Green Guardians 2025:
Co-op Live

Co-op Live was designed and constructed to provide the best-possible live music experience by combining the latest in performance technology, sustainability, and multifunctionality

By IQ | 8 September 2025

As the UK’s largest-capacity indoor arena, Co-op Live was designed and constructed to provide the best-possible live music experience by combining the latest in performance technology, sustainability, and multifunctionality.

The venue’s operators have installed more than 3,300 solar panels on the roof, producing 1.3 MW of clean energy, which it says generates nearly 960,000 kWh per year. Additional energy needs are met through high-quality renewable power procured via the grid.

Other features include 100% LED lighting, air source heat pumps, rainwater harvesting systems, high -spec insulation, and a façade that reduces heating/cooling requirements.

Harvesting systems enable captured rainwater to be used for flushing toilets, with a tank capacity of over 600,000 litres. The venue also employs the smartest and greenest technology to provide zero-carbon heating…

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GREEN GUARDIANS 2025:

RÖDER

RÖDER UK is a leading supplier of temporary structures to the live events, music, and sports industries. The company is passionately working to minimise its impact on the planet.

Ultra Music Festival

Celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2025, Miami’s Ultra Music Festival also commemorated a significant milestone with the fifth anniversary of its sustainability programme – Mission: Home.

Massive Attack

“A blueprint for the way live music can be produced,” stated Robert Del Naja after Massive Attack achieved what has been hailed as a world record for a festival with the lowest-ever carbon emissions.

Coldplay

After pledging in 2019 that they would not return to touring unless they could do so in a more sustainable way, Coldplay have lived up to that pledge and have been trailblazing for the industry/

Weezevent

Weezevent and Aucxis have joined forces to develop a fully automated system for managing reusable cup returns at events.

The Rock Factory

For three years The Rock Factory has run solely on rechargeable batteries and solar power, allowing organiser to drastically reduce its carbon footprint by eliminating the use of diesel and petrol generators.

BM Park Live

BM Park Live, who operate Junction 2 and Paradise in the City festivals, is implementing a NetZero by 2025 strategy to accelerate its drive toward carbon-positive events.

LIDO

Created and run by AEG Presents’ European festival division, LIDO Festival set a new standard for sustainability in live events.

Wilderness Festival

The team at Audi presents Wilderness Festival, were keen to take on and tackle decarbonising one of the most challenging aspects of festival operations: small-scale distributed power for brand activations.

TRUCKINGBY

TRUCKINGBY is one of the leading names in live event transport and operates under the CARGOBY brand.

OCESA

OCESA applies rigorous sustainability standards, eliminating single-use plastics, implementing reusable cups, & replacing 18m physical tickets with digital alternatives through Ticketmaster’s SafeTix programme

GOAllAreas

Ginger Owl’s GOAllAreas (GOAA) initiative was built with sustainability in mind. The system is effectively an online event management and data collection tool designed to refine live event operations.

Elisa Toffoli

In 2022, Toffoli became the first artist to be formally named a United Nations ally for promoting the 17 sustainable development goals of their 2030 Agenda.

PreZero Arena Gliwice

PreZero Arena Gliwice has proven that even a large, multifunctional venue can become a model for sustainable operations and industrial waste management.

Into The Great Wide Open

Into The Great Wide Open's ambition is to become fully circular and climate-positive.

Sunny Hill Festival

Since launching in 2018, Sunny Hill Festival has been building its sustainability credentials, but ramped up efforts in 2022 when it moved to its current location in the Bernica village suburb of Pristina.

Eat to the Beat

Eat to the Beat’s Sustain-ABLE strategy is all about implementing forward-thinking, sustainable food choices within its everyday operations and delivery.

Ascendance Sustainable Events

Ascendance claims to be Miami’s “first sustainable event consultancy” and is transforming the way events are planned by infusing purpose, accountability, and measurable impact into every stage of production.

Boom Festival

Boom Festival has garnered a reputation as one of the most forward-thinking events on the planet when it comes to its far-ranging sustainability programmes.

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