Venues with sustainability credentials and practices already in place not only ease the reporting process of an event’s impact and save costs, it can also enhance a brand’s reputation and commitment to sustainability efforts.
EcoARK Taipei
Turning trash into treasure, Taiwan’s EcoARK Pavilion located in Taipei is the world’s first fully functional, public structure made of POLLIBRICK™. Built out of 1.5 million recycled plastic bottles, the nine-storey-tall EcoARK operates its public places totally off the grid, which cover an area the size of six basketball courts. The building’s internal environment comes courtesy of natural ventilation, an exterior waterfall which bathes the structure in water collected from rainstorms as well as POLLIBRICK’s high insulation properties. Embedded solar power captured during the day runs EcoARK’s LED lighting systems at night.
EcoARK Pavilion has already hosted numerous fashion shows, a music video filming and countless of public meetings. The building weighs 50 percent lesser than a conventional building, yet it is strong enough to withstand the forces of nature, including fire.
Plaza Athenee Bangkok, a Royal Meridian Hotel
After becoming the first hotel in the world to achieve ISO 20121 accreditation in 2015, Plaza Athenee Bangkok was successfully recertified for Sustainability Event Management Systems this year.
The hotel’s innovative efforts in refurbishing its rooms, public and meeting spaces in the most sustainable way possible was most inspiring. Among the steps it took along the road to complete sustainability, Plaza Athenee Bangkok implemented a project whereby waste water from the hotel’s consumption is treated and reused to flush toilets, resulting in a 20 percent reduction in overall water consumption. Only the rice exclusively harvested from the Satjatham Rice Project in Thailand’s Amnat Charoen Province, which carries Organic Agriculture Certification Thailand confirming that it meets the exacting ACT-IFOAM organic standard are served. The hotel’s new “Farm to Function Project” seeks to support local communities by only buying rice directly from farmers, without involving middlemen who might reduce the revenue going to the farmers and their families.
Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre
Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (Management) Limited’s (HML) event sustainability management system, operation procedures and guidelines ensure the concept of sustainability is fully incorporated into the entire event management cycle from booking, event planning, food & beverage services, procurement and waste management to staff training, on-site delivery and billing, as well as customer feedback handling. It also encompasses capital investments for reducing energy and water consumption, workplace health and safety as well as community service.
As part of its ongoing refurbishment and upgrading programme, Congress Plus, which serves up sustainable seafood and other eco-friendly fare, features eco-friendly décor such as bamboo flooring and screens made from recycled wine bottles. In recognition of its green design, it is the first outlet in the city to receive LEED Gold Certification for Interior Design and Construction V2009 from the U.S. Green Building Council, and the Silver rating of BEAM Plus Interiors V1.0 from the Hong Kong Green Building Council.
Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group
26 Carlson Rezidor properties in Asia Pacific obtained Gold and Silver certifications from EarthCheck earlier this year. Most recently, the group hosted over 1,000 activities, devoted more than 50,000 volunteer hours, and raised a total of USD460,000 and in-kind donations of USD700,000 for World Childhood Foundation and other local charities during its 2016 Responsible Business Action Month.
Activities included the Blu Planet programme whereby Radisson Blu hotels volunteered to clean-up rivers and beaches, and partnering with Diversey Sealed Air to create the Soap for Hope programme, which recycles used hotel soaps into fresh bars for distribution in local communities with limited access to hygiene and sanitation.
Park Plaza Hotels & Resorts across Europe have also been busy preparing land where 40 trees will be planted for its “Save Tomorrow’s Trees Today” campaign, designed to support the sustainability and growth of trees. The trees will restore an area of native woodland in Nottingham’s Idle Valley Nature Reserve and represent the 40 Park Plaza hotels across the globe.
Movenpick Hotels & Resorts
Movenpick’s record in environmental sustainability practices has resulted in it becoming the most Green Globe-certified hotel company in the world. Part of it is its “Shine” programme, which encompasses environmental, social and employer sustainability, with education and support for local communities at its heart.
In Nepal for example, Movenpick has collaborated with Right4Children, offering disadvantaged young people intensive vocational and life-skills training, and will subsequently be offered job opportunities in the hotels. Around 25 students participate in this programme every year.
“Sustainability has for many years been a key commitment of Movenpick Hotels & Resorts and forms part of the business philosophy, Natural Enjoyment. Sustainability is very important as it relates to hotel development and operations, including the environmental, economic and social impact. Sustainability is one of the most important issues currently facing our world,” said Olivier Chavy, CEO at Movenpick Hotels & Resorts.
