London to miss environmental targets?

London 2012 claimed the Games will be the most sustainable in recent history. However, a Going for Green report claims a lack of electric vehicles, air pollution and renewable electricity targets were areas of concern.

The report praised London's 2012's approach to mapping its carbon footprint and its aim to reuse or recycle 90% of temporary materials.

Not securing more electric vehicles for the Olympic fleet was a "missed opportunity", the committee's report concludes.

It is still not clear how carbon emissions from travel to London will be reduced and a target on renewable electricity during the staging phase of the Games is unlikely to be met, the report states.

London's air quality, which has also not improved as hoped since 2005, is also said to be a "particular concern".

A TEMPORARY SHOW COURT WILL BE INSTALLED ON HORSE GUARDS PARADE FOR THE 2012 OLYMPIC BEACH VOLLEYBALL VENUE

The venue will be situated in Horse Guards Parade in Central London to host the Olympic beach volleyball competition for a total of 11 days. Populous along with Allies and Morrison and Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands have designed a structure that will be an entirely temporary construction. Populous’ wide experience in Olympic and high-profile events ensures a design that will integrate perfectly with this historic site and spectacular setting. “All work to the landscape is temporary and is designed to have minimal impact on the existing site” says Jeff Keas, Principal of Populous.

Horse Guards Parade attracts tourists all year round. The key attractions include the daily changing of the guard which also uses the Mall as part of the route. St James’s Park attracts about 5.5 million visitors every year and is one of the most visited parks in Europe.

The outdoor seating bowl with 15,000 seats will have lighting for evening competition, video and sport- specific fixtures. It has been designed as two distinct elements, a 'theatre in the round' lower bowl to provide a high energy atmosphere, and a three-sided upper bowl allowing the spectators and camera views to use the historic sites and London skyline beyond, as a backdrop to the event.

Populous is the Official Architectural and Overlay Design Services Provider to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and it is also the designer of the Sochi 2014 Olympic Stadium. Commenting on their involvement on the Olympics, Jeff Keas, Principal of Populous said: "It is a pleasure for us to be part of one of the most exciting events in the world. Our expertise in Overlay design and major scale events will provide the London 2012 Olympic Games fans with a unique experience."

Rugby World Cup Limited (RWCL) has awarded Rugby Travel & Hospitality Limited (RTH), a joint venture between Sodexo UK and Ireland and the Mike Burton Group, the contract to exclusively create, implement and market the official travel and hospitality programmes for Rugby World Cup 2015 in England and Rugby World Cup 2019 in Japan.

The agreement extends the highly successful partnership between the world’s third largest single sporting event and RHT, following its delivery of the award-winning official travel and hospitality programmes for Rugby World Cup 2007 in France, achieving record sales figures.

RTH is also managing the delivery of the official programmes for Rugby World Cup 2011 in New Zealand and with just over a year to go sales are ahead of target. Bernard Lapasset, Rugby World Cup Limited Chairman, said: “We are delighted to be extending our excellent partnership with RTH through to Rugby World Cup 2019 in Japan. The company has vast operational experience, a highly professional and innovative approach and is globally renowned for delivering exceptional travel and hospitality programmes.” “The commercial ticketing programme has been one of the major success stories for Rugby World Cup, enhancing the tournament experience for hundreds of thousands of Rugby fans from all around the world and contributing massively to the global development of the Game.”

Andrew Burton, Chief Executive of the Mike Burton Group and RTH, said: “We are very excited about this fantastic opportunity to extend our association with Rugby World Cup. The decision to award the contract for two Tournaments is testament to the dedication, hard work and professionalism of the team. This is a prime contract and will help us deliver on our corporate objectives whilst benefiting the Game of Rugby around the world.” Chris John, managing director, Sodexo Prestige UK and Ireland, added: “We are delighted to have further strengthened our relationship with RWCL. Our values are based on an uncompromising approach to quality, whether it is in relation to the food we serve or the services we provide. These traits are mirrored in the work of RWCL and this contract is testament to the collaborative approach we have taken at previous events.”

In addition to the delivery of the official hospitality and travel programmes, RTH will also manage the in-stadia hospitality catering contracts for both tournaments under the new agreement. A market leader in the delivery of world class travel and hospitality programmes for major sports events, RTH is also part of the group that will create and deliver the exclusive in-venue official prestige ticketing programme for the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games in London. RTH will establish offices in London in 2012 to plan and deliver the RWC 2015 travel and hospitality programmes before moving to Tokyo in preparation for Rugby World Cup 2019.

