Asia's growing crop of venues with sustainability in mind

Waste dehydrators, low-carbon menus and hotels that double as nature resorts are some of the green innovations across venues in Asia.

The Venetian Macao’s Cotai Expo, part of Sands China.
The Venetian Macao’s Cotai Expo, part of Sands China.

Sands China named on global sustainability index
Sands China, which operates a number of properties in Macau, was named on the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index for the first time last month. The Index comprises global sustainability leaders as identified by S&P Global through the Corporate Sustainability Assessment (CSA). It represents the top 10% of the largest 2,500 companies in the S&P Global BMI based on long-term economic, environmental and social criteria.

QSNCC: making waste valuable
Queen Sirikit National Convention Center (QSNCC) in Bangkok recently announced a collaboration with the Thai Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment to increase the value of waste and support environmental research. The venue has installed a waste dehydrator to reduce the amount of food waste that would otherwise end up in landfills and contribute to global warming. It will eliminate up to 146,000 kg of food waste annually, lowering greenhouse gas emissions by more than 369,000 kgCO2e/year and equating to planting more than 40,000 trees per year.

ICC Sydney’s food pledge
The convention centre recently detailed how its 2023 menu features sustainability at its core, having undergone a detailed carbon calculation analysis, wth 186 low-carbon options across the breakfast, lunch, plated, canapé, morning and afternoon menus and signature dishes — making it easier for event organisers to make more informed choices. The venue has also estimated the carbon footprint associated with the farming, harvesting, production, and transportation of its ingredients for the very first time.

Fairmont: Where green is second nature
Accor will open the Fairmont Shenzhen Interlaken in China in 2024, with a focus on providing environmental sustainability. Guests will be able to enjoy outdoor activities and wellness experiences, with the hotel located in an area of natural beauty, among the mountains and rivers of east Shenzhen. The property will be a showcase of Accor and Fairmont's long-term commitment to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, according to the hotel chain.