Sustainability is now top of the agenda when planning events and experiences. Key concepts include the protection of the natural environment, choice of non-toxic materials, reduction and reuse of resources, waste minimisation, and the use of life-cycle cost analysis.
In this feature we showcase suppliers who are environmentally responsible and leading the way, check them out and be sure to contact them to help take your future events to the next level.
BMA House offers a glorious backdrop for sustainable events of all types including conferences, parties, weddings, awards ceremonies and meetings. The building itself is a Grade II listed property designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens in 1911, making it an unusual candidate for a truly sustainable venue, though this has been demonstrated by their Gold accreditation with Green Tourism amongst other awards.
BMA House has put the environment and sustainability at the heart of everything they do – resulting in a host of award wins as well as significant growth in clients who insist on a venue with an impeccable environmental record. One example is the Global Good Awards, who are now a regular user of BMA House. They describe themselves as: Social & Environmental Sustainability Awards run sustainably. Where people and organisations are recognised for doing #GlobalGood’ for People, Planet & the global economy.
The venue’s most recent investment combined technology and sustainability to create a perfect blend of past and future at BMA House. Built during the COVID pandemic to support fast moving client requirements, their new hybrid studio – provides a truly immersive conference experience for all and reflects not just its commitment to technology but also the environment and sustainability.
The Stage Bus is an event production and stage hire with a difference; all of their stages are solar-powered! Based in Birmingham and covering outdooar events nationwide, The Stage Bus proudly boasts an eight-strong fleet of stages that are amongst the most innovative around.
So what makes their stages stand out from the crowd? As mentioned, all of the units are solar-powered which makes them a great options for events where sustainability is as much of a focus as great sound quality. In addition to this, TSB stages are fully-integrated, with lighting, PA and sound system built in so that the hassle of booking in essential equipment is taken away from the customer. The stages are fast-deploy and can be set-up in around an hour (knocking spots off traditional stages which often require time-consuming builds and breakdowns) This also means that TSB stage units are driven on site in one vehicle, reducing carbon footprint even further and can be operated by one crew member, cutting human resources and crew costs even further. These stages really are super low-maintenance whilst being efficient AND sounding and looking great to boot.
All of the stages are designed and manufactured in-house by a team of knowledgeable and skilled engineers who are focused on sustainability and sound. TSB prides itself on running a green-minded workspace, where virtually nothing goes to landfill and the priority of the workshop team is very much on repair and restoration. To prove their commitment to sustainability, TSB were highly commended by The Showman’s Show Green and Innovation Award panel in 2019, a title that they plan to hold on to when the award re-opens in 2021!
EFS Europe’s temporary event flooring products, Hex Road and Temp-A-Path are widely used across the Events Industry, from roadways, marquee flooring, pedestrian walkways to football pitch protection. But, what are they made from and what happens to them at their end of life cycle? Jeremy Simpson, EFS Europe’s Managing Director explains:
“We are finding that there are increasing pressures to provide sustainable products to reduce the Event Industry’s carbon footprint. Both our walkway and roadway products can be made from recycled materials and can be recycled. They are manufactured in polypropylene, which means they can be ground down into pellets and repurposed. To further reduce carbon emissions, we also have 7500sqm of event flooring in Scotland to service events with a local crew to install.”
It is EFS Europe’s mission to be as environmentally friendly as possible and the company has worked with manufacturers globally to produce, supply & recycle their event carpet. Each year millions of square meters of carpet were being used and after the event concluded, the carpet was simply pulled up and sent to landfill.
For many event professionals, the journey to become a more sustainable experience can happen over several event editions. For others, the race is on to become sustainable and match industry audience expectations today.
Case in point, Global Offshore Wind organised by RenewableUK, held at ExCeL London for its return to in-person in September 2021.
RenewableUK is the UK’s leading renewable energy trade association, representing the interests of over 400 companies. Its members are business leaders and expert thinkers across the industry, building future energy systems, powered by clean electricity.
Aggreko, the power behind any number of the UK’s biggest events, might not be the first company that comes to mind in the context of sustainability but, before too long, it could be.
Responding to 2019 analysis, the company ramped up development of an alternative energy source for its machines in the shape of Battery Storage Units.