Thyssen Krupp leads the way with sustainable HQ

ThyssenKrupp AG, the integrated materials and technology group, opened its new corporate headquarters in Essen, Germany, in presence of the former State Premier of North Rhine-Westphalia, Dr. Jürgen Rüttgers. After a construction period of three years, the ThyssenKrupp Quarter aims to bring together under one roof the company's administrative offices which were previously spread over various sites. One of the highlights of the ThyssenKrupp Quarter is the cube-shaped centerpiece "Q1". Its 50-meters height and its distinctive shape will make it a real attraction for visitors. More than 500 employees will move into their offices here shortly. The offices will use geothermal heating and cooling while heat will be recovered from the waste air and rainwater will be fed to the lake in the neighboring Krupp Park.

2 Year Countdown to London 2012 started on the 27th of July

In two years the London 2012 Olympic Games will open. Populous, the global architecture and design practice, is delighted to provide an update on the progress being made on the site, including the completion of the roof and progression of the installation of the stadium’s black and white seating.

Populous is the architect for the stadium as well as being responsible for the 2012 Olympic Games overlay. The stadium's seating configuration, arranged in a elliptical bowl form, has been designed to enable the spectators to be as close to the action as possible, making the 80,000 seat stadium feel compact for an intense experience. The black and white spectator seats provide a neutral backdrop for the colours that the spectators will bring from around the world, and the track will be highlighted in a striking colour which will reflect the vibrancy of our city in 2012.

Rod Sheard, Senior Principal at Populous said:
“We are extremely excited that the opening of the 2012 Stadium and Olympic Games is gradually becoming a reality. The greatest sporting event in the world is now only two years away and our stadium will be complete, tested and ready for its debut.”

ENVIRONMENT AGENCY HELPING 2012 GAMES TO LEAVE AN
‘OUTSTANDING GREEN LEGACY’



Lord Chris Smith and the Environment Agency Board on Wednesday19th of May visited the Lower Lea Valley, home to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, to learn of its transformation from a heavily polluted industrial area into a haven for communities and wildlife.

During the visit the group saw first hand how close working between the Environment Agency and the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) is transforming the Olympic Park, which is a major catalyst for regeneration in the Lower Lea Valley.

With expert support and guidance from the Environment Agency, the ODA has been able to reuse over 95% of demolition material in construction and recover over 90% (1.5 million tonnes) of contaminated soil for re-use. This work will help to ensure a rich environmental legacy is left to millions of Londoners.

The partnership has also been instrumental in helping to transform the lower reaches of the River Lee, historically one of the most polluted rivers in the country. Last year, as of a clean up, the Environment Agency funded work to remove 30,000 tonnes of oxygen-depleting sediment, including three tonnes of tyres, three cars, 40 motorbikes and 120 shopping trolleys, from the river.

Within the Olympic Park itself, one kilometre of natural river habitat is being reclaimed from what were previously vertical sheet walls. New wetlands are also being created as part of work to establish a corridor of green parkland along the Lower Lee River.

Lord Chris Smith, Chairman of the Environment Agency, said: “The Environment Agency is right behind the ODA in its mission to create an outstanding green Olympic legacy in east London.

“This is an unique opportunity for sustainable development and I have every confidence that the 2012 Games will set a new environmental precedent in the development of Olympic Parks. I would like to congratulate everyone working on this exceptional project.

“This has by no means been an easy achievement. The Olympic Park is not only one of the largest construction sites in Europe, it is also criss-crossed by eight kilometres of waterways and has an industrial history resulting in land contamination, water pollution, illegal waste sites, poor public access and flooding.

“The ODA has embraced the gargantuan task of unpicking decades of industrialisation to return the area to a refuge for communities and wildlife. By working alongside the Environment Agency, the ODA has been able to ensure that the development goes beyond complying with environmental legislation to achieve the accolade of the ‘greenest games’ in history.”

John Armitt, Chair of the ODA said: “We are delivering one of the UK’s most complex clean-up operations and transforming previously contaminated industrial land into a green back-drop for the 2012 Games and the UK’s largest new urban park. “We have worked closely with the regulatory bodies and local authorities, including the Environment Agency, to safely clean and recycle more than one million tonnes of contaminated material to help create the foundation for the venues, parklands and homes that will transform this part of east London.”

