Bournemouth International Centre (BIC) and the Pavilion

BIC and Pavilion Make the Energy Grade

The recent government requirement for Display Energy Certificates (DEC) has demonstrated that the Bournemouth International Centre (BIC) and Pavilion Theatre make the energy grade. The grading system runs from A (good) to G (poor), where A is very efficient and G is least efficient and is based on the actual amount of metered energy used by the building over a period of 12 months. The Pavilion achieved a B and the BIC achieved a C.

An advisory report accompanies the DEC and contains recommendations for improving the energy performance of the building. The BIC and Pavilion’s Green Team, consisting of representatives from each department, are delighted with the gradings. Green Team member and Head of Building and Technical Services at the BIC and Pavilion, Martin Belbin said: “We are thrilled that both venues achieved such good gradings and we will use the report to work towards improving the grading in the future. We have a responsibility to recognise the real threat of climate change and as an organisation we do our part to improve the energy efficiencies of the buildings we manage.”

As a leading UK conference and exhibitions venue, the BIC is a major player in the UK meetings industry hosting events like the Liberal Democrats Annual Conference earlier this year, with over 6,000 delegates attending the five day event. Belbin adds: “There are environmental implications of hosting events likes this but they are a great boost to the local economy so we must make sure our approach is as ‘green’ as possible; especially based on the fact that buildings are responsible for almost 50 per cent of the UK's energy consumption and carbon emission - a higher percentage than road or air traffic.”

Amongst other activities, the BIC undertook an intensive recycling procedure after the Liberal Democrat Conference to ensure the event was as ‘green’ as possible. In total, 31 stillages of paper and cardboard were recycled by the BIC team. That’s 20.77 cubic metres of recycling and made up approximately a seventh of the BIC’s yearly collection!

The BIC and Pavilion’s Green Team are responsible for initiatives based on the daily running of the building that improve efficiency, covering areas such as energy and water efficiency and waste management. For example, the lighting controls in the BIC car park saved 16,000 kWh over three months (June to August), compared with same time last year. Recent refurbishment of the original light fittings in the listed Pavilion Ballroom and the introduction of energy efficient light bulbs have resulted in using a third less than the previous power consumption!