The municipalities of Amsterdam and Haarlem, together with sports facility management organisation SRO, plan to renew over 250 synthetic pitches through the Scale Up initiative, which is a joint public procurement and sustainability framework partially funded by the European Union’s LIFE Programme. Instead of treating sports fields strictly as athletic areas, the initiative focuses on transforming them into community assets that serve multiple goals. This includes using circular materials, eliminating microplastics, improving rainwater management and mitigating urban heat stress.

The system works by absorbing heat directly from the synthetic turf surface, which naturally collects solar radiation and warms the upper layer during daylight hours. Underground pipes beneath the pitch distribute the captured heat to target destinations and the grid layout directly under the turf maximises heat absorption. Operators can then use the heat immediately in local buildings or store it to ensure a consistent supply year-round. Storage enables the system to provide warmth during the winter months while the heat extraction process also cools the turf surface, ensuring a safe and comfortable environment for athletes.

The heat collector field technology is reportedly already in use in Eindhoven, Zaanstad, Gouda and The Hague. The energy captured by these fields supplies various nearby buildings, including sports facilities, homes, swimming pools, primary schools and daycare centres. Stefan Diderich, Director General and CEO of the EMEA Synthetic Turf Council (ESTC), stated that these fields provide clean, renewable energy to communities.

‘We not only hope for this technology to be scaled up across the Netherlands, but for other countries to look and learn from this, as this has the potential to deliver an extraordinary amount of good on a global scale,’ Diderich stated.

Each field is capable of heating up to 300 homes annually. Widespread adoption of this technology could reduce national CO₂ emissions by up to 0.45mn t/y. This requires applying the technology to the country's 1,250 existing pitches across the Netherlands. There are additional opportunities to implement this infrastructure on multi-use synthetic turf pitches nationwide. Leander Lignac, Specialist in Sustainable Sports Facilities at the Knowledge Centre for Sport & Physical Activity, stated that converting synthetic turf pitches into energy sources maximises impact.

‘Turning synthetic turf sports pitches into a source of green energy is all about impact – using a single space in multiple ways to solve many challenges at once. Space in the Netherlands is sparse, especially in the cities, so when it’s possible to use conveniently located pitches not just for sports, but for sustainability goals too, these facilities become more future-proof. While this technology is not yet widespread, it has the potential to deliver a significant reduction in carbon emissions when scaled up. Ultimately, the sports sector needs to be future-proof, and as part of that journey, it is our job to make municipalities and local sports clubs aware of these solutions to help them be realised across the Netherlands.’

The Dutch sports department recently published a Roadmap for Improving Sustainability in Sport, which outlines steps for athletic facilities to transition from traditional energy sources.