As the Audi A1 will not be available at the dealer’s showrooms until September, d-side designed the A1 Lounge in Knokke. Together with its partners, Design 4 Rent and Kitsch Club, d-side fully built the A1 Lounge classified as the exclusive hot spot for discovering the long anticipated next big Audi. Apart from the splendidly displayed next big Audi, the A1 Lounge will offer a wide range of drinks and cocktails and an exquisite selection of tapas.

In short, the A1 Lounge will radiate the cosmopolitan allure of the next big Audi and be ‘the place to be’ this summer. A free entrance meeting point featuring Balearic disco dj sets on Thursday, Fridays and Saturdays. Indoor and outdoor seating, friendly and welcoming staff, and free Wi-Fi connection should help turning an A1 Lounge ‘pit’stop into an extremely rewarding experience.

Discover the next big Audi this summer at Knokke and enjoy yourself in the A1 Lounge. The A1 team is looking forward to warmly accommodate you.

For these who will not be able to reach Knokke, d-side will organize an extraordinary and exclusive A1 party at “Les Jeux d’Hiver” in Brussels on July, 20^th.

Complete A1 summer program available on www.audia1.be.

A1 Lounge. Van Bunnenplein – Zeedijk. July and August. Daily from 11 am until 1 am.

For ten years CBA has struggled to build the first adapted centre for autistic adults in Brussels. Currently, due to a lack of a specialized location for this type of disability, autistic adults are excluded from existing structures or must put up with temporary shelter that may be poorly adapted to their disability.

This project is partially funded by Cocof, but unfortunately the subsidies (49%) do not cover the costs. Together we can help CBA balance the budget. The construction of the day centre and the night shelter will start in late 2010 in order to welcome the first residents in early 2012. To learn more, visit the CBA website.

The King Baudouin Foundation is also collaborating in this project. Donations on King Baudouin Foundation bank account qualify for a tax certificate from €30 (art. 104. CIR). King Baudouin Foundation bank account number: 000-0000004-04. Reference: L 82256 – 006 – ABC Blocks

In the last issue of Experience Magazine, d-side shared its tips and tricks for more sustainable catering solutions in event sector. We highlighted there the eco-responsible efforts of Green Attitude, Savory, Guillaume Van Eeckhout and Biorganic Factory. Discover this article.

Keep posted…. In June 2010, next edition of Experience Magazine will focus on sustainable event locations.

d-side keeps communicating on sustainable solutions in event sector. Throughout this year we will be involved in the writing of articles focusing on the integration of sustainable development in events.

Discover the first article on that topic in Experience Magazine of January 2010 (French version or Dutch version). It gives you an overview of our previous d-side Experience Day and announces the coming topics of our page in the coming editions.

Keep posted…. In March 2010, next edition of Experience Magazine will focus on sustainable catering solutions.

We are looking for Virtools programmers.

Mission : Development of online en offline games and applications with virtools
Required skills : Virtools ( VSL, Shaders ..). Knowledge of 3DS Max, Photoshop and languages as C++, C# is an added value

Experience : min 1 year of experience within a company or as freelance

Language : knowledge of French and English

Location of the job : Brussels

Salary : depends on the skills and the experience

Contract : non fixed term

Interested : please contact lydie deneef : l.deneef@d-sidegroup.com

This year, d-side wishes to share* with you respect, love, green, lol, inspiration, creation , ideas in or out of the box & extraordinary experiences

* Do you believe sharing is crucial ? We do. As a leading agency in Event-, Interactive- and Brand experience, d-side is committing to more corporate social responsibility and to contribute to a more sustainable world by:

• considering the planet and replacing traditional greeting postcard by e-whishes;
• caring about people and sharing** savings realized with e-wishes with One Laptop per Child Europe Foundation
• generating profit and sharing with you valuable tips to combine sustainability and efficient event experience.

** Do you believe sharing is crucial to sustainable development? We do. For this reason, d-side is supporting One Laptop per Child Europe Foundation with an equivalent funding amount as the budget usually spent for printing and sending our traditional greeting cards.

One Laptop per Child is creating educational opportunities for the world’s poorest children by providing each child with a rugged, low-cost, low-power, connected laptop with content and software designed for collaborative, joyful, self-empowered learning. When children have access to this type of tool they get engaged in their own education. They learn, share, create and collaborate. They become connected to each other, to the world and to a brighter future.

We believe also that setting one more step on the way to a more sustainable world each day of this Year 2010 is key. Therefore we are happy to share our knowledge with you by delivering on this blog tips and tricks to communicate and organize more eco-responsible events. Tips are ordered by category. There aren’t exhaustive and will be updated regularly. As knowledge is one of the few resources that is growing through sharing feel free to share this information or any comment or additional tip by sending a mail to info@d-sidegroup.com.

Discover below the specific wishes from all d-side team.

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d-side was entrusted by International Post Corporation to organise their Press Conference during the “Copenhagen conference” on climate change. For the first time, a service industry as a whole, commits – with all its members – to cut CO2 emissions by 20% in 2020. This includes major operators such as TNT, DHL, US Post, UK and French Posts… They deliver letters and parcels to more than 270 million households every year… That’s why they feel concerned by the necessity of the change.

For more information on this industry initiative, please read the article from Financial Tilme on www.ft.com

From expedition to zero emission exhibition

(Ant)ARCTIC matters (AAM) is a tantalizing global project, creating awareness for today’s ecological consequences of climate change. Project leader is Dixie Dansercoer, who has been monitoring our planet’s vital barometers all through his many polar expeditions. Physically, AAM is an art exhibition, travelling around the world in twelve containers. More info on  http://www.antarcticmatters.org/

A special thanks to Frank Abbeloos from AA Docks for sharing his knowledge and his active participation during the green venues workshop.

