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GEO Certified Tournament
Best Practice Guidance
Contents
1.
Accommodation .............................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
2.
Air Conditioning, Refrigeration and Fire Suppression Equipment – HFC Gases .... Error! Bookmark not defined.
3.
Catering ........................................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
4.
Energy and Power ............................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
5.
Infrastructure ................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
6.
Transport ...................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
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Ticketing ....................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
8.
Waste........................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
9.
Wood ........................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
10. Fuel Storage………………………………………………………………...………………………………………………………….…19
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Waste
Waste is an extremely important aspect of sustainability and must be managed in a way that limits damage to the
environment and the requirement for new, raw material to be produced. It is essential that the waste hierarchy is
followed at all times (see below) to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill and increase the amount reused
and recycled. It would, of course, be even better if waste was not produced in the first place and the simplest way
to achieve this is to minimise packaging and unnecessary products.
The Waste Hierarchy
Prevent
Reuse
Recycle
Recover
Treat
Dispose
To achieve the requirements of the waste hierarchy, you should:
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Ensure recycling points are clearly labelled to enable the public to recycle their litter easily
Have recycling points next to every waste bin so it is just as easy to recycle when possible, make sure these
are emptied often enough so that they are never over spilling
Front of house waste receptacles should be split into (as a minimum); dry recyclables, food and general
waste. Back of house should be further split into glass, paper, cardboard, cooking oil, hazardous waste,
medical waste, WEEE, metal, food, plastic and general waste. Following the tournament, other wastes
such as wood and AstroTurf will be disposed of into skips on site and should be recycled/reused where
possible.
Encourage contractors to reuse their constructions/products at future events
Minimise packaging and inform suppliers that this is a necessary aspect of their goods
Minimise food wastage by careful planning
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Company
Best Practice
Waste from
event set up
(from 2
months out)
Contractors
and Waste
Contract
Company
Separate the following waste streams for collection and recycling:
Front of
House
Waste
Contract
Company
Public recycling provision
Bin
Suppliers

Plastics – including any amounts of unavoidable plastic
sheeting
 Waste wood – arising from tentage, grandstands and fitting
out
 Wooden pallets should be stacked and collected for re-use or
shredding to make wood chip
 Metal/Cabling
 Food waste
Time the set up operations to avoid waste – e.g. late laying of carpets
may eliminate the need for large amounts of plastic sheeting
Clear signage and instruction on how to use each facility – training,
induction and supervision, bins clearly labelled, and co-located to
minimise contamination
Awareness information to illustrate how waste will be separated and
recycled – opportunity here for multi partner branding of responsible
waste management
Bins reused from other events and manufactured from recycled
materials
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Back of
House
Catering
and
Hospitality
Contract
Catering
Company
Catering and hospitality recycling provision which covers:
 Food
 Plastics
 Glass
 Aluminium
 Cardboard
Clear signage and instructions on each skip
This will require careful planning of space for more, but perhaps
smaller skips
Local supply company and waste facility to minimise journeys
Catering
Waste
Contract
Catering
Company
Ensure all caterers adhere to policies, i.e. fast food outlets, hospitality,
refreshment stands, with penalties for non-compliance
Policy of no polystyrene and all packaging to be compostable
Clearly signed bins back of house
Policy on the sustainable sourcing, manufacture, consumption and
disposal of food
Contracts with local composting suppliers
Ability to recycle cooking oil for fuel
Use of local and ethical produce and food suppliers
Back of
House
All trade
stands at the
event
Pre, during and post event separation of cardboard, wood and plastics.
Take Down
Waste (for
up to one
week post
event)
Various
contractors
Material to be recycled or reused where possible
Waste
Removal
Waste
Contract
Company
Local recycling contract established prior to event
Trade Waste
Inform traders of the recycling schemes and penalties for noncompliance at the earliest opportunity.
Clear segregation of waste streams (carpet, linings, wood, plastics,
cabling, conduit, MDF)
Ability to record total volume/weight of waste collected and
volume/weight recycled or disposed
Vehicles are most efficient in class and use low carbon fuels
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Energy and Power
It is important that energy use is reduced at any golfing event. Power is often produced by non-renewable sources
which is not sustainable and must be avoided where possible; other sources of power such as that obtained from
renewable sources and more efficient machines and equipment will help to reduce the environmental damage.
