ALEXANDRIA, Va.
The American Society for Testing and Materials International (ASTM) has published standard E2772 on sustainable accommodations, giving professionals in the meetings industry access to a complete suite of standards for sustainable meetings and events.
Publication of the ninth and final of the APEX/ASTM standards completes a period of intense development that began in 2008. The standards, produced as a partnership between the Convention Industry Council’s Accepted Practices Exchange (APEX) and ASTM, were initially conceptualized by the Green Meetings Industry Council (GMIC) in discussions with the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA).
The APEX/ASTM standards are comprised of nine individual "sector" standards that cover all facets of event planning and management:
• Accommodations
• Audio-Visual
• Communication & Marketing Materials
• Destinations
• Exhibits
• Food & Beverage
• Meeting Venue
• On-Site Office
• Transportation
Much of the work and research behind the initiative was a result of the work done by the APEX Green Meetings and Events Practice Panel, consisting of 300 planners, suppliers and sustainability experts from across nine time zones. ASTM International provided comprehensive input, review and feedback from its technical experts, engineers, materials scientists, and sustainability experts across the globe.
The standards are available for purchase as a specially priced bundle and as individual documents through ASTM International. For those who have already purchased the bundle, the Accommodations standard will be automatically added at no additional cost.
For more information on the standards and to view a complete list of the volunteers that contributed to the project, visit the website of the Convention Industry Council.