AA Docks IS

BUILT WITH RESPECT FOR NATURE USING ECO-FRIENDLY TECHNOLOGY.

The building’s thermal insulation has a value lower than 0.3K. Effective insulation results in less energy consumption and lower CO₂ emissions.
The energy is extracted from the groundwater that is pumped up from 50 meters deep and is used to heat and/or cool every room independently via underfloor heating/cooling systems.
The pumping and energy conversion is powered solely by green energy.

In addition to optimal humidity control, every room benefits from CO₂ extraction and ventilation with fresh, purified air. Fresh air supply is essential for body and soul.

The sanitary wastewater is purified in the percolation reed bed. The purified water then floods the basin at the entrance of AA Dock’s before draining off towards the roots of the young beech trees planted alongside the building. This is a self-sufficient wastewater treatment system, with no wastewater drainage into the sewage network. Meanwhile, the reed plants also produce O₂.

(More info www.aadocks.be)

Please find below answers to questions you may have about d-side’s first Experience day.

1.Why organise Experience Days?
d-side Experience Days are a commercial and educational initiative with the following aims:

• Present the new positioning of d-side Event-Interactive-Brand experience.
• Boost awareness of d-side with existing clients, reactivate non-active clients and recruit new ones.
• Encourage clients, suppliers and colleagues to adopt a more eco-responsible behaviour and make sustainable choices.

Tips & tricks

Choose an event manager with a sustainable approach to event management, eco-responsible catering production and socially responsible human resources management.

Motivate employees, partners and vendors to adopt a sustainable attitude.

Choose an appropriate eco-responsible venue (close to public transport, with an eco-responsible energy policy, etc.).

Reduce negative impacts of the event, especially on the environment:

Tips & tricks

Choose a communication agency with a sustainable approach to B2B communication.

Analyse your real needs and opt for the most sustainable communication campaign:

• Digital communication tools or print?
• Tailor-made tool development or adaptation of existing tools?
• Simple or rich communication process? (Invitation, registration reminder, registration, event reminder, last minute reminder, information share point, thank-you mail, survey)

Digital campaign:

• Reduces negative impact especially on environment
• Increases sustainable benefits of the campaign

Tips & tricks

Analyse your real needs and opt for the best solution:

• Tailor-made digital communication tools
• Adaptations of existing online tools
• Additional event pages on existing corporate website

Use e-communication tools to invite your target group(s).

• Invitation e-mail linking to your event website for more info, registration, etc.
• Reminder e-mail
• Thanks for having attended e-mail

Use online tools for your whole event communication campaign.

Tips & tricks
Selecting a sustainable venue is not easy.

No certified label exists yet in Belgium. The best way is to choose a venue showing evidence of a sustainable approach.

Define clear objectives and set your priorities:

• Central location
• Accessible by public transportation
• Favour a sustainable venue or event concept

Check if there is a clear sustainability policy and/or a person in charge of sustainability in the selected venue.
Request evidence: a written chart is a clear indication that the managing team of the venue is concerned and active.

Venue equipment:

• Favour a pre-equipped venue with audio-video installation, electrical power, heating system
• Use preferably tables and chairs that are already installed in the venue (avoiding additional transport).

Tips & tricks
for choosing and challenging your catering supplier

Selecting an eco-responsible catering supplier with a sustainable approach is not easy. No certified label exists yet. The best way is to choose a catering provider showing evidence of a sustainable approach in production and in human resources.

Check if there is a clear sustainability policy and/or a person in charge of sustainability.

• Request evidence: a clear process description or written chart is a clear indication that this catering supplier is concerned and active.

Check if waste is sorted and ask about the waste collection process.

• Look for separate containers for food & vegetable waste, PMD and paper, as well as treatment of grease and wastewater.
• Are there waste reduction programmes in the workshop and at events?
• How is recycling and composting organised?

Tips & tricks

Choose a supplier with a sustainable approach to business gifts and an eco-logical production and transport supply chain (e.g. gift4ecology).

Analyse your real needs in terms of quantity, items.

Consider optimising your budget calculation:
move from large numbers of lower quality products to smaller numbers of higher quality products.

Tips & tricks

Choose a supplier with a sustainable approach to business incentives and team building.

Incorporate the sustainable development theme into the incentive as a common thread.

Opt for one high quality event instead of two lesser events.

Activities:

• Opt for CO2 neutral activities: walking, bike, Segway, etc.
• Consider wellness and balancing activities.
• Consider integrating your event into your corporate sponsorship programme.
• Consider social or charitable activities (e.g. Marolles area, retirement home, orphanages, etc.) with a real and sustainable added value for underprivileged people or organisations.

Green Attitude : sustainable key points

1. Use of recycled paper for all communication
2. Biodegradable corn-based material
3. Water based ink for printing logo on the packaging, recycled packaging, flyers on recycled paper …
4. Recycled packaging
5. Waste sorting for all the production process : from production to restaurants
6. Restaurants & production 100 % Green Electricty
7. Our lunches are delivered in large wicker baskets reusable or in large wooden trays also reusable
8. Vegetables & products are guaranteed from Belgium, there are obvious exceptions. In these cases, it guarantees the maximum from near Belgium
9. Each car is delivered one day tour to limit its negative impact on the environment.

www.gift4ecology.be