The ISE show was praised at an InfoComm press conference during ISE 2014 by Babs Nijdam, business development manager at Amsterdam RAI, for its focus on sustainability, which is helping the convention centre achieve its own goals.
“The environment has a been a concern for Amsterdam RAI over the last few years,” said Nijdam. “In 2008, we set up a sustainability programme around energy and waste and have seen great achievements so far.”
The RAI recently became the first exhibition and congress centre in Europe and the second in the world to receive EarthCheck Gold business tourism benchmark status.
“You’ll see that over Hall 8, we installed 1,500 solar panels and we are producing 98% renewable energy to heat and light the venue,” said Nijdam. “Our industry and Amsterdam RAI produce over 3,000 tons of waste every year, so it’s very important that we are efficient with that. We have been able to separate 50% of our waste over the last five years and have been able to recycle 99% of our general waste following this separation, which is really high.”
Pointing out that the RAI couldn’t progress without a partnership with organisers and visitors, Nijdam welcomed the sustainability initiative outlined by InfoComm during the show.
Allen Weidman, sustainability officer at InfoComm, which co-owns ISE in conjunction with CEDIA, announced that the association was in the process of pulling together exhibitor best practice guidelines as well as setting up the tracking and reporting of its own sustainability.
“Part of the package is that InfoComm events must be more sustainable,” said Weidman. “AV is a sustainablility enabler and sustainability is good for business, but only if business is part of the process. We need to engage with exhibitors and delegates.”
InfoComm wants to engage its event hosts in a mutually sustainable relationship. “We are fortunate to be working with the RAI to bring you what I think is the most sustainable show in the world,” said Weidman.
