Biggest event venue in Berlin awarded Green Globe Re-certification

LOS ANGELES, California – Green Globe announced re-certification of Velomax Berlin – two of the biggest event venues in Berlin, Germany, the Max-Schmeling Halle and the Velodrom.

LOS ANGELES, California – Green Globe announced re-certification of Velomax Berlin – two of the biggest event venues in Berlin, Germany, the Max-Schmeling Halle and the Velodrom. Since its initial certification in 2010, the Velomax Berlin has demonstrated leadership and innovation in the fields of operational efficiency and social responsibility and is committed to looking for ways to minimize the environmental impact.

“We are very proud to be the only multi-functional event arena in Germany holding the prestigious Green Globe award,” said Anette Weller, Managing Director at Velomax Berlin, “Our green philosophy is anchored in our business policy, and we strive to focus on authentic, transparent, and verifiable actions when it comes to sustainable operations. We just renewed our central building management system; installed motion, CO2, and temperature sensors, which will help to continue reducing our energy consumption, saving resources, and cut down costs. Our Green Team, consisting of 15 employees from different departments, meets on a regular basis to shape and realize our environmental goals.”

A long-term Sustainability Management System is in effect at the Velomax Berlin and operational performance is strictly monitored. Electricity comes from 100% renewable sources, and 1,064 solar collectors are installed on the roof of the arena. Outside air is pre-conditioned for heating and cooling, and energy is being saved by using daylight for loading and production set up. The purchasing policy favors environmentally-friendly products for building materials, capital goods, food, and consumables. Packaging is reduced to a minimum and local suppliers are given preference. Visitors are encouraged to arrive by train and event tickets include public transportation. The Velomax works closely with the city of Berlin to fulfill sports and cultural guidelines and offers numerous carbon-neutral events. On May 13, 2012 the Max-Schmeling Halle celebrated a huge success hosting the first carbon-neutral national handball league match – this event is already scheduled to be repeated in 2013!

Green Globe Certification’s CEO, Guido Bauer, commented: “We are extremely pleased to award re-certification to the Velomax Berlin. Large events are major sources of pollution, with people traveling from all over the place, flyers, program brochures, and energy consumption that could easily supply an entire small town, the list goes on and on. Event organizers have to act in a responsible manner and inspire partners, consumers, and fans in terms of green actions. With their environmental efforts, the Velomax Berlin is one of the pioneers in the event industry and impresses with an innovative approach to be 100% eco-friendly.”

ABOUT VELOMAX BERLIN

The Velomax Berlin Hallenbetriebs GmbH has been successfully operating two of the biggest event halls in Berlin since 1997: The Max-Schmeling Halle and the Velodrom. Velomax Berlin is a subsidiary of Gegenbauer Location Management & Services GmbH, a company of the Gegenbauer Group which employs more than 15,000 staff members throughout Germany. The venue is integrated into a park landscape, and the “Green Bridge” connects former East-West Berlin with its green and rounded down roof. The elegant architecture meets both high esthetic and sustainable standards. The Max-Schmeling Halle is one of the leading venues in Germany and over the past 15 years, the arena hosted more than 1,100 events – ranging from national and international concerts of all types, extraordinary stage and television shows, and sporting events including 18 world championships, accommodating more than 10 million visitors.

Contact: Sybil Franke, Marketing/Sales, Max-Schmeling Halle, Falkplatz 1, 10437 Berlin, Germany, Tel +49 (30) 44304 713, Fax +49 (30) 44304 739, e-mail: [email protected] ,www.velomax.de

ABOUT GREEN GLOBE CERTIFICATION

Green Globe Certification is the worldwide sustainability system based on internationally-accepted criteria for sustainable operation and management of travel and tourism businesses. Operating under a worldwide license, Green Globe Certification is based in California, USA, and is represented in over 83 countries. Green Globe Certification is a member of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, supported by the United Nations Foundation. For more information, please visit www.greenglobe.com

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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