Vienna, 12 May 2014
Austria Center Vienna becomes the nation’s first green conference
centre
Austria Center Vienna was recently awarded first Austrian Eco-label for
conference and meeting venues, and confirmed the venue’s status as an
official green meetings certification body.
In addition to the criteria set out under Austrian Eco-label Guideline UZ 62 for Green
Meetings and Green Events, the Austrian Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry,
Environment and Water Management has taken things a step further with Guideline UZ 203
which entered into force on 1 January 2014. Venues certified in accordance with UZ 203
must show that they comply with a raft of economic, environmental, social, cultural, quality
and health and safety requirements, and that they have adopted various related measures.
Focus on sustainable, eco-friendly building management
IAKW-AG, which is responsible for operating the Austria Center Vienna and maintaining the
Vienna International Centre, has implemented countless far-reaching environmental
measures over recent years, particularly with regard to energy savings. “We are responsible
for around 325,000m2 of space, all of which has to be heated, cooled and supplied with
electricity. Our job is to provide a pleasant environment for more than 4,000 people working
in both complexes as well as the 200,000 visitors to the Austria Center Vienna each year,”
explained CEO Susanne Baumann-Söllner.
Using district heating for the heating and warm water supply cuts CO2 emissions by around
9,000 tonnes a year. Heat recovery systems cut the amount of energy required for
ventilation, and cooling energy for the air conditioning systems in both buildings is delivered
by state-of-the-art turbo water-cooled chillers. All of the electricity delivered by the ACV’s
dedicated substation comes from renewable sources.
Due to the sheer size of the buildings, lighting and IT are two areas that offer significant
potential for saving energy. With this in mind the Austria Center Vienna has already replaced
2,500 tube lights with LED lamps, and the entire signage system has made the changeover
to energy-efficient LCD screens. When procuring new electronics and IT equipment, the
centre now exclusively chooses Energy Star or TCO certified products.
WC flushes and watering systems for outdoor areas are entirely supplied by a non-potable
pipeline. Introduction of a joined-up waste separation and waste disposal plan has proven to
be a key factor, particularly for large-scale events with extensive exhibitions. In office areas
use carbon neutral printing and environmentally-certified paper from sustainable sources are
taken as a matter of course.
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Corporate social responsibility also shapes the company’s internal workings, with measures
aimed at helping staff to balance work and family commitments and improve gender equality
high on the agenda. Ongoing training opportunities ensure that the whole team are always
familiar with the latest developments.
Benefits for organisers and delegates
One major part of the new corporate strategy is to select the best service partners for the
Austria Center Vienna’s customers, which also involves monitoring suppliers’ commitments
to sustainable concepts. “Together we are making green meetings a reality, offering our
customers a sustainable one-stop-shop that covers all the angles from providing initial advice
and support, to granting certification and hosting the event,” said Baumann-Söllner.
The high-performance WiFi network supports paperless conferences such as ESOT 2013,
which brought 3,500 delegates to the centre. To make getting to and from the Austria Center
Vienna as environmentally friendly as possible the venue promotes the use of public
transportation from the moment of arrival until departure, and also provides free e-filling
stations for guests.
More eco advances in store
In future the venue is set prioritise protecting natural habitats and biodiversity, starting with
the introduction of native species of plants in outdoor areas. The centre’s energy control
systems will also be optimised in accordance with detailed energy and waste management
analysis to improve the effectiveness of future measures. In line with its overarching strategy,
the Austria Center Vienna also helps the conferences it hosts to publicise their messages. “It
is important for us to communicate insights that are concentrated here over a relatively short
period of time to a broader public. Many of our events focus on subjects that affect the
Austrian population in some way,” Baumann-Söllner noted. The annual European Congress
of Radiology marked its 20th instalment at the Austria Center Vienna in 2014, drawing more
than 20,000 delegates. Held annually, this year’s event doubled up as a green meeting pilot
project for the certification body. Among the subjects under discussion by the radiologists at
the congress, a focus on breast cancer inspired the Austria Center Vienna to support
Österreichische Krebshilfe organise its Pink Ribbon Gala in 2015. “The fact that we are the
first green conference centre in Austria gives us even more motivation to push forward with
our sustainability activities,” concluded CEO Susanne Baumann-Söllner.
About IAKW-AG
Internationales Amtssitz- und Konferenzzentrum Wien, Aktiengesellschaft (IAKW-AG) is
responsible for maintaining the Vienna International Centre (VIC) and operating the
Austria Center Vienna (ACV). The Austria Center Vienna is Austria’s largest conference
centre, with 17 halls, 180 offices and meeting rooms, and some 22,000 square metres of
exhibition space, and is one of the top players on the international conference circuit.
IAKW-AG and the Austria Center Vienna are headed by Chief Executive Officer
Susanne Baumann-Söllner. Visit www.acv.at for additional information.
Contact
Claudia Reis
Press Officer
Tel:
+43 (0)1 26069-331
E-mail: [email protected]
www.acv.at
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