UN Climate Change Conference COP23
The Assignment
The United Nation’s Climate Change Conference COP23 saw almost 29,000 people, including thousands of Government delegates’ and world media, gather in Bonn, Germany, for two weeks of crucial meetings and discussions. Representatives from over 200 governments attended the high-profile event including French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Organisers of COP23, the 23rd Conference of the Parties of the United Nations, had set out to make the event the greenest ever conference staged by the UN, and therefore put sustainability as a top priority.
Neptunus were appointed to build the temporary conference centre for the occasion following the company’s success at providing facilities for international global events including other UN Climate Change Conferences in Bonn, Copenhagen and Warsaw; the Energy & Climate Summit in Switzerland and a temporary convention centre for the EU Presidency in Amsterdam which was in use for six months.
The Solution
Technicians from Neptunus erected two temporary buildings from the company’s Evolution range, covering a total of more than 15,000 square metres, which formed a temporary conference centre that was dismantled after the event to be re-used elsewhere.
Neptunus’ Evolution structures have the appearance and feel of a permanent building but are fully sustainable and designed from re-useable materials. The largest hall, which incorporated a mezzanine floor, provided over 10,000 square metres of mainly exhibition space. A second temporary building of over 5,000 square metres housed conference rooms and private meeting areas for the delegates, including world leaders.
Neptunus has a renowned reputation for supplying high quality sustainable temporary buildings that can be swiftly erected and dismantled while at the same time creating environments that are safe, extremely stable with insulated walls and rigid flooring, and with excellent sound proofing and top-class acoustics.
The Challenge
Sustainability was the watchword for the organisers who were keen that every element of the entire Climate Changer Conference was as eco-friendly as possible. From Neptunus’ perspective this was a request they were confident of delivering as the company places sustainability as one of its own top priorities on all assignments. Neptunus is committed to avoiding unnecessary wastage and to re-using and recycling as much of their materials as possible.
In addition the organisers required a venue with the look and feel of a permanent building that could be erected and dismantled swiftly. As it would be hosting so many prominent politicians and VIPs from across the globe it was also essential that the facility provided by Neptunus was secure, safe and could comfortably accommodate vast numbers of people in a ‘working’ environment.
The Verdict
COP23 was the first United Nations Climate Change Conference to receive official certification for eco-friendly performance. The Eco-management Audit Scheme (EMAS) certificate verified the event management’s successful and environmentally-friendly organisation of the conference.
Ovais Sarmad, Deputy Executive Secretary of UN Climate Change, described COP 23 as ‘the greenest ever’. He said achieving the high EMAS certification had raised the sustainability bar of UN conferences.
The reusable material of Neptunus’ temporary buildings contributed to the overall sustainability performance at the event which also scored impressive eco-friendly results for waste avoidance and strict waste separation, climate friendly catering, transport and even the delegates’ water consumption.
