Is a completely sustainable project one that never gets built? Originally opened in 1972 as a stand-alone football facility, Arrowhead Stadium was described as a futuristic and modern venue that quickly became the loudest stadium in the NFL. However, by the mid 2000’s the facility had become out dated and needed modernizing or replacing. A complete replacement meant tearing down the existing Arrowhead Stadium which would have sent over 200,000 tons of concrete, steel, masonry, windows, doors, seats, and other building materials to local landfills. Then a new venue would have required an even larger amount of new materials, further increasing the carbon footprint.

Walter P Moore’s Diagnostics Group conducted evaluations of the existing facility and determined that the existing facility was in good condition and with localized restoration and improvements it could be used for years to come. Our Structures Group worked with the architectural team to design an expansion to bring the stadium up to current NFL standards.

The expansion and restoration required substantially fewer resources than a new stadium. A new generation of fans can now create memories at the iconic venue just as those before them, while being part of one of the most sustainable NFL stadiums in the country.