Key environmental achievements on the River Lee and London 2012 Olympic site include*:

• In total around 280 hectares of brownfield land will be regenerated;





• 4,000 homes are no longer at risk of flooding as a result of river management work;





• Around 30,000 tonnes of oxygen depleting sediment, including three tonnes of tyres, three cars, 40 motorbikes and 120 shopping trolleys, has been removed from the Lower Lee River;





• 800m of natural river bank has been reclaimed from vertical sheet walls. The new reed-fringed sloping banks will provide valuable habitat to fish, animals, insects and plants;
  100 hectares of green space with around three hectares of reed beds and wet woodland will be created in the Olympic Park;





• Real-time water quality monitoring stations have been installed in the Park allowing rapid response to pollution incidents;





• Sewage treatment works are being improved to provide a larger storm tank capacity, phosphate removal plant and hydrogen peroxide dosing facility;





• The Lee Tunnel is being built by Thames Water to intercept storm overflows from Abbey Mills pumping station in Stratford and transfer it to Beckton sewage treatment works. This work will prevent sewage from overflowing into the river during periods of intense rainfall;





• Over 95% of demolition material has been recycled in construction on the site;





• Over 1.5 million tonnes of contaminated soil has been cleaned with 90% of contaminated soil being reused on the site;

• The Lea River Park will form a green corridor along the River Lee. It is hoped that the park will stretch from Hertfordshire all the way to the River Thames, allowing walkers and cyclists to enjoy 26 miles of open and accessible space park land.

As well as giving advice and guidance throughout the development of Olympic Park site and legacy planning, the Environment Agency has provided a dedicated team to work with the ODA and contractors to ensure that they comply with environmental regulations. This tailored approach is reducing administrative burden allowing contractors to meet tight deadlines.

Martin Baggs, Chief Executive of Thames Water, and Simon Bamford Waterway Manager of British Waterways (London), two essential partners in the transformation of the River Lee, met Lord Smith and the Environment Agency Board on the visit to discuss progress in the clean up. John Armitt, Chairman of the ODA, also joined the Board as they saw more about the achievements in improving the environment on the Olympic Park.

Siemens plc launches Sustainability Month

Siemens plc has launched its inaugural 'Sustainability Month' across the company in the UK, with all energy savings made converted to donations for local community and environmental programmes.

 

Taking place in May and supporting the Prince's May Day Network and World Environment Day, the month aims to encourage Siemens' employees to be involved in energy saving and environmental programmes and to take small personal actions that, although simple, can make a real difference.

 

It is estimated that tens of thousands of pounds could be saved across the company during the month - which will be donated to local environmental causes chosen by employees themselves.

 

Andreas J. Goss, Chief Executive at Siemens plc, said: "Sustainability is a central tenet of our business, both in terms of what we deliver to our customers and how our company operates. Through Sustainability Month we will build upon existing practices and policies, encouraging our employees to take actions that will also benefit worthwhile causes across the country. Creating a sustainable future means minimising our impact on the environment - we all have a personal stake and a part to play."

 

Ian Bowman, Head of Corporate Responsibility at Siemens plc, said: "The month is focused on stepping up and further embedding our energy reduction practices and will highlight how all our employees can contribute in small ways to make a big difference. If every Siemens employee makes just one small energy saving this can have a big impact and raise money for local causes at the same time."

 

The key areas to be focused on during Siemens' Sustainability Month are electricity, waste and travel, with employees being provided with tips on some of the best ways to save power, reduce the impact of travel and cut waste. Employees will be encouraged to focus on simple things, such as switching off their PC monitor at the socket at night, setting printers to double sided and using desktop conferencing rather than travelling to meetings.

 

Each week during the month all Siemens sites across the UK will get an ongoing update of their carbon footprint savings.

 

Globally, Siemens has set itself ambitious internal ecological targets. CO2 emissions are to be reduced by 20 percent in relationship to revenue by the year 2011. In the UK, in 2007, Siemens plc moved into its 'low carbon' headquarters at Frimley, which is a showcase of Siemens' state of the art technology. The company now uses 30 percent less electricity on this site than at the previous headquarters. Siemens reduced its CO2 footprint in the UK last year by 10 percent.