Oktoberfest goes green in the Hippodrom

Oktoberfest tent Hippodrom lit by LED.

Beer tent reduces CO2 by the equivalent of 600,000 1-liter beer mugs using 550 energy-efficient Osram LED lamps

When millions of visitors start streaming into the world’s biggest fair from September 22 to October 7, attention will center not only on good cheer, but also on the environment. While the Hippodrom is not the largest of the Oktoberfest beer tents, its commitment to the environment is all the greater: By replacing 550 incandescent bulbs with energy-efficient Osram LED lamps, the venue will be reducing CO2 emissions by some 1.2 tons at the Oktoberfest.

A total of 550 warm-white LED lamps from Munich-based Osram will be putting visitors, food and beverages in the right light and helping the environment at the Hippodrom’s 110th anniversary this year. Instead of 25 watts like the incandescent bulbs used before, the new lamps need only 5 watts of power to achieve the same brightness, meaning they will save 2,500 kWh of electricity during the 16-day Oktoberfest, equivalent to 1.2 tons or over 600,000 liters CO2. “Together with Osram, we are making the Oktoberfest a little bit greener. We would like to show that even when you’re celebrating, you shouldn’t forget the environment. At the same time, we want to demonstrate our support of efforts to achieve a more sustainable Oktoberfest,” explains Sepp Krätz, operator and host of the Hippodrom. The warm-white light demonstrates perfectly that energy-efficient lighting does not have to mean compromising on a cozy atmosphere. It produces a pleasant, welcoming setting, inviting guests to sway to the music and celebrate.

Oktoberfest tent Hippodrom lit by LED.

All good things come in threes – and more!

After the Hacker beer tent in 2007 and the Löwenbräu tent last year, the Hippodrom is the third Oktoberfest venue to switch to energy-efficient lighting from Osram and make an important contribution to the environment. And more are to follow: “We are very pleased that the Hippodrom, one of the most well-known beer tents, decided to switch to an energy-saving lighting concept. Naturally our goal is to have all the beer tents illuminated in energy-efficient lighting in a few years, so that the Oktoberfest is good for both visitors and the environment,” says Klaus-Günter Vennemann, Osram’s CEO of General Lighting.

ABOUT OSRAM

OSRAM AG (Munich, Germany) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Siemens AG and one of the two leading light manufacturers in the world. In fiscal year 2011 (ended September 30, 2011), it generated revenue of about 5 billion Euros. Osram is a high-tech company in the lighting sector and more than 70 percent of its revenue comes from energy efficient products. The company, which is very much internationally oriented, has around 41,000 employees worldwide, supplying customers in 150 countries from its 44 production sites in 16 countries (as of September 30, 2011). Additional information can be found in the internet at www.osram-group.com.