The overall aim for the use of energy and power is to minimise the environmental impact of energy and power
supply and consumption during the event.
Ways to reduce energy use:
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Use efficient equipment
Turn equipment off when not in use
Use LPG, recycled oil and other low carbon fuel
Utilise technological advances and the newest systems
Implement an energy reduction strategy
Use renewable sources
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Company
Best Practice
Temporary
Power Units
Power Supply
Company (ies)
Supply of low emission and low noise generator sets
Use of LPG, recycled oils and/or other lower carbon fuels
Power down policy when not required (e.g. at night)
Local supply base to minimise transport
Voltage optimisation system
Provision of renewable energy systems (e.g. PVs, small wind
turbines)
Heating and
air
conditioning
Supplier
Best in class air conditioning units
Careful location of units to maximise effectiveness
Ensure best possible insulation and ventilation of marquees for
efficient warming and cooling
Refrigeration
Supplier
Liaison with tentage / catering providers to ensure units are
positioned most efficiently
Use of most efficient units. / latest technology
No CFCs
Lighting
External Lighting
System Supplier
Low voltage, metal halide or high pressure sodium lighting
systems
Time/motion switch illumination across the site
Time switches to contribute to evening / overnight power-down
of site
Ideally external lighting and car-park lighting will be linked to the
main grid in preference to portable generator systems
Internal Lighting
Contractor
Low voltage halogen or LED systems supplied in preference to
incandescent bulbs
Time-switches, PIR’s and main switches that are easy to access
Tied in to evening / overnight power-down
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Media & TV
TV Crews, Radio,
Media & Large
Screens
Power supplied to all companies ideally from main grid
Encourage all in media enclosure not to leave transformers and
power packs plugged in unless in use
Careful planning to identify aspects of media energy needs that
can be tied into power-down
Other technical voltage optimisation and efficiency measures
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Transport
The efficient transport of spectators, players, goods and services is critical to the sustainability of an event.
Transport, particularly air travel, is likely to have one of the highest environmental impacts.
The overall aim for the event is to minimise the requirement for transport wherever possible and provide low
carbon transport options where this is not possible.
This will be achieved by:
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The use of efficient logistics and local supply base
Provision of shuttle busses and public transport
The supply of low carbon fuels and ultra-efficient vehicles
The use of certified offset programmes for unavoidable aviation
The use of equipment and vehicles that are considered to be the best in class with regard to environmental
performance
Recording environmental data such as fuel consumption to enable a post event audit (see below)
Sub
Section
Spectator
travel
Company
Rail
Best Practice
Optimise services provided by train company to maximise
capacity
Combined tickets and deals to incentivise rail use to maximum
capacity
Effective linking of trains and shuttle buses
Website – including linking/promotion of rail times from key
towns and cities
Cars
Incentive for car sharing
Shuttle
Buses
Optimise location for park and ride, to reduce congestion and to
maximise efficiency for car in and out times
Maximise number of energy efficient and low carbon buses and
coaches. In preference use hybrid, LPG, hydrogen or another
low carbon energy option
Buses stored overnight close to point of use
Driver training and no idle policy
Private Hire /
Taxi /
Executive
Travel,
Courtesy
Cars
Hybrid or low carbon cars or minibuses
Spectator
flights
Use website to encourage spectators to voluntarily compensate
for their flights to the event using an approved carbon
payback scheme
Journey planning software, GPS or journey sharing system
Executive minibuses available and used in preference to
multiple cars
Provision of ‘efficient travel’ guidance
Player air
travel
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Executive
travel &
Compensation commitment for journeys contracted to players
and entourage, including US and European Team flights.
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transfer
services
Use of latest biofuel technology for team and entourage flights
Executive
travel &
transfer
services
Utilise rail as far as possible and encourage car sharing for pre
event planning trips
Staff and
supply
deliveries
to site
Catering,
hospitality
and other
bulk staff
Well planned logistics covering meeting points, group collection,
bus transportation etc.
Other
transport
services
Buggies,
forklifts, on
site utility
vehicles,
promotional
vehicles.
