P&J Live commits to major sustainability campaign with drive to Net Zero Target

On the first day of Net Zero Week™ 2024, P&J Live unveiled details of a major sustainability campaign set to boost the venue’s environmental credentials. As part of P&J Live’s commitment to achieving Net Zero carbon emissions target by 2050, the multi-faceted sustainability strategy calls on the collective support of staff, clients, delegates, promoters, artists and the wider community to join forces to take meaningful strides to minimise the impact of conferencing, events and live entertainment on the environment for years to come.

Having recently commissioned sustainability specialists, Positive Planet, to act as the venue’s Net Zero consultants, P&J Live has been able to measure its 2023 emissions and has started the implementation of a Carbon Reduction Plan to actively reduce the site’s carbon footprint. Several complementary sustainability initiatives around its energy strategy, transportation, food supply, waste and marketing will further help the venue to halve greenhouse gas emissions before 2030.

Rob Wicks, Managing Director of P&J Live, said:

From conferences to live entertainment, the industry is seeing increased demand for sustainable buildings and sustainable venue practices, with artists such as Coldplay and Billie Eilish actively pushing towards fully sustainable tours.

With everything that was originally designed into the building and wider site, including a low carbon energy centre to power, heat and cool the venue, an anaerobic digestion plant that generates gas from local food and crop waste, as well as our various certifications and initiatives, I feel we are well placed to cater for what artists, event organisers and delegates need as we improve our combined sustainability performance – I like to call it our superpower!

There is still a lot of work to be done, but by measuring our carbon emissions we have a clear benchmark to work from as we commence our carbon reduction plans. It’s also been most encouraging to see the support from the team internally and we work towards consolidating all our green initiatives into a set of meaningful goals and our own in-house pledge.

Rob Wicks, Managing Director, P&J Live, is due to speak at the 2024 SVB LIVE Conference, alongside high-level speakers including Jen Mitchell, GM, AO Arena Manchester, Caroline James, GM, Utilita Arena Newcastle, Lisa Turton, Head of Premium Sales, first direct arena Leeds, Yvette Thompson, Commercial Venue Director, Newcastle United, Brian Thomas, Senior Director Event Services, Los Angeles Football Club, Lara Spaan, Commercial Director, RSC Anderlecht, Vicki Donlon, Commercial Manager, Horse Racing Ireland, Neil Russell, Director of Venue Experience & Revenue and Vicky Jaycock, Head of Premium Sales – New Stadium, Everton. 

Clients are buoyed by the news of the venue’s sustainability drive.

RenewableUK, the country’s leading not-for-profit renewable energy trade association, regularly host conferences and events at P&J Live, including Floating Offshore Wind. Chief Operating Officer, Garth Halliday, said:

We need a venue that can be relied upon to deliver a high-quality event, and also one that aligns with our sustainability values, along with those of our delegates, exhibitors, and sponsors. P&J Live’s commitment to sustainability is most encouraging and I have no doubt their efforts will enhance our experience at the venue for years to come.

Toby Leighton-Pope, Managing Director at promoter TEG Europe said:

We were delighted to bring Michael Bublé to P&J Live, with two sold out shows as part of the opening season in 2019. I have witnessed firsthand the efforts that the team at P&J Live place on sustainability and was impressed with the on-site Energy Centre and Anaerobic Digestion Plant that processes local food waste into energy. It’s clear that P&J Live are setting an excellent benchmark for live entertainment.

In a further initiative, staff and key stakeholders have made their own personal commitment to help reduce the venue’s carbon emissions by signing a Sustainability Pledge, which includes mindful activities such as switching off lights when not in use and ensuring waste is disposed of in the correct recycling bins.

For more information on P&J Live’s sustainability journey, please visit: https://www.pandjlive.com/about/sustainability/

Learn more about Net Zero Week™ 

About P&J Live

P&J Live opened in September 2019. The £333 million development, delivered by Aberdeen City Council in partnership with Henry Boot Developments, replaced the Aberdeen Exhibition Conference and Centre (AECC) with 48,000 square metres of multi-purpose event space, and boasts world-class conference and exhibition halls, a superior arena, spacious hospitality boxes and a high-end restaurant.

P&J Live is the largest event complex in the North of Scotland, boasting world-class conference and exhibition facilities for organisers and delegates across the globe, all sustainably powered by local, renewable energy sources. The site also comprises two hotels including the adjoining 4-star Hilton with 200 bedrooms, the Aloft Hotel with 150 bedrooms and a third budget hotel to be confirmed with a further 150 bedrooms.

With unrivalled public transport connections, the new venue is located right next to Aberdeen International Airport – the UK’s most connected regional airport, a few short minutes from the city’s new western peripheral route, and in prime position for the improved rail links between Aberdeen and the North of Scotland.

P&J Live is the UK’s single largest investment of its kind and one of many occurring across Aberdeen, as the energy city looks beyond oil and gas and continues to grow in a range of exciting new industries. Aberdeen International Airport is undergoing a £50 million expansion, while £30 million is being spent on rejuvenating the city’s Art Gallery. New hotels are going up across the city and the ongoing Marischal Square Development, with its refreshing mix of offices, cafes, restaurants and hotels, adds to the city centre’s vibrant and cosmopolitan appeal.

ASM Global is the world’s leading producer of entertainment experiences. It is the global leader in venue and event strategy and management – delivering locally tailored solutions and cutting-edge technologies to achieve maximum results for venue owners. The company’s elite venue network spans five continents, with a portfolio of more than 325 of the world’s most prestigious arenas, stadiums, convention and exhibition centres, and performing arts venues.

For more information, please visit https://www.asmglobal.com/

Sports Venue Business has launched a raft of new offerings under the SVB LIVE banner, including Networking Events and a Webinar Series, the pinnacle of which is the SVB LIVE Conference & Exhibition, being held at Croke Park stadium in Dublin, Ireland, on October 9th and 10th, with an Opening Night Icebreaker on October 8th.