OREANDA-NEWS. September 15, 2011. An award ceremony for the winners of the “Recognition Program” eco-innovations contest 2011 has taken place within the framework of the 6th IOC Coordination Commission visit to Sochi. Eight companies using environmental innovation techniques in their business emerged as prizewinners. They were awarded prizes by Dmitry Kozak, Deputy Prime-Minister of the Russian Federation, Jean-Claude Killy, Chairman of the IOC Coordination Commission for Sochi 2014, Gilbert Felli, IOC Executive Director for the Olympic Games, Sergey Gaplikov, President of the SC “Olympstroy”, and Dmitry Chernyshenko, President of the “Sochi 2014” Organizing Committee. “Sochi 2014” Organizing Committee and SC “Olympstroy” were the official contest organizers.

Representatives from the engineering companies’ management teams also took part in the ceremony as well as representatives from national contractors involved in the Olympic Venues’ Construction Program, representatives of the City of Sochi and Krasnodar Region Administration, Russian and international “green” building experts. Members of the International Olympic Committee were honoured guests at the ceremony and a broadcast of the event could be viewed on the official Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee website – www.sochi2014.com.

In total there were 36 submissions to the competition and the winners were selected in eight nomination categories. “TEK Mosenergo” JSC came first in the category for adaptation of innovative technologies for using ecologically effective membrane technology in generating industrial water (“Adlerskaya” TPP). The innovation enables the quantity of salt wasted to the atmosphere with waste water to be minimized which is combined with their simultaneous volume concentration.

‘Architecture Workshop “Studio 44” LLC were voted the best transport hub project for the “Olympic Park” railway terminal. The Sochi National Park together with the Russian Academy of Science, WWF-Russia and the Ministry of Natural Resources, together developed a unique project which involved recruiting Persian leopards to the North Caucasus.

“Reserve” Creative Production Association” LLC provided the best example of the management of natural resources. The company developed a unique water treatment technology for roof-collected drinking water as part of the Sochi State Olympic University Project. The “Sochi Rubbish Recycling Plant” JSC had the best waste management system enabling the safe disposal of 200,000 tons of residential solid waste per year.

As well as this, the “Sochi Park” JSC received an award for constructing the key tourist attraction – “Tema-Park” in Sochi Black Sea region, and “NPO Mostovik” LLC won the nomination for the best example of Implementing an Energy-Efficient Decision”. The company created a whole complex of energy-efficient systems and even suggested using street lanterns powered by solar panels and wind generators at the Adler railway station. Finally, the company “RKW Architectur + Shtatebau Russia” LLC put forward their work on the Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee office building, which turned out to be in most strict compliance with IPC requirements.

Dmitry Chernyshenko, President of Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee, commented:

"The Program of recognition award represents not only the international acknowledgement of these companies’ engineering achievements, but also salutes their contribution to the Sochi 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Games’ legacy. Thanks to the Games “green standards” have already become a part of major developers’ projects. I am sure, that Sochi’s experience will be the basis for the formation of national “green” building standards for entire Russia in the future.

President of SC “Olympstroy” Sergey Gaplikov remarked:

“Preparation for the Olympic Games in Sochi and the renewal of the habitat of the whole city is a part of the long-term program of regional development. The venues that we are building today will serve people for a long time. So it is very important that the companies and investors, constructing the venues and infrastructure, should set high quality standards and be socially responsible in all environment-related issues; they should show consideration for the natural environment at the same time seeking to create comfortable conditions for living and working in the city”.