The World Meteorological Organisation is predicting temperatures will rise by 3-5 degrees C by the end of the century. A rise at the mod point would have enormous consequences, perhaps most startling 10% of the earth’s population will be displaced.

Ultimately, it’s everyone’s responsibility to make sustainable changes. On a personal level and from your company’s perspective. It’s important to start making environmentally friendly changes. Unless we do, nothing will change.

The events industry has recently launched a vision to become waste-free by 2020. How can we do this?

There are plenty of small things you, as an event planner, can do to make more sustainable choices.

Firstly, by choosing a sustainable venue for your event. London is a progressive city and although there’s still a long way to go. There are some amazing sustainable venues in London you can choose from for your next event. Let’s get started shall we?

Sustainable Venues

BMA House

BMA House is steeped in history and architectural beauty and has been home to the headquarters of the British Medical Association since 1925.

The magnificent Grade II listed building was designed in 1911 by Sir Edwin Lutyens. The Space makes an impressive setting for corporate events and special occasions.

BMA House provides an opulent setting for both exclusive hire and corporate events. With two outdoor Spaces adjoining their indoor event Space, it offers plenty of flexible breakout areas for your next event.

BMA House has been accredited with a gold rating under the Green Tourism Business Scheme for its sustainability. This was awarded to the venue for a variety of reasons. From sourcing ethical suppliers to the effective use of the latest technologies for sustainability.

BMA House made lots of small changes which contribute to an overall sustainable goal. Standout projects at BMA House include using digital signage to guide guests throughout the venue instead of creating paper waste.
They also compost their food waste, use energy efficient equipment in their kitchens and filter their water onsite to reduce reliance on bottled water.

The Crystal

First opened in 2012, The Crystal is based in London’s Victoria Dock and is one of the world’s most sustainable venues.
The Crystal is a sustainable initiative by Siemens. The Crystal is home to the world’s largest exhibition on the future of cities.
The venue is the only building in the world to achieve the highest certification in both the BREEAM and LEED schemes.
Siemens use technologies throughout the building to ensure the highest energy efficiency and CO2 standards are met.
The Crystal is a pioneer in London sustainability. It has 70% less CO2 emissions than comparable offices in the UK.
Incredibly, the annual heating bill at The Crystal is £0 as they use 100% natural heat sources. 199 ground source pipes totaling 17km in length and reaching as deep as 150m heat and cool the building meaning it uses no fossil fuels at all.

The Crystal showcases state-of-the-art technology to make buildings more efficient.
The building incorporates a range of environmentally friendly technology including:
Rainwater harvesting
Blackwater treatment
Solar heating
Automated building management systems.
Not to mention, incredibly, 100% of their WC flushing uses recycled water. So, if you’re after the best sustainable venues in London, The Crystal should be at the top of your list.
With meeting rooms starting from just £450 per day, it’s a great venue hire option.

The Ritz London

One of the most prestigious names in London, The Ritz London is a quintessentially British venue. From private dining rooms to meeting rooms and event Spaces, they have something for everyone.
But what makes The Ritz one of London’s best sustainable venues?
In 2015, The Ritz decided they wanted to reduce their energy use by 3% every year. They have decided to focus on a few key projects in order to do this. Their projects include an emphasis on recycling, pollution control, sustainable food and drink and through The Ritz bees.

Sustainable food and drink at The Ritz.
The Ritz has a policy of purchasing the freshest seasonal ingredients available. Where possible they aim to use local suppliers. This helps them reduce their carbon footprint, but also in an effort to support the local community.The Ritz is also a member of the Sustainable Restaurant Association. They aim to use Fairtrade produce wherever they can, and all the meat on their menu is British.

Bees at The Ritz London
In case you didn’t know, bees are essential to a healthy ecosystem. We rely on them to pollinate most of our fruit and vegetables. Bees are under threat, and without them, so is our food and economy. Bees pollinate approximately 80% of our flowering crops. So, losing bees could affect many aspects of our lives, including what we eat.
The Ritz has made a promise to help the bees. If you choose The Ritz for your event you can support the quest for a greener future.

As part of their green initiative, The Ritz have installed three beehives on the 6th floor of their offices. Their beehives are home to 20,000 buckfast bees as well as a queen bee.
The natural honey the bees produce will be used in the kitchens by their chefs. Cool, right? The Ritz has also pledged to work with Green Park to plant more bee-friendly forage in the royal park

ZSL

We all know and love ZSL and they have lots of great unusual event Spaces, from the Tiger Territory to the Reptile House, as well as their big event Spaces and meeting rooms.

On top of being a great venue to hire in London, ZSL is one of the best sustainable venues in the city. ZSL is working hard to reduce negative environmental impacts and enhance ecological and social benefits.

ZSL are focusing on six key areas to help them work towards reducing their environmental impact. ZSL are improving their waste management, reducing water waste and focusing on energy efficiency. They are also focusing on sustainability training and awareness.

In a power house like ZSL, this latter point is important. Educating colleagues and visitors is important in spreading the word and increasing understanding both nationwide and globally.
With thousands of visitors every year, ZSL is the perfect place to educate people about environmental issues and sustainability.
ZSL demonstrate green ideas to visitors with signs around the site on how to protect the environment and conserve local wildlife.

This awareness of how to enhance biodiversity paired with reducing waste and carbon footprints is a great move from ZSL. It shows simple ways you can educate your Guests.
Leading by example is really effective, so hire this venue and teach your Guests something new about sustainability.

Here East

With 1.2 million sq ft in London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Here East brings together business, tech, media and data in the pursuit of innovation.

Here East is a unique meetings and event Space located in the heart of East London.
The Space is ideal for a wide range of events, from cultural and arts events through to corporate conferences, product launches and exhibitions. Here East boasts a capacity of 1,000 Guests, with a blank canvas reception area of over 1,200m2.
So how did they become one of the top sustainable venues in London?
Here East has repurposed the Olympic Landmark into a sustainable working community. Designed with both the economic and environmental prosperity of the area in mind.
The Press Centre at Here East is fitted with solar panels to reduce their carbon footprint by producing more renewable energy.
Their Broadcast Centre roof also collects rainwater for use on the premises. Finally, they have a centralised recycling point on campus for collection and sorting.
Here East is a great demonstration that no matter how big the Space, you can do things to become more sustainable.

Cavendish Venues

One of the greenest venue groups in london see https://www.cavendishvenues.co.uk/green-venues-london/

There you have it, some incredible venues that champion sustainability in different ways.
So, why not take some inspiration from their forward thinking behaviour and book a sustainable venue for your next event? The Venue Booker is a London based venue finding agency specialising in booking sustainable venues.

Make an Enquiry

At The Venue Booker, we will find you the perfect venue for your event. From meetings, seminars and conferences to receptions, dinners, parties and accommodation, our free venue finder service will source the perfect venue for you and secure you the best rates when you book through us. We bring over 20 years’ experience in hospitality and have a wide network of high quality venues within London and across the United Kingdom. At The Venue Booker we specialise in booking venues for charities, associations and other 3rd sector organisations. Don’t hesitate, get in touch now!