PARIS, France – The International Hockey Federation (FIH) was recognized with the International Federation (IF) category award at the 2024 IOC Climate Action Awards for its pioneering sustainability efforts, including the development of innovative “Dry Turf” technology. AstroTurf, a leader in synthetic turf solutions, proudly contributed to this success with its Poligras Paris GT Zero turf, the world’s first carbon-zero hockey surface, which was featured at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Since 2012, the FIH has reduced water usage by an estimated 60% across elite hockey pitches worldwide, thanks in large part to AstroTurf’s revolutionary dry turf systems. The Poligras Paris GT Zero turf, specifically engineered for the Paris 2024 Games, is a key component of this initiative. It uses 80% bio-based materials and green energy in its production and has been certified climate-neutral by GUTcert, saving approximately 73 tonnes of CO₂ compared to conventional turf systems.
The “Dry Turf” initiative has already cut water use by 40% between London 2012 and Tokyo 2020, with a further 20% reduction estimated for Paris 2024. The ultimate aim is to transition all 2,000 water-based hockey pitches globally to dry turfs by 2028, saving up to 7.6 billion liters of water annually.
AstroTurf’s collaboration with FIH and USA Field Hockey extends beyond surface installations; it exemplifies the broader drive for sustainability in sports. The Poligras Paris GT Zero turf’s Turf Glide technology allows it to maintain Olympic-level performance even with minimal water, ensuring a fast, smooth playing surface.
AstroTurf remains at the forefront of innovation, contributing to global sustainability goals while providing elite athletes with premium-quality surfaces. As the push for dry turf technology continues, AstroTurf’s Poligras Paris GT Zero leads the way in transforming the future of hockey and sustainable sports infrastructure.
More Information About the Turf System
Using sugarcane as a bio-raw material means the Poligras Paris GT zero turf saves 73 tonnes of CO₂ compared to a conventional turf. The carbon footprint of the turf has been certified as a climate-neutral by Berlin-based DAkkS accredited consulting company GUTcert. The Paris turf features a new and proprietary friction-reducing technology called Turf Glide, which reduces friction and abrasion, allowing the turf to meet the FIH Innovation standards for dry hockey.
Turf Glide not only means that when dry, the Paris turf plays better-than-sand, but also that less water is required to lubricate the turf for elite hockey. In many locations the atmospheric moisture, such as light rain or dew on a cool night, will be enough to transform the turf to Olympic level performance. This gives facilities the flexibility to do a dry installation (i.e. without an irrigation system) and benefit from an upgrade when there is moisture in the air.
In the world of sports, the importance of sustainability cannot be overstated. AstroTurf has taken a significant step forward with the Poligras Paris GT Zero turf, developed for the Paris 2024 Olympics is the world’s first and only carbon zero hockey turf and has also been FIH Innovation-certified for dry hockey. Highlights of this product include: made with 80% biobased material (sugarcane), made with green energy, Turf Glide technology means unique ‘play wet / play dry’ crossover performance, designed to minimize water usage.
For more information about AstroTurf and its innovative turf solutions, please visit astroturf.com.
About AstroTurf®
For athletes and sport enthusiasts, AstroTurf® has redefined the way the game is played. The inventor of synthetic turf, AstroTurf® offers advanced, state-of-the-art, multi-sport and specialized synthetic turf systems with proprietary engineered technologies. To learn more, visit astroturf.com.