Sustainable Venue Spotlight: BMA House – modern, green events with heritage

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Event Industry News is now showcasing top sustainable venues from anywhere in the world. From award-winning event spaces to purpose-built venues, we are calling out for those who are leading the way for venues adopting green initiatives and promoting sustainable practices. 

In the very first Sustainable Venue Spotlight, the team at BMA House have described how they have been steadily improving their sustainability and why adopting green initiatives is essential, not only to themselves but to their clients, suppliers and events.


Home to the British Medical Association since 1925, the sustainable venue boasts 22 unique and versatile spaces for up to 320, including 11 purpose-built meeting rooms, all fitted with cutting edge AV technology.

Sustainability is a way of life for the team at BMA House, and as part of an ongoing drive to maximise sustainability, it has reduced its delegate carbon footprint by 69% over the last four years, whilst reducing water usage by 5.4 million litres per year.

Its knowledgeable planners encourage delegates to take a step out of their meeting into their Mindful Garden and magnificent Courtyard, a rare asset within a city. A fantastic option for guests to unwind outside in the fresh air during breaks and can be hired in the evening and weekends.

Green facilities & services

As of February 2016, the venue achieved a zero-to-landfill status before introducing new recycling facilities in May 2016.

Throughout March 2017 and updated more recently in 2020, the team produced new recycling posters to help staff recycle better and work closely with its service providers to ensure the way they recycle is consistent. Since January 2019, BMA House has recycled 46,760kg of waste and saved 140 trees. As of March 2019, staff introduced a crisp packet recycling scheme where empty packets are collected, taken to a TerraCycle location, and processed into plastic pellets to make new recycled products.

Additionally, the venue’s passion for food is evident across all menus; it supports healthy events with delegates’ wellbeing at the forefront of all menu planning. The talented chefs have created mindfully-nutritious menu concepts which focus on sustaining concentration and nourishing delegates with wholesome food.

Pledges & partnerships

The team has signed up to the mia’s #20PercentLess initiative, aiming to reduce its reliance on single-use plastics by 20% each year for the next five years.

They have also signed up to a new initiative via London & Partners, Mayor’s 3 Commitments for Hospitality and Sustainability, which aims for a zero-carbon London by 2050, zero waste commitment, and best practice guidance for individuals.

Moreover, the venue has partnered with Cross River Partnership to promote a ‘clean air walking route’ from Kings Cross to provide delegates with a ‘cleaner’ journey to BMA House. The route takes guests off the busy Euston Road onto backstreets where air pollution is 57% lower.

Awards

BMA House placessustainability at the heart of everything it does, which won it a gold awardin Green Tourism in 2017 – no mean feat for a Grade II listed building! This prestigious certification was awarded for its inspirational environmental ethos and excellent practices throughout the business.

Other sustainability awards include Greenest Venue by Hire Space in 2018 and 2019, Most Sustainable Venue by the London Summer Event Show in 2019, and a silver award for Best CSR or Sustainability Initiative at the 2019 London Venues Awards.

The venue still has a way to go before it is fully sustainable but choose BMA House as your venue for your next event and you’ll expect to find upgraded PIR and LED-based lighting, digital way-finding signage, water-saving devices on toilets, sustainable and locally-sourced food ingredients, (in-house) catering partners, CH&CO who support fair trade tea and coffee growers, recycled paper for your flip charts, plentiful paper recycling units in all meeting rooms, plus onsite cycle racks for those travelling by bike.

Molly Hookings
Author: Molly Hookings

Molly joined the editorial team in March 2019. She has several years’ experience working in broadcast and journalism, as well as marketing and PR. Past experience includes working for the BBC and independent publishing houses. If you have a story you think Molly might be interested in, please email: molly@eventindustrynews.com