Use as many electric powered utility vehicles as possible
Organiser
travel
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Raise staff awareness
Interface with caterers, cleaning contractors, hospitality
providers and others coordinating group staff to increase
number of passengers per vehicle
If electric – battery disposal and recycling policy
If petrol/ diesel – use low carbon alternatives, including
biodiesel
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Accommodation
Large events create a significant demand for accommodation; through choosing hotels, bed and breakfasts and selfcatering rentals wisely, the wider footprint of an event can be reduced and its social and environmental reputation
can be improved. Individuals and companies should therefore be encouraged to consider the environmental
credentials of their accommodation before booking.
Actions
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Identify any local accommodation that has received sustainable certification such as the Green Tourism
Award
Ensure that the hotel/bed and breakfast still deserves its accreditation and is still working sustainably
In order to encourage the use of sustainable accommodation, it is essential that information is made widely
available; ideally via the event website and initial communications with spectators, suppliers and staff.
Details should include what environmental awards have been gained and what has been done in order to
achieve them. Giving people this information up front should encourage them to choose sustainable and
green accommodation throughout their visit to the event
If possible, agree a discounted daily rate or other incentive from the hotel for people attending the event
Provide shuttle buses from the hotel to the event
Provide transfers from the local train station to the hotel
Catering
It is essential that catering at events is sustainable, this includes the food, the packaging and the waste produced
by both.
1.
Food
Food should be fresh to reduce wastage
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Sourced locally where possible to decrease amount of travel required and help to improve the local
economy and community
Meat should be sourced from producers with high welfare standards
Fruit and vegetables should be either organic or treated with minimal chemicals on farms with good
environmental credentials
Only sustainable fish should be used
2. Packaging
Packaging should be kept to a minimum and suppliers to caterers should be briefed on this requirement and
have a clear understanding. Where possible, packaging should also be made from recycled material and be
recyclable or compostable; suppliers should avoid plastic as this is difficult to dispose of sustainably.
3. Waste
Waste from food outlets can be minimised by using the following techniques:
Use portion control to avoid food being left
Carefully plan the menu and control stock accordingly
Be aware of how many people are expected at the event on any day
Handle perishable food in a way that prolongs its freshness
Avoid disposable crockery and cutlery
Compost any waste food where possible
Unavoidable food and packaging waste should be separated onsite and collected by a registered waste
carrier who will send food to a composting facility and separate packaging further for recycling.
Sub
Section
Catering
Company
Drinks and
Refreshments
Best Practice
Use of efficient drinks coolers and refrigeration equipment
Recycled plastic cups
Avoid all polystyrene
Restaurant
and Meal
Providers
Local providers
Organic, seasonal, local produce
Recyclable cutlery, crockery and napkins
Mobile Vans /
Stands
Recyclable cutlery, crockery and napkins
Clear signage to recycling bins
Connection to site electrical supplies (Grid?) rather than portable
generators where possible
High efficiency chillers and refrigeration – non HFC or HCFC
Commitment to enter into food waste disposal programme
Use of FSC packaged sandwiches
Minimise packaging
Avoid polystyrene
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Infrastructure
Temporary events usually require a considerable amount of infrastructure to be installed at the chosen venue. The
amount and type of infrastructure obviously depends on the size and requirements of the event and the facilities
already in place at the venue.
From a sustainability point of view, impacts from infrastructure tend to arise from:
1. The kind of materials the infrastructure is made from
2.
3.
The careful selection of materials used for event infrastructure can make a big difference to sustainability.
Temporary event infrastructure usually involves a lot of wood, plastic, and paint – all of which can have
negative environmental impacts and human health impacts. More sustainable alternatives are easily
obtainable however.
Where the infrastructure has been manufactured and how far it has travelled
If infrastructure is being manufactured on the other side of the world and then shipped great distances to
be used at the venue, this will result in high carbon emissions as a result of the transport involved. It is
therefore worth considering where the materials are made, or being hired in from and finding out if
equivalent materials can be sourced more locally.
What happens to it after the event
The way the infrastructure is used post-event plays a major role in assessing the overall sustainability of
the event. If infrastructure is only used once, this will represent a huge impact, as the waste generated
will be very significant. Re-use is the best option, followed by recycling.