Fully integrated, fuelled via solar energy or by generator sets running on biofuel, the batteries, or BSUs, are ‘plug and play’, slashing emissions and operating costs.
Green Voltage are market leaders in providing sustainable power and support to the film, television, broadcast and live event industries. Created specifically to address the demand for environmentally conscious solution their clean, silent e-generators deliver safe, reliable power to productions of all size and genre.
They are emission free, quick, convenient, clean and most importantly provide an opportunity to bring renewable energy to every production.
The company is a specialist equipment resource and exclusive European suppliers of the 20k E-Gen (75kw storage) Electric Generator and the 5k and 2k VOLTstack battery powered portable generator units.
They are designed and built specifically for use within the film, television and live event production industries. These technically advanced, portable solutions provide crews with a reliable, silent, 100% emissions free alternative to traditional power sources.
7. BioPak – Working Together For A Waste-Free World
It’s simple, there’s no planet B.
That’s why it’s our mission at BioPak to produce the most sustainable, environmentally friendly packaging on the market. Single-use packaging can be unavoidable, but we can help reduce the negative impact on the environment.
Every year, events and festivals produce over 25,000 tonnes of waste, equating to 6,000 tonnes of CO2. That’s why event organisers are coming under significant pressure to be more sustainable…and you can be part of the solution. By making the simple swap to compostable and carbon neutral BioPak packaging, you can minimise your carbon footprint and help divert waste from landfill. As well as being manufactured in an eco-friendly way, BioPak packaging has a host of other benefits, like guilt-free convenience. It also saves the water and energy required to sanitise reusables, and eliminates the need for cleaning labour.
We want everyone to work together for a waste-free world. We want to see a widespread behavioural change where the life-cycle of a product, from raw material to disposal, puts the environment first. We have made a commitment to the circular economy, and we want industries and consumers alike to join us.
6Connex is transforming the events industry with a sophisticated, all-in-one event platform that makes it easy to manage and host successful events at scale and in any format – in-person, virtual or hybrid. From in-person event apps, to pre-event registration and promotion tools, to event reporting and analytics, our technology enables marketers and event planners everywhere to easily create a custom blend of in-person and virtual events that deliver a unique experience to event attendees across the globe.
Sustainability is in our roots
Our mission is to provide leaders with a myriad possibilities for creating outstanding event experiences while caring for the environment and preserving our planet and nature. We are committed to identifying opportunities to lead sustainability efforts through foundational and innovative programs. As a company, not only are we working fully remotely, lowering the carbon emissions and waste associated with daily commutes and office maintenance, but our virtual venue platform also allows organizations across the globe to lower their own carbon footprint. Today, we offer a complete ecosystem of tools for every type of event, leveraging technology to provide impeccable experiences for the organizer and attendee as well as lessen the environmental impact of meetings and events worldwide. Sustainability is in our DNA.
Sustainability in events is an extremely complex and multi-faceted subject which, faced as a whole, can seem daunting and expensive.
At 2Heads, we don’t focus on one particular product solution or a specific list of line-item services. Tricky problems need creative solutions. Especially the conundrum of sustainable event-design which ideally should be considered from day one of the brief and evolved alongside all other main factors like brand experience, content creation and budget management.
Certain events lend themselves well to a formulaic approach where measurement, mitigation and management are straightforward. However, a lot of events have complex needs with twenty or so suppliers coming together internationally to create an experience for thousands of people.
Sustainability is at the heart of every aspect of The Kia Oval – a venue with a strong ethos of environmental consciousness and responsibility.
In every decision made, from the bottom up, the ground is proud to be playing its part in reducing the capital’s carbon footprint, helping to educate event attendees and highlighting the behaviours needed to help reduce the ground’s environmental impact.
Our efforts have not gone unnoticed with Friends of the Earth chief executive, noting that: “The Kia Oval are hitting sixes when it comes to beating plastic pollution.. Making things which are re-usable, rather than just recyclable, is key… The Kia Oval have shown that going plastic-free can be done, now we need more stadiums across the country to follow suit.”
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Author: Adam Parry
Adam is the co-founder and editor of www.eventindustrynews.com Adam, a technology evangelist also organises Event Tech Live, Europe’s only show dedicated to event technology and the Event Technology Awards. Both events take place in November, London.
