Following on from yesterday’s story, that delegates at the COP17 conference will be offered tap water in jugs rather than the environmentally unfriendly bottled water, it transpires that the ICC has been thinking further about its green status than just banning bottled water. It has committed to saving water, energy and disposing of its waste responsibly, a move that has seen it being awarded an ISA14001 certification. It is great to see big business taking green issues seriously and thinking about how they can do their bit to assist the environment.
The South African Bureau of Standards has awarded the International Convention Centre (ICC) Durban ISO14001 certification, an international environmental standard for its commitment to saving energy and water, as well as its responsible disposal of waste.
The ICC Durban is the second convention centre in South Africa to meet the requirements for the certificate, the first being the Cape Town ICC.
Announced yesterday, this means the ICC has been acknowledged for its environmentally friendly design and operation, efficient use of water and electricity and responsible handling of waste.
The certification process looked at the ICC’s environmental management system and assured it complied with the rigorous performance standards set by the International Standards Organisation (ISO), a group that sets quality and management standards for various aspects of business.
The ICC completed its stage II ISO 14001 audit in September.
CEO Julie-May Ellingson said they were delighted to have received the certification following on from the ISO 9001 (quality management systems) and ISO 2200 (food safety) certifications.
“It’s a huge stamp of quality for our organisation and one that our team worked very hard to achieve,” said Ellingson.
The ICC Durban building is a high-tech design that has incorporated green elements such as a large glass facade for natural lighting, energy efficient light fittings and air-conditioning systems, as well as indigenous landscaping.
The gardens are populated predominantly with indigenous plant species local to KwaZulu-Natal, which limits need for irrigation.
“The ICC grows it own culinary herbs for use in its kitchen, which serves the majority of catering needs at the ICC. This initiative will be expanded in the near future to include a wider variety of herbs as well as vegetables,” said Ellingson.
She said the ICC had a stringent waste separation policy that aimed to maximise the volume of waste being sent for recycling. During the first half of 2011, more than 50% of its waste was recycled.
Story by Tlalane Tshetlo
The New Age