Year 2012

Presentation before “The Climate Group” international network

15th March 2012 — Vitoria-Gasteiz

In celebration of Vitoria-Gasteiz's status as "Green Capital", Gamesa and Ihobe, the latter acting as the Technical Secretariat to the Basque Ecodesign Center, took part in an international meeting in Vitoria-Gasteiz. The event was organised by The Climate Group in preparation for the Rio+20 UN summit.

At this meeting, which gave The Climate Group delegation and representatives from Basque organisations and businesses the opportunity to debate, present their experiences,and search for collaborations, Gamesa took the opportunity to discuss its experience in working with ecodesign.

The presentation included their experience of implementing the management system according to the UNE-EN ISO 14006:2011 standard. The G10X-4.5 MW aerogenerator, designed in compliance with this standard, is able to supply electricity to 3,169 homes per year while avoiding the emission of 6,750 tonnes of CO2 per year into the atmosphere.

Vicinay Cadenas participates in the First EPD System Congress

15th May 2012 — Stockholm (Sweden)

Vicinay Cadenas travelled to Sweden for the First EPD System Conference, at which they shared their successful experiences in preparing EPD eco- labels for the products they sell: chains aimed at the o?shore oil and gas industry.

Organised by Environdec, the most prestigious Environmental Product Declaration certi?cation body in the world, some 80 EPD-promoting ?rms and entities from various countries across Europe met at this conference, which took place in Stockholm on 15th May 2012.

Vicinay Cadenas was invited to participate as a speaker at this event due to the ?rm's work in recent years with regards promoting EPD eco-labelling. Indeed, Vicinay Cadenas was the ?rst ?rm in the ship and oil industry in the world to publish an Environmental Declaration (EPD). Vicinay Cadenas currently possesses 6 Environmental Product Delcarations.

Fagor and Ihobe participate in a conference about the Ecodesign Directive

11th June 2012 - Madrid

On 11th June, Fagor, a member of the Basque Ecodesign Center, attended an information day in Madrid that focused on the current ecodesign directive. They were joined by Ihobe, Ecodes and CoolProducts.

At the conference, which was entitled "Ecodesign Directive and energy eco-labelling: analysis of the present and proposals for the future", the European directive was placed under the microscope.This directive currently a?ects energy-related products, from di?erent perspectives: the government's perspective, represented by the Ministry of Energy, Industry and Tourism, and the Public Environmental Management Company Ihobe; the business perspective, represented by Fagor, and the perspective of the end consumers.

10th Workshop on waste prevention

22nd November 2012 — Barcelona

On 22nd November, the Basque Ecodesign Center was invited to participate in the “10th Workshop on Waste Prevention”, organised by the Catalan Waste Agency and the Catalan Generalitat’s Department of Territory and Sustainability. The event took place at the Agbar Tower in Barcelona. The Center participated in a panel discussion together with representativ from Mercadona and INDITEX in order to consider the social responsibility of ?rms in ecodesign and the prevention of waste generation. At the conference, the important work carried out in the Basque Country in the promoting and disseminating ecodesign, as well as incorporating it into the industrial fabric, was recognised.

The Catalan Waste Agency, as the body in charge of waste both produced and managed in Catalonia, has staged the Workshop on Municipal Waste Prevention every year since 2003. This workshop has served as the leading communication and experience-exchange tool in the area of waste prevention in Catalonia.

Presentation at the IZAITE “Carbon footprint and competitiveness” conference

7th November 2012 — Bilbao

On 7th November, IZAITE (Association of Basque Companies for Sustainability) held the “Carbon Footprint and Competitiveness” conference at Bilbao's Palacio Euskalduna. José María Fernández, Technical Coordinator of the Basque Ecodesign Center took part in this conference, delivering a presentation entitled “ecodesign and climate change, keys for competitiveness". He also discussed the Basque Ecodesign Center's project and the range of activities in which it engages.

Euskaltel, Fagor, Gamesa, Ormazabal, Iberdrola, Ihobe and Vicinay Cadenas,
founding members of the Basque Ecodesign Center, are also members of the IZAITE Association.

The Basque Ecodesign Center had an important presence at CONAMA 2012

26th-30th November 2012 — Madrid

The 11th National Environment Congress CONAMA 2012 took pla in Madrid between 26th and 30th November. It is an important event in the ?eld of sustainable development and takes place eve two years, bringing together ?rms and organisations that are ?rm committed to protecting the environment. The Basque Ecodesign Center was present at the event, erecting an ecodesigned stand i the exhibition area and taking part in the ecodesign forums which were held as part of this professional gathering.

The Basque Ecodesign Center stand took into account ecodesign eco-e?ciency criteria such as: the reduction of materials, re-use, life cycle of components, and the optimisation of energy consumption. These criteria were considered both at the stand's manufacturing phase and throughout its useful life.

Official presentation of the European Network of Ecodesign Centres

28th November 2012 — Mechelen (Belgium)

On 28th November, the European Network of Ecodesign Centres (ENEC) was o?cially unveiled in Mechelen (Flanders, Belgium), home to the headquarters of the OVAM Agency, which is one of the network's member agencies. The centres which already belonged to the ENEC Network – Ecodesign Center (Wales, United Kingdom), the Pôle de Ecoconception from the Rhône Alpes region in France, the OVAM Public Waste Agency of Flanders (Holland) and the Basque Government’s Environmental Management Company Ihobe – were joined shortly before the launch by the E?zienz Agentur NRW (Germany).

The o?cial presentation was inaugurated by Michael Bennett from the EU Directorates-General of Enterprise and Industry and of the Environment.

Vicinay Cadenas and the Basque Ecodesign Center attend a Life-Cycle Assessment Conference

4th December 2012 — Madrid

On 4th December, Vicinay Cadenas and the Basque Ecodesign Center took part in a conference about “Communication and Improvement of the Environmental Value of Products and Firms through Life-Cycle Assessment”, held by the Community of Madrid’s Economy, Trade and Consumer A?airs Department.

This conference, which contained a strong Basque presence, featured participation by David Hernández, Head of Integrated Management Systems at Vicinay Cadenas, and Gorane Ibarra, Project Manager at the Basque Ecodesign Center.