Type of
Infrastructure
Tents,
Pavilions and
Marquees
Best practice
Materials
Transport
Design &
Use
Postevent
Re-used and re-usable components – frames, outerskins and flooring
High use of recycled materials, low VOC paint, natural fabrics etc.
Use of recycled aggregates in ground preparations
Efficiency of delivery and removal system – vehicle capacity, fuels
Design and layout to minimise lighting, heating and cooling ventilation/insulation
Low carbon assembly system (e.g. gas powered forklifts / electric buggies and
utility vehicles)
Waste minimisation, e.g. avoiding the use of plastic coverings where unnecessary
(e.g. carpets)
Full recycling/re-use policy for fittings, fixtures and materials –linings, carpets,
pelmets etc.
Thorough recycling policy and process for waste materials and takedown
Local suppliers as far as possible
Portacabins
and toilets
Transport
Grandstands
Materials
Waterless urinal portaloos and/or recycled/rainwater units for flushing
Recycled paper hand towels and toilet rolls
Secure waste water treatment
Integration of recycled materials – e.g. plastic for seating
Transport
Locally / regionally sourced where possible
Design &
Use
Minimal lighting or time-switch illumination
Low carbon assembly system (e.g. gas powered forklifts / electric buggies and
utility vehicles)
Best in class energy efficiency ratings
Internal and
external TV
Screens
Signs &
Hoardings
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Design
and Use
Materials
Postevent
Materials
Clear pathway from previous use to onward re-use
Signs and hoardings manufactured from recycled materials or made to be easily
recyclable
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Transport
Timber
decking,
fencing and
floor
coverings
Materials
Postevent
Design &
Use
Temporary
roadways
Bus terminals
and hardstandings
Media Tent
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Materials
All signage to use FSC certified wood
Use of low VOC paints and printing materials
Manufactured locally or efforts made to reduce transport
Transport with low carbon vehicles where possible
Seek to use recycled or FSC certified timber products
Consider use of long life, (recycled plastic) boardwalk rather than carpet covered
timber
If using carpet, minimise the carpeted area, seek a biodegradable floor covering
product, and/or one derived from recycled materials
Encourage re-use of timber products at other events
Electronic systems to be switched off when not required
Lighting to be controlled with time-switch to contribute to evening / overnight
power-down of site
Seek local trackway or other temporary roadway supplier
Materials
Using and re-using on site materials
Use of recycled aggregates
Materials
All paper or paper products to be from recycled sources and / or FSCcertified
Design &
Use
Seek a paperless media tent and recycle printer cartridges
Use of electronic scoring
Electronic systems to be switched off when not required
Lighting to be controlled with time-switch to contribute to evening /overnight
power-down of site
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Wood
Wood is used for event staging in a number of ways e.g., temporary structures, decking, ramps and steps, cladding
and wood chip in paths and walkways. Wood products as also widely used e.g., MDF, chipboard and paper. Wood
has the potential to have a low environmental impact and be highly sustainable as long as its procurement is
responsibly sourced and its disposal planned. From March 2013 there is a new EU regulation that requires timber
suppliers to be able to show where it’s come from as well as that it is legal. As part of sustainable procurement the
question as to where the wood is sourced from should be asked; suppliers should be able to demonstrate this.
Responsible sourcing of wood
There are a number of credible wood production certification programmes that are internationally recognized and
the provision of wood from these sources should be included into any sustainable procurement code.
FSC – Forest Stewardship Council
FSC runs a global forest certification system with two key components:
1. Forest management
2. Chain of custody certification
This system allows consumers to identify, purchase and use timber and forest products produced
from well-managed forests.
PEFC - Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification
The Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) is an international non-profit,
non-governmental organisation dedicated to promoting Sustainable Forest Management (SFM)
through independent third-party endorsement.
EU Timber Regulation (EUTR)
Timber sourced in the EU must now conform to the EUTR which came into force on 3rd March
2013, making it illegal to place illegally harvested timber and timber products on the EU market.
Responsible sourcing of wood products
As with all products that are sustainably procured, the following questions should be asked:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Where does it come from?
Who made it?
What is it made from?
What is it wrapped in?
