More than 80% of the overall energy requirements of the Basel and Zurich exhibition sites are met by renewable energies. All the electricity consumed comes from renewable sources. Photovoltaic systems on the roofs of Messe Basel and Messe Zürich as well as at the Expomobilia location in Effretikon produce solar electricity for around 400 single-family homes with four-person households. Hall 1 South in Messe Basel has been awarded the BS-054 Minergie label.
Energy consumption and emissions at Messe Basel, Messe Zürich and LMS Switzerland (Expomobilia) in 2021 reflect the fact that business activity was curtailed by the pandemic but increased in the second half by comparison to the previous year. The figures are thus correspondingly lower than in the years prior to the pandemic but above those for the reference year of 2020.
Solar energy
Back in 1999, a photovoltaic system accompanied by vegetation was installed on the roof of Hall 1 North in Basel, making it possible to use solar energy. The panels have an area of 1,900 m², with an output of 215,000 kWh per year. A system four times this size was set up on the green roof of Hall 1 South, which was completed in 2013. This photovoltaic system, which was installed in cooperation with an investor, feeds approximately 1,080,000 kWh of electricity annually into the grid of the Industrielle Werke Basel (IWB), which took over the system in 2014.
MCH Group also supports the “Wettstein 21” platform, which was responsible for the installation of a further photovoltaic system on the roof of Congress Center Basel. This was completed at the end of 2014 and delivers around 180,000 kWh of electricity per year. The roof space was made available free of charge.
MCH Group’s photovoltaic installations produce over 2 million kWh of electricity
A photovoltaic system with a panel area of 1,200 m² and an output of 150,000 kWh per year has been in operation on the roof of Messe Zürich since 2009. Expomobilia operates a photovoltaic system with a total surface area of 3,000 m² at its site in Effretikon. This generates an average of 435,000 kWh each year.
Minergie certificate
During the construction of Hall 1 South at Messe Basel, which was completed in 2013, great importance was attached to achieving the highest possible level of energy efficiency, both in respect of the insulation for the building shell and with regard to the provision of the necessary heating and cooling energy in an environmentally friendly manner. All the heating, ventilation and refrigeration systems are operated only as required and the majority of the waste heat generated is used.
A minergie certificate for exhibition buildings has been developed for Hall 1 South of Messe Basel
The Basel-Stadt Minergie certification agency awarded the exhibition hall the BS-054 Minergie label, which had been developed especially for it. In addition, the target values of SIA Standard 380/4 are met by this latest exhibition hall in respect of lighting and ventilation/air-conditioning.
Stand construction & fittings
A long service life, multiple use, environmentally friendly and energy-efficient production, recyclable or biodegradable materials – stand construction companies and suppliers show what it means to be sustainable in the area of stand construction and fittings.
Expomobilia
LMS Switzerland (Expomobilia) offers a wide range of resource-conserving, reusable or biodegradable materials, including wooden walls from environmentally certified local suppliers and reusable parquet floors from locally sourced wood. The lights are mostly fitted with state-of-the-art, long-life LED bulbs with a low energy consumption.
One example of sustainable exhibition structures is the “EECS.green” system developed by Exhibition-Event-Congress-Services in conjunction with the ITI at the Technical University of Vienna. This is based on the use of wood instead of aluminum.
A CO2 climate protection calculator specially developed by Expomobilia in cooperation with myclimate, the Swiss non-profit foundation for voluntary climate protection, for trade fair stands and interior fittings helps customers to make sure that their stands are 100% climate-neutral or assists them to offset emissions.
MC2
MC2 is committed to environmentally friendly and sustainable business operations. Environmental responsibility is applied in all areas, from the selection of materials to logistical supply and installation. MC2 aims to be a leader in sustainability in all its business operations, including the design, production, delivery and disposal of its products. In the construction of temporary infrastructure, where many different materials are used, MC2 strives to find the most environmentally neutral products and service providers.
The “Fabric” and “Thunder” EcoFlex™ systems are examples of this. The combined systems are made up of environmentally friendly and reusable materials. Their low weight and easy transportability contribute to a clear reduction in carbon emissions. They also permit savings on storage costs.
Syma – an official stand construction partner of MCH Group
Syma offers the highest environmental standards in trade fair construction. This is based on factors including the following:
- Multiple-use and recyclable materials
- Compatible modular stand construction systems
- Local production through a global licensee network
- Integrated life-cycle design (production, assembly, storage, transport, recycling, disposal)
Our stand construction companies and suppliers focus on sustainable products
Weberfloors – recyclable carpeting
Rewind, the first recyclable exhibition carpeting from the Belgian manufacturer Beaulieu Flooring Solutions, has been used at numerous MCH Group trade fairs. The carpeting is sold by Weberfloors. Rewind has been awarded the Cradle to Cradle certificate from the Environmental Protection Encouragement Agency EPEA. The benefits:
- Completely latex-free and recyclable
- Produced without any water and with 83% less gas than conventional carpets
- Production process cuts CO2 emissions by up to 35%
- Simpler to process and lay and requires less transport and storage capacity thanks to its low weight
Logistics
The traffic required for setting up and dismantling events is controlled by logistics concepts and traffic systems designed to keep the burden on the environment and the local neighbourhood as low as possible.
Messe Basel
Delivery traffic to Messe Basel is steered using a checkpoint-based system, for which an appropriate online tool has been developed in order to minimise traffic searching for parking spaces and traffic jams. Deliveries to the exhibition halls are always made underground if possible.
To ensure that the entire logistics of journeys to and from Messe Basel can be controlled in an optimum manner, all movements within the exhibition site are performed by Sempex, Messe Basel’s logistics partner. Sempex has developed a quality management system to ISO 9001.
Messe Zürich
Delivery traffic to Messe Zürich is steered using a checkpoint-based system to minimise traffic searching for parking spaces and traffic jams. Care is also taken to ensure that optimum use is made of the various delivery levels.
To ensure that the entire logistics of journeys to and from Messe Zürich can be controlled in an optimum manner, all movements within the exhibition site are performed by Securitas, Messe Zürich’s logistics partner. Together with Securitas, the logistics officer at Messe Zürich continually checks that the specified measures for attaining the environmental and energy targets are implemented.
More information about our sustainability
Economical sustainability
We provide a wide range of services in the value chain for experience marketing, which vary from case to case…
Social sustainability
We are committed to the fundamental values of a democratic state governed by the rule of law and a free market economy…
Our Sustainability Report 2023
With our sustainability report, we demonstrate our commitment to transparency and sustainability, optimize operational processes, reduce risks and ensure compliance with Swiss laws.