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The UK’s leading venue, the NEC, has today announced it has saved a massive 927 million litres of water in the ten years of NEC Sustain – the venue’s all-encompassing environmental programme.
This news comes as the venue launches ‘Prevent’, the latest campaign for the programme that focusses on how waste management supports the development of greener events.
NEC Sustain has been trailblazing the sustainability cause for a decade, constantly growing and adapting to meet the needs of our changing world. One of the first and key initiatives under the programme has been the adoption of an innovative washroom water conservation system, developed by Derby-based HSG.
The NEC was the first venue to use HSG’s Ureco and Uretech system ten years ago by installing 800 urinals across the site. In the first year alone, it saved enough water to fill 33 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
The Ureco traps smells, whilst the Uretech element can reduce urinal flushes from around 96 times to just four times a day – drastically reducing water usage, saving money on utility bills, maintenance and repairs and improving the customers’ washroom experience.
The NEC’s commitment to water conservation was officially recognised by the Lord Lieutenant of Derbyshire William Tucker last year when he presented HSG with The Queen’s Award for Enterprise in Innovation Grant of Approval, in recognition of the Ureco’s environmental and cost benefits.
NEC Group FM Contracts Support Manager, Steve Cartmell said: “With upwards of 2.4million visitors coming through our doors each year, working with HSG UK on our bathroom provisions has been a simple and effective way to help meet our sustainability commitments and helps us on our way to achieving greener events.”
HSG Managing Director Simon Rice added: “The NEC was an early adopter of the Ureco system and its demonstrable commitment to water conservation has been a major factor in encouraging other businesses and venues across the UK to follow its lead and adopt the Ureco in their own washrooms.
“The NEC has therefore led the way in washroom water conservation and I commend its continued vision to environmental sustainability.”
This has been just one of the commitments the venue has made to ensuring the work and the hundreds of events it delivers each year are as green as possible. From energy saving escalators and lanyard recycling, to the usage of AI and its zero to landfill initiative, the NEC is going above and beyond to make positive change and prevent wastage.
For a full round-up of NEC Sustain initiatives, please visit the NEC Sustain webpage.