P&J Live has unveiled details of a major sustainability campaign aimed at boosting the award-winning Aberdeen venue’s environmental credentials.
It is part of a commitment to achieving net-zero by 2050.
And it calls on the collective support of staff, clients, delegates, promoters, artists and the wider community to join forces to take “meaningful strides” to minimise the environmental impact of conferencing, events and live entertainment for years to come.
Meanwhile, staff and key stakeholders have made their own personal commitment to help reduce the venue’s carbon emissions by signing a “sustainability pledge”.
It commits them to things like switching off lights when not in use or putting waste in the right recycling bins.
The launch of P&J Lives new campaign coincides with Net Zero Week 2024.
Positive Planet, which helps organisations achieve their sustainability goals, has worked closely with the venue to measure its carbon emissions.
As a result, P&J Live is implementing a carbon emissions reduction plan.
Several complementary sustainability initiatives around its energy strategy, transportation, food supply, waste and marketing are expected to help the venue to halve greenhouse gas emissions before 2030.
Coldplay and Billie Eilish among artists ‘actively pushing’ for fully sustainable tours
P&J Live managing director Rob Wicks said: “From conferences to live entertainment, the industry is seeing increased demand for sustainable buildings and sustainable venue practices, with artists such as Coldplay and Billie Eilish actively pushing towards fully sustainable tours.
“With everything that was originally designed into the building and wider site, including a low carbon energy centre to power, heat and cool the venue, an anaerobic digestion plant that generates gas from local food and crop waste, as well as our various certifications and initiatives, I feel we are well placed to cater for what artists, event organisers and delegates need as we improve our combined sustainability performance.
“I like to call it our superpower.”
Mr Wicks added: “There is still a lot of work to be done, but by measuring our emissions we have a clear benchmark to work from as we commence our carbon reduction plans.
“It’s also been most encouraging to see the support from the team internally, as we work towards consolidating all our green initiatives into a set of meaningful goals and our own in-house pledge.”
Praise for P&J Live
RenewableUK hosts conferences and events such as Floating Offshore Wind at P&J Live.
Garth Halliday, the trade body’s chief operating officer, said: “We need a venue that can be relied upon to deliver a high-quality event, and also one that aligns with our sustainability values, along with those of our delegates, exhibitors, and sponsors.
“P&J Live’s commitment to sustainability is most encouraging.
“I have no doubt their efforts will enhance our experience at the venue for years to come.”
Toby Leighton-Pope, managing director at event promoter TEG Europe, said: “We were delighted to bring Michael Buble to P&J Live, with two sold out shows as part of the opening season in 2019.
“I have witnessed first-hand the efforts the team at P&J Live place on sustainability and was impressed with the on-site energy centre and anaerobic digestion plant that processes local food waste into energy.
“It’s clear that P&J Live are setting an excellent benchmark for live entertainment.”
P&J Live opened in September 2019. The £333 million development, delivered by Aberdeen City Council in partnership with Henry Boot Developments, created nearly 517,000sq feet of multi-purpose event space.
Two years ago the arena beat international rivals to win the large venue of the year title at a prestigious awards ceremony in London. It was declared top in a category for venues of more than 20,000 square metres (about 215,300sq ft) in the AEO Excellence Awards.
For more information on P&J Live’s net-zero journey visit pandjlive.com/about/sustainability/
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