wittenborg Amsterdam visited the Johan Cruijff Arena, not only one of the most recognisable landmarks of Amsterdam but also one of the most innovative stadiums in Europe when it comes to green energy and sustainability practices. The last visit, usually a highlight on the academic calendar, was in February 2020 just before the Netherlands went into lockdown.

The group consisted of both MBA students and undergraduates following Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences' Entrepreneurial Business Administration (EBA) programme at its Amsterdam campus.

The Arena hosts football matches for its home team, AFC Ajax, and the Dutch national team to a capacity of about 55,000 people. It also doubles up as a concert venue with a capacity of about 68,000 people. The activities held at the Arena necessitate a framework for efficient energy consumption and mobility management.

Wittenborg senior lecturer, Dr Dadi Chen, said: "We visited the stadium because it's a part of the EBA double degree module 'People and Systems'. Before the pandemic we visited the stadium every year. The goal was to let students learn about the green technology used in this smart stadium."

Students enjoyed a private tour of the pitch, which is watered and lit by remotely operated machinery allowing for sustainable and cost-effective management of the pitch all season long. On days where there are no events running, the auto-generated electricity is distributed to the Arena’s neighbours, such as Ziggo Dome and Afas Live. Finally, students also visited the Ajax trophy room and changing rooms.

Chen said: "Students enjoyed the tour very much. It did not matter whether they are football fans or not. They learned a lot from the guide about how the stadium saves energy by generating power from the elevator, using solar panels and creating an inner ecosystem to maintain the lawn, for example."

WUP 26/9/2021
by James Wittenborg
©WUAS Press