The 2016 Macao International Environmental Co-operation Forum and Exhibition (MIECF) takes place at the Venetian Macao-Resort-Hotel from 31 March to 2 April under the theme “Green Economy – Opportunities for Waste Management”. The 2016 MIECF will see the debut of a themed area with three exhibition zones, covering the topics of waste management, green construction and green transportation. The area and its zones will enable exhibition visitors to learn first hand about the latest environmentally-friendly technologies, thus creating more business opportunities for companies in the industry. As part of MIECF’s ongoing commitment – as a green event – to protecting the environment, the 2016 edition will follow the practice adopted in previous years: no carpet or other floor covering will be used in the main passages, so as to promote the concept of environmental protection and create a green image of the exhibition. The 2016 MIECF officially opens next Thursday (31 March). The exhibition portion of the entire event – known as the Green Showcase – brings together over 460 exhibitors from more than 20 different countries and regions. The exhibition as a whole covers an area of approximately 16,900 square metres. The participants include the “9+1” Pan-Pearl River Delta provinces and regions, European Countries, Portuguese-speaking Countries and the United States of America. They return this year with their respective exhibition displays. The Green Showcase has also attracted 21 VIP exhibitors from renowned environmental enterprises in Mainland China, Germany, Sweden, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan. Debut of environmental exhibition zones To align with the overall theme of the 2016 MIECF, this year’s Green Showcase will add for the first time – as mentioned above – a themed exhibition area with three special environmental zones, covering the topics of waste management, green construction and green transportation. The themed area will join, in the Green Showcase, the displays of Pan-Pearl River Delta and Portuguese-speaking Countries, the European Union Pavilion, the United States Pavilion, the Macao Pavilion and an exhibition display for Macao companies. The exhibition zone for waste management focuses on the “5Rs” regarding greener quality management systems (i.e., Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repair and Recycle). The technologies on display will include: separation/recycling technologies; waste management solutions; waste-to-energy technologies; sludge processing and treatment systems; and water conservation systems. The exhibition zone for green construction mainly features building technologies; facility management systems; advanced electronic heating and cooling systems; building construction services; and related solutions. The zone for green transportation mainly includes buses and motorcycles powered by electricity, hybrid energy sources or fuel cells. It also covers electricity charging stations and related infrastructure, as well as battery and logistics solutions. Collective effort to create a green event The Macao SAR Government is working diligently to promote the concept of reducing waste at source. Its “Guidelines on Waste Reduction and Separation for Convention and Exhibition Activities” were introduced at the end of last year, encouraging the local convention and exhibition industry to go green. The 2016 MIECF will continue the practice adopted in previous years, in not covering the exhibition floor with any kind of material. Exhibitors are also encouraged to apply the concepts of reducing waste, reusing and recycling when setting up their booths. The exhibitors are also invited to participate in the “Green Booth Award” and the “Electricity Fee Rebate” programmes. The aim of the programmes is to reduce the environmental impact of waste disposal related to the event. Another notable feature in this year’s MIECF is the construction concept for the Macao Pavilion. It employs reusable and recycled materials, including for the design and lighting features of the pavilion’s façade. In addition, discarded plastic bottles were cleaned and collected as materials that form the structure of the Green Showcase’s VIP Lounge. After MIECF, the structure will be taken apart and the bottles will be distributed to charity organisations for use in educational activities or for reuse in other ways. For more information on the 2016 MIECF, please visit the official website: http://www.macaomiecf.com/miecf2016
