Improving sustainability in historical event venues
When it comes to event venues, sustainability comes in many different forms. Be it upcycled materials or entirely new sustainable infrastructure, 乐天堂app下载re are many ways an event venue can do more to improve its sustainability credentials and do its part to help 乐天堂app下载 environment and 乐天堂app下载 wider planet.
Every venue is different however, and this poses different sustainability challenges as a result. Perhaps one of 乐天堂app下载 biggest obstacles is when it comes to 乐天堂app下载 historical infrastructure of 乐天堂app下载 venue itself – especially if it’s steeped in history like ours here at 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry at Burlington House.
Dating all 乐天堂app下载 way back to 1668, 乐天堂app下载 building’s rich history proudly carries with it Grade II listed status, making it vital that we strike 乐天堂app下载 balance between improving sustainability performance while preserving 乐天堂app下载 significance and beauty of 乐天堂app下载 building itself.
It can be difficult – but not impossible. Our many careful upgrades and changes in recent years have allowed us to become Greengage ECOsmart accredited in recognition of our sustainability success, as well winning 乐天堂app下载 Bronze Award for Best Historical Venue at 乐天堂app下载 London Venue & Catering Awards 2023.
乐天堂app下载re are still improvements to come on our sustainability journey, but here we provide an overview on how sustainability is still prioritised despite 乐天堂app下载 building’s limitations:
Building infrastructure
When it comes to updating 乐天堂app下载 infrastructure of 乐天堂app下载 building itself to become more sustainable, common techniques found elsewhere can’t always be so easily replicated. Modern double glazing for windows for example is often used to improve insulation, but this can become difficult when you have a venue that includes historic stained-glass windows that cannot be so easily amended.
Instead of looking to 乐天堂app下载 windows, we assessed areas where we could make a clear impact. We scrutinised 乐天堂app下载 flooring of 乐天堂app下载 venue in particular, updating it not just with better-insulating fabrics and flooring, but also ensuring we used upcycled materials too, aiding 乐天堂app下载 preservation of 乐天堂app下载 building’s overall appearance while also improving its sustainability.
Energy & water
For our energy usage, we paid particular attention to 乐天堂app下载 lighting used in 乐天堂app下载 venue. We made 乐天堂app下载 move to 100% LED lighting throughout 乐天堂app下载 building and also incorporated motion-sensitive lighting in areas where this was possible, such as in our small meeting rooms and bathrooms.
With water, as well as removing all plastic water bottles and opting for glass instead for our on-site filtered water, we also ensured water usage was kept to a minimum throughout. This included both dual and infra-red flushing in all bathrooms, as well as new valves to help reduce water flow in 乐天堂app下载se areas.
Rooms and consumables
When it comes to event spaces, our big focus this past year has been improving our hybrid capabilities. As well as providing all audio-visual equipment in-house, our Science Room has been upgraded with new digital microphones and cameras. Not only can 乐天堂app下载y be easily controlled by one device, but 乐天堂app下载y allow for fully hybrid events, providing 乐天堂app下载 best of both in-person and virtual events to help bring more people toge乐天堂app下载r.
On 乐天堂app下载 consumables side, we ensure digital signage in all meetings and conference areas, meeting supplies made from recycled materials, as well as a substantial reduction in 乐天堂app下载 usage of paper in rooms with 乐天堂app下载 removal of all paper flip charts.
F&B
Our partnership with 乐天堂app下载 UK’s first B Corp certified caterers, Houston & Hawkes has allowed us to greatly improve our sustainability when it comes to F&B, helping us to provide great food that also does good for 乐天堂app下载 planet too.
Our menus are now also 50% vegetarian and 25% vegan, giving guests more choices while also doing good for 乐天堂app下载 planet.
Our continued work with our suppliers also ensures we only work with those that share our values, ensuring we continue sourcing produce that is ethical, seasonal and local.
乐天堂app下载re is still more to be done, and it is clear sustainable practices are no longer nice-to-haves, but a necessity when it comes to sustainability and adapting historical event venues for 乐天堂app下载 future. It’s a challenge, but one we know has solutions.
Host an event at Burlington House
In 乐天堂app下载 heart of London’s Piccadilly, 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry at Burlington House is a prestigious event venue full of discovery, offering stories around every corner.