What will happen to it after the event?
Wood products may be made from either virgin materials or processed materials. Where virgin materials are used,
these should be from certifiable sources (see above). Ideally, however wood products where possible have a degree
of recycled content.
Paper
As with other wood products, paper can be made from virgin material or recycled material. Recycled content
diverts waste from landfill but does require processing and bleaching. Again, virgin material should be sourced from
certified forests and paper is branded from FSC forests or equivalent. Paper with a recycled content has a lower
environmental impact and this will depend on the manufacturing process.
Reducing paper consumption through electric documents, no-print policies, double sided printing, etc., can also
help to reduce the environmental impact of paper.
Disposal options
You can make simple yet effective changes to your site's operations to allow more wood and wood products to be
recycled by:
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allowing time for waste management planning and provide staff with training
avoid coatings on wood or wood products
provide storage area to protect materials from accidental and weather damage
separating wood and paper to avoid contamination with other wastes
Potential end uses for reclaimed wood:
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chipboard, oriented strand board bedding
products for animals
play surfaces and pathways
remanufactured products – e.g., fibre composites
architectural components
landscaping
commercial products – e.g., logs, fuel chips
liquid fuel (ethanol and methanol)
biofuel for combined heat and power plant
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HFC Gases in Air Conditioning, Refrigeration and Fire Suppression Equipment
HFC gases and substances are commonly used in air conditioning, refrigeration equipment and fire suppressants.
There are alternative substances that are available and can be used. It is recommended that an environmental policy
should be in place to reduce or eliminate the use of HFCs wherever possible.
Actions
1) Improve building design or temporary structures to avoid the need for air conditioning
2) Use equipment with non HFC substances such as ammonia, dimethyl ether in foams, refrigeration and fireprotection systems
3) Use equipment with climate friendly HFCs such as HFC-1234ze or HFO-1234yf (GWP 4) – these substances stay
in the atmosphere for months rather than years.
4) See the F-Gas inspection certificates
5) Justification forms where avoidance is not possible.
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Ticketing
The traditional ticketing process involves printing tickets for an event and then posting them out to the customer.
The environmental impacts of this fall into three main categories:
The carbon footprint: Although an individual ticket weighs very little, the sheer number of tickets printed and then
distributed means the carbon emissions figure can be high.
Pollution from the printing process: caused by using oil based inks and chemicals which “fix” the printing
Waste: Although tickets are usually made from paper or card, they are often not recyclable due to holograms and
other features which are designed to prevent ticket fraud
Alternatives
Many events are moving away from tradition ticketing to an e-ticket, or an m-ticket solution or are doing away with
any kind of “ticket” and are instead using chip technology (in wristbands for example) to allow customer to gain
access to an event.
e-tickets (electronic tickets): Tickets are emailed to customers, who then print them out at home. E-tickets cut out
the distribution impacts from traditional ticketing and also many of the printing impacts.
m-tickets (mobile tickets): Ticket are sent out electronically but do not need to be printed. Customers show their
m-ticket on a mobile device (phone / tablet / computer).
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Fuel Storage
1) Avoid
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high risk locations:
within 50 metres of a spring, well or borehole
within 10 metres of a watercourse
places where spilt oil could enter open drains, loose fitting manhole covers or soak into the ground
where it could pollute groundwater
 places where a spill could run over hard ground to enter a watercourse or soak into the ground where
it could pollute groundwater
 areas at risk from flooding
2) Use a storage tank that:
• is made of a material that is suitable for the type of oil stored
• is of sufficient strength and structural integrity to ensure that it won’t burst or leak in ordinary use
• has a way of preventing drain down by gravity e.g. top off-take and / or isolating check
valves
 has either integral bunding or an external bund
Integral Bunding
These tanks have an integral secondary containment capable of holding 110% if the volume of oil the inner tank is
designed to hold. Any ancillary equipment will also be within the secondary layer.
External Bunding
Secondary containment must hold at least 110% of the volume of oil the tank is designed to contain, it must be
impermeable to oil and water with no direct outlet. If there is more than one oil storage tank in the system, the
secondary containment must be capable of storing 110% of the biggest tank’s capacity or 25% of the total capacity,
whichever is the greater.
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