How to make a „Green Meeting“ or „Green Event“?

What is a green meeting or event?

Destination/Venue selection and travel arrangements

• Check if the city has a sustainability plan.
  Vienna has a strategic plan which also considers sustainable activities. Furthermore the city publishes an environmental report on a yearly basis.
• Does the host city have a state of the art sewage treatment system? Vienna has one.
• Choose venues and accommodation in walking distance.
  The HOFBURG Vienna has 8,500 hotel beds in walking distance.
• Use environmentally friendly hotels.
  Those hotels are mainly certified with the Austrian eco-label “Umweltzeichen”.

• Check public transport that connects the venue with other facilities such as hotels, airport, etc.
  Vienna’s public transportation system covers 80% of the mobility needs.
• Provide tickets for public transport for delegates.
  The public transportation company “Wiener Linien”(www.wienerlinien.at) is happy to assist.

Catering

• Choose menus that include seasonal and local food and beverage.
  MOTTO and DO & CO have a sustainability plan.
• Use reusable crockery and cutlery.
  All catering partners use china.
• Provide reusable or recycled napkins.
  Our catering partners abandon paper napkins.
• Offer water in recyclable water bottles.
  It is common to use glass bottles in the HOFBURG Vienna.
• Do not use small packaged portions of sugar, milk and suchlike.
  Our catering partners are happy to offer alternative options.
• Ask participants to register for meals to calculate exact quantity of food.
  Thus it will be avoided to produce too much waste.

Waste management

• Monitor final numbers to limit waste.
  The HOFBURG Vienna established an art sewage treatment system.

• Don’t use plastic bags and other non-recyclable materials.
  The HOFBURG Vienna uses paper bags in elegant design.  

• Reduce packaging and opt for biodegradable materials.
  We are pleased to give you some suggestions.

• Collect badges after use.
  We are happy to provide a box where to collect badges.

Water and power

• Choose a venue which uses “green” power and water saving technology. The HOFBURG Vienna uses 100% water power.
• Schedule meetings during the day and use rooms with natural daylight.
  All meeting rooms in the HOFBURG Vienna have natural daylight., except for the Grosser Redoutensaal,
• Usage of energy saving lamps.
  The HOFBURG Vienna is using LED lights in many rooms and the rest will be exchange in succession.

Printing and other usage of biodegradable material

• Offer online registration.
  We are happy to recommend a provider and offer WIFI in all our rooms.
• Limit handouts in meetings.
  Kindly offer information on flash drives or online.
• Take care that handouts are printed on recycled paper.
  We recommend to use for example Mondi NAUTILUS® Papier.
• Use vegetable based ink for printing and ensure printers are set to double-sided printing.
  The HOFBURG Vienna relies on the eco-label “Energy Star”
• Displays and decoration for the event should be made out of reusable material.
  The ambience of the state rooms offers a perfect setting for your event.
• Encourage electronic signage.
  We are happy to offer you screen for the electronic signage.

Other initiatives

• Advise exhibitors about how to act “green” at your event.
  You are very welcome to forward our guidelines to all participants.
• Calculate your “carbon footprint” and check where you are able to reduce your gas emissions in the future.
  We are happy to recommend a provider.
• Offset event-related emissions with a carbon neutral program.
  We are happy to recommend a provider.
• Engage event participants in your “green” efforts (onsite sustainability booth, offer of offsetting their own emissions with a fee, etc.).
  For further information please refer to our homepage  www.hofburg.com