Sustainability check: BMW International Open
How is the topic of sustainability being implemented at the BMW International Open at the Munich Eichenried Golf Club, which is part of the European DP World Tour? For the 33rd edition at the gates of the Bavarian capital, Golf Sustainable took a close look at the event in terms of mobility, plastic waste, energy saving and carbon footprint in the form of a sustainability check.
Mobility
The vehicle fleet used for the shuttle service for players and caddies consists exclusively of electrified and mostly fully electric vehicles that, according to BMW, are charged with 100 percent green electricity. 77 fully electric vehicles of the BMW iX, BMW i4 and BMW iX3 models as well as 25 hybrid models (BMW X5 xDrive45e and BMW X3 xDrive30e) are in use. When it comes to equipment, the organizers are proceeding in a similar way to the Porsche European Open in Winsen (Luhe) .
A shuttle bus service was set up for spectators and employees on the tournament days between the tournament grounds and the nearest S-Bahn station, Ismaning, which is around ten kilometers away. Common coaches (combustion engines) are used, which are only allowed to take a limited number of passengers (22 people) due to the restrictions imposed by the corona pandemic.
plastic waste
In our sustainability check for the BMW International Open, we took a look at the catering for the 156 registered players and their caddies during the four rounds of the tournament. A lot of plastic can be saved in this area. The organizers have set up a sustainable system here. Players are provided with refillable water bottles to refill at fresh water stations installed throughout the golf course. Water dispensers are also installed in the organization’s offices and work areas. There is no completely plastic-free water supply, as returnable PET bottles are handed out in certain areas, which are then disposed of separately.
Reusable REBOWL products are used for catering for the spectators, and in the staff area, compostable cups and crockery are used in addition to refillable water bottles. Food packed in plastic foil, such as sandwiches or bars, can be found occasionally. In the Fairway Club, the VIP lounge on the 18th hole, only glass and dishes are used.
Advertising banners, media and disguises
The organizers are also trying to reduce waste when it comes to materials related to the tournament. For example, PVC-free blockout tarpaulins are used for cladding in order to drastically reduce hazardous waste from large prints. Since 2021, the advertising board system on the tees has been designed in such a way that it can be reused for several years.
BMW also says that less material was used for the carpets used around the exhibitor area compared to past events. Many print products in advertising, ticketing and on-site communication have also been replaced by digital solutions .
Save energy
According to BMW, the infrastructure at the tournament has been converted to fiber optic cables and transformer stations with green electricity instead of diesel units for many years. Temporary structures are erected with insulated roof tarpaulins to save energy.
A reduced energy consumption by the exhibitors compared to the previous year should also be found in the energy and CO2 balance after this year’s edition. The lower energy consumption is also due to the fact that there are fewer exhibitors than the year before.
CO₂ offset and golf club
No special concept was presented on this topic regarding the compensation of the CO₂ footprint of players and caddies. Compensating for the CO₂ footprint of players and caddies, as in the case of the Aberdeen Standard Investment Ladies Scottish Open in Scotland 2019 or the Waste Management Open 2022 , remains a desirable goal for the BMW International Open as well as for many other sporting events.
The Munich Eichenried Golf Club can boast numerous sustainability projects and is one of the top facilities in Germany in this area. The golf course, which is one of the Leading Golf Clubs of Germany , was awarded by the Bavarian Ministry of the Environment in 2021 as part of the “Bavarian Bloom Pact” , as well as for the “UN Decade of Biological Diversity”. The facility also has the Golf&Natur certificate awarded by the German Golf Association.
The golf club has also had its own infrastructure for electric charging stations for e-cars for a good year now. Five charging stations with a total of ten charging stations were set up on the parking lot in a joint project with BMW.
