Back in 2003, I was the president of IFES and wrote an article on the importance of thinking green and the management of non-degradable waste materials at tradeshows.
The subject is still a hot topic, but with a brighter shade of green.
Strong steps have been taken in Europe to address green issues, primarily in the UK, Germany, France, Austria, and Italy. In the U.S., we are still a dull shade of green, but we are slowly catching up.
The expo and tradeshow association, I.M. Austria, recently conducted its annual meeting in Vienna. Being an association dedicated to fairs and live marketing specialists in Austria, I.M. Austria is committed to paving the way for green displays. At this meeting they fabricated and presented the first fully recyclable and environmentally friendly tradeshow exhibit paired with high-tech communication tools.
“Sustainability issues, climate protection and the reduction of CO2 emissions are still rarely associated for application at tradeshows and booth design, yet doing so is very possible,” says Birgit Holzl-Zech, general secretary of I.M. Austria.
Materials used
The stand designer for this conference, Thomas Wasshuber of Bruckschwaiger GmbH, not only kept the CO2 emission issues in mind, but he tried to use as many recyclable materials as possible.
For the flooring, local spruce was used and covered with red linoleum. Linoleum is the most environmentally friendly flooring available because it is 100 percent natural and can be used many times thanks to its durability. By using one meter, large linoleum tiles the floor can be easily disassembled after the fair and will be reused for future shows.
The walls of the booth consisted of a recyclable aluminum framework. Firstly, because it can be reused many times, but mainly because costs and CO2 are saved during transportation due to its low weight. In between, slightly rusty iron sheets with a wax-sealed surface were mounted. These panels meet the requirements of low-flammability, are reusable and truly recyclable. In their previous life, they were used as facade panels.
The logos of I.M.Austria and its members were affixed to white painted metal sheets, which will also be used for future presentations after this event.
As a special highlight at the stand, visitors could use a multi-touch screen to get all the important information about I. M. Austria and the services its members provide.
I.M. Austria is an independent and impartial association for exhibit and live marketing specialists in Austria. They are also members of the International Federation of Exhibition and Event Services (IFES). As a trade association, I.M. Austria represents the interests of its members who work outside the country. This includes active networking and continuous information on all industry-specific concerns, supporting sound education, training opportunities and established quality assurance measures.
We applaud the steps that I.M. Austria is taking along with the steps taken by other countries within the exposition industry.
