Constellar Venues wins top award for sustainable practices

Constellar Venues, which manages Singapore EXPO, was recognised in SBR National Business Awards.

The events industry is often tagged as a big contributor to the climate problem. This ranges from various waste produced during venue operations and event execution along with the energy requirements for both.

Singapore EXPO is an award-winning BCA Mark – Platinum certified convention and exhibition centre, currently the country’s largest purpose-built MICE venue. Managed by Constellar Venues Pte Ltd, its goal is to achieve net zero by 2024 and partner with event organisers to create sustainable events.

In line with its goal to reach net zero by 2024, it has invested in multiple infrastructures. It has begun with the installation of solar panels on the roof of Singapore EXPO spanning 46,410m2 that will generate enough energy to power 4,000 3-room apartments for a year. This will allow all events held at the venue to be powered by green energy, reducing carbon emissions.

Singapore EXPO has also partnered with Shell to install 20 EV chargers, making it the largest EV Charging hub in the East. These EV chargers will support the national infrastructure in promoting the adoption of electric vehicles, to help reduce carbon emissions from transportation.

On the F&B front, the venue has also implemented a food digester that converts food waste into not just electricity but also water and compost. On top of having two herb gardens, an urban farm is in the process of being placed on the rooftop of the Singapore EXPO.

In line with its sustainability mission, it worked with one of the largest trade show organisers to make the Food & Hotel Asia - Food & Beverage 2022 event as sustainable as possible at Singapore EXPO. Touted as Asia's largest food & drinks trade event, FHA Food & Beverage 2022 spanned across six exhibition halls. The event attracted 35,000 attendees and over 2,000 exhibitors from 50 countries and regions, making “FHA Food & Beverage 2022” the largest trade show to take place at Singapore EXPO since the pandemic.

For this initiative, Constellar Venues won the Business Services - Events Management award in the recently concluded SBR National Business Awards.

The prestigious annual awards programme launched in 2016 honours local and homegrown companies in Singapore and recognises outstanding projects that greatly contribute to Singapore’s fast-growing economy.

In giving this award, the judging panel took into consideration the various efforts undertaken by the company for this event and Singapore EXPO as a sustainable event venue.

This includes F&B partners being asked to use biodegradable food packaging and the company’s own efforts of reducing single-use plastic waste by switching to recycled PET and installing water dispensers around the venue. Pop-up kiosks and F&B zones around Singapore EXPO were opened, and the capacity of its food park was increased with an additional 500 pax outdoor seating.

Singapore EXPO uses energy-efficient LED lighting throughout the venue. Unused lighting and equipment during show hours were shut down and the air conditioning was set at an optimal temperature to avoid excessive cooling in the event halls.

Lastly, event attendees were encouraged to use public transport to get to EXPO. The venue offered complimentary buses to ferry delegates to the city centre to reduce congestion and overuse of vehicles.

Overall, Singapore EXPO hopes to demonstrate its commitment to sustainability and responsibility towards the environment, the MICE industry, and the community.

The SBR National Business Awards is presented by Singapore Business Review Magazine. To view the full list of winners, click here. If you want to join the 2024 awards programme and be acclaimed for your company's exceptional contributions to the local business landscape in Singapore, please contact Bianca Peñaranda at [email protected].