Shane Shirley is CMO for SBS Brands, a 90-year-old global brand leader focused on creating digital and print business solutions that offers traditional and eco-friendly customized promotional products to accelerate trade show marketing.
A substantial contributing factor to the greenness of your trade show is the venue itself. Many convention centers are making huge strides to streamline recycling and reduce water consumption while an increased emphasis on green construction processes allows a complex to be green throughout. There are a lot of factors that will help you zero in on the ideal venue for your event, but consider how green a venue itself is before booking.
Here are 10 of the top green locations for your next trade show in no particular order.
1. Raleigh’s Convention Center boasts Silver LEED Certification along with an optimized HVAC system and water-reduction measures.
2. The Los Angeles Convention Center holds a certification in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Existing Buildings (LEED-EB) from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC).
3. In Pittsburgh the David L. Lawrence Convention Center features Gold LEED Certification in new construction and Platinum LEED Certification in existing building.
4. The Orange County Convention Center is located in Orlando and features LEED and ISO Certification, as well as APEX ASTM (APEX) Certification.
5. At the Oregon Convention Center the building features an impressive Platinum LEED Certification and the facility offers extensive waste recycling and recovery programs.
6. The Colorado Convention Center has achieved ASTM Environmentally Sustainable Meetings, Events, Trade Shows and Conferences (E2774-11) Certification while also utilizing alternate sources of energy and reducing waste and water consumption.
7. The Phoenix Convention Center boasts a comprehensive recycling program, water and energy efficiency and a Silver LEED Certification.
8. In Sacramento the Convention Center Complex is certified by the Sacramento Municipal Utilities District (SMUD) in their Green Energy program and they use Green-e certified renewable energy.
9. The Minneapolis Convention Center was awarded level one certification for the ASTM standard pertaining to the evaluation and selection of venues for environmentally sustainable events. They are also are rapidly working towards goals to reduce energy and water consumption.
10. The Austin Convention Center has achieved Gold LEED Certification and is an active Energy Star Partner with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy.
Did I Miss Any?
A core belief common to all of these venues is the social responsibility to care for their local communities and our shared planet, but each of these convention centers also finds other ways to provide a modern venue that lives up to the needs and standards exhibitors expect while also striving to implement environmental practices.
Location is a major determining factor when it comes to choosing the venue for your next tradeshow. You want a facility that is centrally located and easy for folks who are traveling that also has plenty of nearby hotels, restaurants and easy access to public transportation.
But dig a little deeper, and look into the environmental practices and certifications to find the best green location for your trade show.
I am interested to know if you have any venues that should be added to the list?
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