When Kimberly Smith began as director of conferences and events at the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), she already thought she was doing her part to be environmentally conscious, both in her career and personal life. Two years into her role at “the best association” she has ever worked for in her 30-year career, Smith has not only learned the true meaning of producing an authentically green event but also how much power event planners truly have when it comes to pushing the events industry in a more sustainable direction.

Global business-to-business events organizer, UBM, and its UBM Fashion Group division, recently partnered with Mandalay Bay Convention Center to collaborate in the development of a more energy efficient and sustainable lighting system within its exhibit halls.

The new LED system debuted during MAGIC Marketplace, held Feb. 12-14 at the MBCC and the Las Vegas Convention Center.

In a move that is quite a departure from their usual investment in events, Diversified Communications recently completed a collaborative project with ReVision Energy and Midcoast Regional Redevelopment Authority (MRRA) to build a 1.5 Megawatt solar energy farm.

The new system will provide electricity for Brunswick Landing, a business park located at the former Naval Air Station Brunswick in Brunswick, Maine.

The Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland and the Global Center for Health Innovation recently has completed two significant facility upgrades geared toward improving energy efficiency and enhancing its exhibitor services.

Late last year, the facility replaced 140 metal-halide light bulbs in its truck loading dock with LED technology bulbs as well as installed a permanent pneumatic air distribution system (compressed air) in the utilidor beneath the exhibit hall floor.

The Phoenix Convention Center recently has completed several energy efficiency upgrades by converting outdated lighting to energy efficient LED lighting technology.

Last year, the PCC participated in Arizona Public Service’s (APS) Solutions for Business energy rebate program, resulting in more than $175,000 in rebates for the LEED-silver certified facility.

Due to the wide array of sustainability initiatives it has implemented during the years, including the global and national recognition it has received for its sustainability achievements and commitments, the Indianapolis Airport Authority was selected to participate in a panel discussion at the United Nations’ International Civil Aviation Organization Seminar on Green Airports, held Nov. 29 at the UN ICAO headquarters in Montreal, Canada.

In his six years as vice president of Sustainability at Freeman, Jeff Chase has become quite proficient at making the case that “sustainable thinking is good for business.”

Besides working alongside corporate and association clients to help them produce greener shows, the 30-year industry veteran also serves as sitting chairman of the Events Industry Council’s sustainability committee, where he is passionate about educating the industry about the far-reaching benefits of environmentally-minded shows.

The Global Destination Sustainability Index has released its second sustainability performance ranking of 40 meeting and events cities throughout the globe.

Detroit’s Cobo Center is demonstrating its ongoing commitment to sustainability by increasing its environmental initiatives for the coming year, including a living green roof observation area and new lactation suites for nursing moms.

According to Claude Molinari, general manager of SMG/Cobo Center, the facility is planning to install a visitor observation area near its living green roof at the old heliport location on the roof deck.

“Last year, we installed honeybee hives and saw our living roof and organic herb gardens thrive,” Molinari said.

The Vancouver Convention Centre has set a new bar in the event sustainability realm. Last month, the already greener-than-green convention center’s West building was awarded LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum certification (version 4) for Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance by the Canada Green Building Council.

Coupled with its 2010 LEED Platinum certification for New Construction, the VCC now owns the bragging rights for being the only double LEED Platinum convention center in the world.