Eight of the Most Sustainable Event Venues in Birmingham

Birmingham has set ambitious environmental objectives, surpassing many of Europe’s targets. The city council has committed to achieving a remarkable 60% reduction in carbon emissions within the city by the year 2027. These goals significantly exceed the UK government’s targets, which aim for a 34% reduction by 2022 and an 80% reduction by 2050.  Event venues in Birmingham are all working hard to help the city achieve it’s goals and offer a great choice for anyone planning an event with sustainability in mind.

The Studio Birmingham:

The Studio is known for its sustainable practices, offering eco-friendly meeting and event spaces. Here are some steps that they have taken to date:

• Embracing Reuse and Recycling: We prioritise the use of reusable and recyclable items in our day delegate and various packages to minimise waste.
• Responsible Food Sourcing: Our food is conscientiously sourced, with a focus on local products when feasible, and over 50% of our offerings are plant-based. Any surplus food is donated to those in need, thanks to our partnerships with organizations like Inside-2-Out and Too Good to Go.
• Sustainable Water Bottling: We produce our own still and sparkling water on-site using reusable bottles, significantly reducing the disposal of thousands of glass bottles each year and the associated transportation impact.
• Flexible Work Arrangements: We support flexible working arrangements, allowing our teams to work from home when possible, reducing the need for unnecessary travel.
• Commitment to Renewable Energy: We are dedicated to utilising renewable energy sources, including sourcing 100% of our electricity from renewable suppliers.
• Energy Conservation: We continually invest in energy-efficient equipment and technologies, actively working to reduce our energy consumption through our ongoing renewal program.
• Promoting Public Transport: We encourage the use of public transportation for both our teams and guests by ensuring that all our venues are conveniently located near major public transport hubs.
• Two-Wheeled Transport: For those who prefer cycling, we provide bicycle racks and storage facilities for both our guests and staff at all our locations.

Birmingham Botanical Gardens:

A beautiful venue with lush gardens that promotes eco-friendly practices for events. The Birmingham Botanical Gardens event venue is committed to minimizing its environmental impact and promoting sustainability in all aspects of its operations. They have implemented energy-efficient practices and technologies to reduce energy consumption, including the use of LED lighting, energy-efficient heating and cooling systems, and the optimisation of energy use during events.

Birmingham Hippodrome:

This historic theatre and event space has taken steps to reduce its environmental impact.  Birmingham Hippodrome achieved a notable milestone as the first UK theatre to obtain ISO14001 certification, which specifies the requirements for an effective environmental management system.

The Library of Birmingham:

During the building of the Library 95% of construction site waste was effectively recycled, diverting it from landfills, while the building itself was meticulously designed to minimize its environmental footprint. The eco-friendly features encompass the utilisation of low-carbon technology for heating and cooling, energy-efficient lighting, and water conservation systems.

Within the Library, a commitment to recycling is evident, with designated bins for paper and plastic materials available for users to participate in responsible disposal practices.

Two elevated garden terraces, namely the Discovery Terrace on the third level and The Secret Garden on the seventh level, offer urban green spaces. These spaces are thoughtfully planted with a diverse range of species to provide year-round color and interest. The Discovery Terrace goes a step further, cultivating fruit, vegetables, and herbs, which serves as an educational centerpiece, fostering an understanding of food origins and promoting the idea of ‘grow your own.’

Additionally, the brown roof, adorned with rubble from the Library’s construction, acts as a natural urban habitat for wildlife within the city center.

The Priory Rooms Meeting and Conference Centre:

The Priory Rooms is deeply dedicated to ethical and sustainable business practices, aligning with the Quaker principles. This commitment extends to offering Fairtrade tea and coffee, optimizing energy usage for efficiency, and striving to recycle a substantial portion of generated waste.

 The REP (Birmingham Repertory Theatre):

A cultural and sustainable event venue in Birmingham. Their overarching goal is to achieve carbon neutrality within a decade.This endeavor is already underway, with The Rep having successfully curtailed energy consumption by 50%, transitioning to water-based products for 95% of its paint shop operations, repurposing set materials from our recent production of Of Mice and Men, replacing more than 700 lamps and 50 fixtures with LED filaments, promoting the recycling of conference materials, and, when feasible, utilising pre-loved and recycled clothing in all productions. In addition, they have pledged their commitment to the Oil Free Sponsorship initiative.

Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum:

A unique and educational venue that offers eco-friendly event options. Birmingham Museums places a high priority on minimising their  activities’ environmental footprint and striving for sustainable operations. Their roadmap to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040 is underpinned by three core principles:

• They will reduce their consumption.
• They will actively contribute to positive change.
• They will serve as a source of inspiration for others to join in collective efforts.

IET Birmingham – Austin Court:

This unique Birmingham venue has achieved significant advancements in the effort to promote sustainability by emphasising the importance of reusing and recycling. They remain committed to further enhancing their sustainability initiatives and continuously encourage both visitors and staff to follow the principles of Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle whenever feasible.  They have enrolled in a green energy tariff and have replaced traditional light bulbs with low-energy LED bulbs. Most of these LED lights have motion sensors, and for those that don’t, they make sure that they are turned off when not in use. These minor adjustments yield significant benefits, with LED bulbs alone offering potential lighting cost savings of up to 80%.

In their pursuit of energy conservation, they have equipped all their large rooms with energy-efficient heating and cooling systems. They employ a Building Management System (BMS) and proactively deactivate air conditioning systems when they’re not in use.

Additionally, they are committed to water conservation by installing water-efficient toilets fitted with low water consumption mechanisms.

Remember that sustainability practices can vary from venue to venue, so when planning an event, it’s a good idea to discuss your specific sustainability goals and requirements with the venue staff. Most sustainable venues will have a sustainability policy that you can request before you book.