The intensified efforts made by Abu Dhabi National Exhibitions Company (ADNEC) to promote sustainability and environment conservation across its facilities have yielded several positive results in 2014, the company revealed.

In 2014, ADNEC recycled various types of cardboards, plastic cans, aluminum cans, paper, scrap metal, glass, printer cartridge, batteries as well as gypsum boards, which are widely used in the construction of exhibition pavilions. These efforts have significantly contributed to achieving the sustainability and recycling goal of ADNEC.

More specifically, ADNEC recycled 39 tons of paper, reducing about 51 tons of carbon emissions and saving 658 trees, as well as 18.000 gallons of oil and over 271.000 gallons of water.

Additionally, it recycled 63 tons of cardboard in different types, cutting down 94 tons of carbon emissions. Three tons of metals, three tons of iron, three tons of coal, 203 kg of soft drink cans were also recycled resulting in savings of 3,132 kilowatt hour electricity.

While the recycling of three tons of plastic bottles saved up to 12,318 kilowatt hour electricity, the recycling of food wastes resulted in the production of 17 tons of fertilizer, which is equivalent to taking 18 cars off the road for a full year.

Humaid Matar Al Dhaheri, Acting Group CEO of ADNEC, said: “ADNEC has taken several important steps to improve sustainability standards within its facilities and issued periodic sustainability reports to increase awareness about the importance of sustainability in our activities.

“At ADNEC, we are constantly developing new systems and procedures that will allow us to minimise the impact of our business on environment through the use of innovative technologies. Today, ADNEC stands out as a regional success model for the implementation of sustainability standards as an integral part of our daily work. We also encourage other organisations to follow our suit in this regards.”

Al Dhaheri added: “Over the past three years, we have implemented several initiatives that articulate our ongoing commitment to sustainability and environmental conversation. The recycling programme jointly launched by Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre and Al Ain Convention Centre (AACC) has particularly achieved noteworthy results.

“As a company that respects sustainability standards, ADNEC also participates in a host of community initiatives to achieve environment protection and balanced results for our stakeholders, including employees, partners, and society. These efforts have led to increased knowledge, understanding and awareness of our stakeholders about the importance participation in sustainability initiatives. In addition, we have been honoured with two awards at the annual Association of Event Organisers (AEO) awards ceremony held in London in recognition of our efforts and initiatives to promote sustainability regionally and internationally.”  

ADNEC has a dedicated team in place to tackle environmental issues comprising representatives from various departments who meet on a regular basis to discuss new recycling ideas.

The corporate culture promoted internally by ADNEC has been an important factor in the success of the company’s sustainability practices through advocating environmental sustainability as an essential part of the company’s daily business and encouraging all employees to think sustainably in everything they do.

ADNEC currently recycles the cooking oil used in its different facilities to produce biofuel that runs small cranes across the venue. It also uses electrical energy generated by a 1,000 square meter solar panel facility installed on the roof of Parking (B) for the operation of elevators as well as the lighting of three floors of parking buildings with a total capacity to produce 111 kilowatts/hour  of electricity.

ADNEC follows a holistic approach to achieving sustainability, starting from the design of its buildings to the plastics bottle recycling units it operates. The company also has a food waste recycling machine, which allows ADNEC to recycle several tons of waste every day.