Nature

Our goal is to sustainably transform our business model. We are working on redesigning our processes and conserving resources - towards an environmentally friendly and climate-neutral approach. We are focusing on concrete steps to combat climate change, promote an efficient circular economy, and protect nature and biodiversity. When it comes to nature, we primarily concentrate on the areas of power supply, mobility, logistics and greening. You will find a selection of our measures here.

Pioneering partnership: switching to a CO2-free heat supply

Together with E.ON, we are transforming our current fossil, central energy supply for the exhibition center into an intelligently coupled, climate-neutral overall system. Around three quarters of the heat requirement is covered by specially developed high-temperature heat pumps - 11 meters long and weighing 52 tons. They supply the exhibition center with heat and cold as required. To do this, the systems use renewable energy from groundwater and the ambient air. Solar power also supports the supply of Koelnmesse with sustainable energy.

100% green electricity

By using 100% green electricity in the Koelnmesse buildings, we save an impressive 15,540 tonnes of CO2 every year during normal operation - and have been doing so since the beginning of 2022! This equals the annual CO2 emissions of around 1,400 people.

Photovoltaic systems on the roofs of Koelnmesse

Photovoltaic systems on the roofs of our exhibition halls will supplement the supply of green electricity starting 2024. In addition to a photovoltaic system on our new Confex building, our new photovoltaic system on the roofs of Hall 11 and the South Entrance will also go into operation starting in the spring of 2024. With around 5,000 modules and an output of 2,000 kWp, it will be one of the largest photovoltaic systems in Cologne. The electricity generated by the photovoltaic systems is used directly on site.

Energy efficiency via LED lighting

We are gradually converting our lighting to LED bulbs, which enable energy savings of around 50 percent compared to the old technology. For example, retrofitting all the entrance areas and stairwells of our North Boulevard alone will result in annual savings of a good 65,000 kWh, which is roughly equivalent to the annual consumption of 30 two-person households. Converting all the exhibition halls, passages and congress rooms will cost more than five million euro and will be completed in 2028. This demonstrably reduces our CO2 footprint, thus representing real progress for climate protection.

Small steps with a big impact: temperatures

We are changing the heating and cooling temperatures in our halls and entrance areas by a few degrees, while also reducing temperatures two hours earlier in the evening for our events.

Sustainable mobility

We also promote alternative mobility with monthly public transportation passes and bike leasing for our employees as well as e-charging stations on the trade fair grounds. To achieve this, we are currently expanding our e-charging infrastructure and installing an additional 150 charging stations on our premises and in our car park. A special service from our co-workers in the workshop: they have built mobile e-charging stations that can also be placed where they are needed at our events.

Greening

Planting vegetation on our trade fair grounds is a major concern for us and we will further increase the number of green spaces and facades in the coming years. Individual measures, such as the greening of our fences and the creation of a green oasis on Confex Plaza, have already been implemented. These combinations of architecture and nature not only create an attractive overall appearance, but also provide a habitat for insects and birds, regulate the temperature and improve the microclimate.