Marina Bay Sands
Since 2010, Marina Bay Sands (MBS) in Singapore has sustainability ingrained in its design and operations. The integrated resort’s Sands ECO360° sustainability strategy guides the company in responsible operations across its business. Apart from green meeting options and solutions for a carbon-neutral event, event planners can create post-event carbon impact statements to detail their sustainable efforts. Industrial-grade blast chillers allow for the hygienic donation of food that has been over-ordered for events.
Recognised internationally for its efforts at reducing waste and energy use and instilling environmentally friendly values, MBS is Singapore’s largest green commercial building certified Green Mark Platinum by the Building and Construction Authority (BCA). It is also Singapore’s first venue to obtain the MICE Sustainability Certification (Intermediate Level) awarded by industry association, the Singapore Association of Convention and Exhibition Organisers & Suppliers (SACEOS).
In addition, The Sands Expo and Convention Centre is Southeast Asia’s first MICE facility to obtain the ISO 20121 Sustainable Events Management System certification. Most recently, MBS was named the Grand Award Winner at the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Grand and Gold Awards 2016 for its Sands ECO360° Meetings Programme.
Grand Hyatt Singapore
From year 2000, Grand Hyatt Singapore is one of the earliest adopters of sustainability practices in the city. The hotel re-engineered its entire air-conditioning and mechanical ventilating systems, reducing energy consumption by eight million kWh and water consumption by 65,000m3 annually.
The hotel’s Trigeneration Plant project enables it to produce some of its own electricity and uses waste heat to generate hot water, steam and refrigeration, thus improving its Energy Utilisation Factor (EUF). The implementation of the plant sees its carbon emissions reduced by nearly 1200 tonnes per year.
Most recently, Grand Hyatt Singapore partnered with Biomax Technologies, an award-winning Singapore-based green company, to install a food waste management and recycling system on its premises that will convert 100 percent of food waste into organic fertiliser. Serving between 4,000 and 5,000 meals a day, the hotel generates around 1,000 kilograms of food waste daily. With the installation of a 1,000-litre digester machine, enabled by the Biomax’s proprietary Rapid Thermophilic Digestion Technology, Grand Hyatt Singapore is now able to convert 100 percent of its food waste into around 250 to 300 kilograms of pathogen-free, organic fertiliser – all within just 24 hours.
ONYX Hospitality Group has announced plans for the rejuvenation of Amari Pattaya, a brand-new all-suites wing and the 406-room OZO hotel adjacent to the existing hotel.(read more)
Singapore's biggest festival promoting energy-saving lighting and use of environmentally-friendly materials successfully doubled the attendance, engagement and impression of last year's.(read more)
Among the 31 individuals and organisations recognised at the Singapore Tourism Awards, eight of the awards were dedicated to business events. Biz Events Asia finds out how event technology aided some of the recipients’ success.(read more)
Singapore – Nu Skin Japan brought 250 of its regional sales leaders for a well-deserved travel incentive to Singapore(read more)
Direct from IMEX America 2016 in Las Vegas –Timo Kiuru, CEO of The Unthinkable, started the knowledge session with a statement, “Welcome to the death of event experiential marketing.” Kiuru, recognised by Connect Corporate Magazine as...(read more)
You might be doing it wrongly if you have been offering product details that fail to go beyond venue spaces and capabilities. (read more)
Singapore – A new Helsinki-based “hotel without bedrooms” event venue concept has made its way into Singapore. Here’s a sneak peek inside Huone Events Hotel before its February 23 opening and why it is bound to disrupt the local meetings industry.(read more)
Singapore – Set to open in the second quarter of 2017, the 222-room Sofitel Singapore City Centre has announced the appointment of Freddy See as Director of Sales & Marketing. (read more)
Singapore – October is set to be the busiest business events month as Marina Bay Sands welcomes the highest number of major events in a single month since its opening in 2010.(read more)
What do Malaysia and Singapore have in common in the way they market themselves and stay ahead as business event destinations? (read more)
Singapore – HotelAsia, one of Food&HotelAsia’s pioneer specialised trade shows will feature an impressive host of brands, showcase new equipment and technology and unveil a Singapore Pavilion for the first time. (read more)
Join our mailing list
Share your thoughts