Sustainability at Tākina

Wellington’s sustainable future

Tākina Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre is a landmark for Wellington’s sustainable future. The building is targeting a 5-Star Green Star custom Built Rating, representing New Zealand excellence in environmental sustainability.

The use of sustainable materials, initiatives to reduce energy and water use, and the inclusion of renewable energy capability will result in a 60 percent reduction in energy use at the venue and a 66 percent reduction in operational carbon emissions when benchmarked against a comparable new build.

The convention centre is designed to operate efficiently at all levels of use – from large conferences to smaller events.

Tākina EarthCheck Partnership

Tākina Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre proudly partners with EarthCheck, a global leader in environmental sustainability and certification. This partnership reflects our commitment to the highest sustainability standards. Our Environmental Management System, aligned with the EarthCheck Company Standard, drives continual improvement through annual Benchmarking Assessments. By working with EarthCheck, we aim to minimise our environmental footprint, enhance building performance, and implement sustainable practices across all operations.

Tākina sustainability features include:

• enhanced thermal insulation and high-performance double glazing using SEFAR technology, for improved thermal comfort and energy efficiency
• rainwater harvesting system (30,000 litres) for toilet flushing and evaporative cooling to reduce water consumption by 30 percent
• adaptable and demand-controlled air conditioning system reducing energy use
• predominantly heat pump heating to reduce reliance on fossil fuels
• post-occupancy energy optimisation systems to monitor and fine tune energy usage
• future proofing to accommodate on-site renewable energy generation via solar array
• the use of environmentally preferable materials for improved indoor air qualitytimber materials sourced from sustainable forestry
• display screens communicating real-time building sustainability metrics such as water and energy consumption, as well as carbon emissions.

Protecting our taonga - Te Papa Tongarewa

Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, the other venue in the Tākina Events portfolio, is also dedicated to operating sustainably. Te Papa is an organisation tasked with protecting and sharing New Zealand’s taonga (treasures). Extending this role to protecting natural resources in its operations is a logical extension of Te Papa’s work.

A member of Toitū Envirocare, Te Papa has been accredited under the CEMARS – Carbon Emission Management and Reduction Scheme – since 2018.

Initiatives to reduce energy consumption, waste, and carbon emissions at Te Papa include:

• completed transition of house lights and exhibition lighting to LED
• museum-wide rubbish recycling and food waste to compost
• upgrading of heating, ventilation and air condition systems

The central city location of both Tākina Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre and Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa allows for easy use of public transport and maximises opportunities for active, eco-friendly transportation, such as walking, cycling, or e-scooters.