Discover How Convention Centers Can Become More Green & Sustainable With Technology
Sustainability initiatives have become essential factors within business decisions across industries; according to TravelPerk, almost two-thirds of business leaders (61%) said climate change would have a high or very high impact on their business’s strategy and operations over the next three years.
As hubs for networking across all sorts of industries, convention centers should take note and implement sustainability initiatives accordingly. Sustainability, however, encompasses a wide swath of disciplines and solutions. Where do convention centers even begin?
Hospitality Network is here to help. Continue to discover what exactly defines sustainability in convention centers, the solutions trailblazing convention center sustainability, and how network technology powers holistic pieces of IoT sustainability technology.
- What is Sustainability in Convention Centers?
- Sustainability Features in Convention Centers Going Green
- Hospitality Network Powers Sustainability Solutions In Your Convention Center
What Is Sustainability in Convention Centers?
Generally, sustainability is the pursuit of building a long-term future for the planet without depleting its natural resources. The Environmental Protection Agency, abbreviated to the EPA, defines sustainability as creating and maintaining the conditions under which humans and nature can exist in productive harmony to support present and future generations. Meanwhile, Our Common Future — a groundbreaking report published through the United Nations in 1987 — defines sustainable development as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”
Sustainability in convention centers, then, refers to the pursuit of creating convention centers that offer the latest technological advancements while ensuring long-term function and protecting both local & national resources. Convention centers must seek to achieve both internal & external sustainability — ensuring that their facilities remain viable for decades without damaging the greater environment they exist in.
Sustainability Features in Convention Centers Going Green
Using actionable programs and proven solutions, convention centers can bolster sustainability via a variety of means. Here are just a few features convention centers can leverage when going green — from certifications to software.
LEED Certification
Per their website, the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is the world’s most widely used green building rating system. A voluntary system, LEED standards are ever-evolving, accepted as a global benchmark for sustainable design. As with most commercial buildings, convention centers are eligible for LEED certification. There are four levels of certification:
- Certified (40-49 points)
- Silver (50-59 points)
- Gold (60-79 points)
- Platinum (80+ points)
LEED-certifiers focus on both occupant well-being and sustainable use of resources. Some key solutions LEED-certified convention centers leverage include the installation of renewable energy sources, healthier air quality, and the use of green materials.
How IoT Technology Supports LEED Certification
IoT technology can be essential to achieving LEED certification in the first place. Using real-time tracking and cloud-based metrics implemented within sustainability technology, convention centers can install solutions and gain the data that will help them achieve LEED accreditation. Additionally, we’ll dive into the following technology solutions in even further details.
Waste Management Programs
Convention centers can produce an extremely high level of waste; large convention centers such as the Las Vegas Convention Center bring in upwards of 5 million attendees a year, servicing these attendees with food, water, and toiletries. These attendees produce massive amounts of waste, raising sustainability concerns for both the sheer volume of waste and how convention centers can dispose of said waste without damaging the environment.
How IoT Technology Supports Waste Management Programs
Connected waste management programs offer a modern way for convention centers to lower their waste consumption. Combining intuitive software with real-world action, convention centers can identify where and how they create the most waste, redirecting and minimizing waste streams. Additionally, using exciting pieces of software such as mobile ticketing, convention centers can reduce the amount of physical waste & single use plastics they use while simultaneously streamlining attendee experiences.
Energy-Efficient Maintenance
Just as this high level of attendees produces huge amounts of waste, so too does it spur incredible amounts of maintenance. Between cleaning facilities and repairing any damage left by prior exhibitors, maintaining convention centers is a monumental task, inherently leading to potentially high levels of waste and misused resources. Plus, with so many moving parts, convention center teams may miss essential areas of a center that require repair — potentially leading to faulty utilities that waste resources and money.
How IoT Technology Supports Energy-Efficient Maintenance
Using energy-efficient maintenance practices, convention centers may reduce the cost and waste consumed during the maintenance process. Smart maintenance systems keep track of how & when essential utilities — including HVAC units — require routine maintenance, alongside alerting your team when in need of urgent repair. In turn, faulty utilities can receive repair sooner rather than later, before wasting even more essential resources within your convention center. Combined with use of sustainable, low-water cleaning products, convention centers can access effective cleaning while reducing the creation of unnecessary waste.
Minimized Water Usage
Water shortages have become an unfortunate reality across the United States. Several states and communities — including convention hubs such as Las Vegas and California — are facing notable water conservation restrictions. With both rising water costs and dwindling access to resources, convention centers must adapt to & prioritize sustainable use of water.
Conservation of water comes in diverse shapes & sizes. Simply implementing water bottle refill stations through a venue can both encourage sustainable water use and reduce single use plastics. Depending on location, convention centers can also leverage different types of water-efficient design & landscaping. Drier areas may opt to replace grass with drought-resistant plants, while other convention centers may utilize wastewater recycling from toilets and sinks.
How IoT Technology Supports Minimized Water Usage
Technology too can streamline water management. Smart sensors in restrooms can monitor water for overuse and help pinpoint internal facilities that waste excessive amounts. Meanwhile, premises may leverage smart irrigation technology to monitor factors including weather data & soil moisture to only run sprinklers when plants really need them, for as long as they really need them.
Hospitality Network Powers Sustainability Solutions In Your Convention Center
Convention centers can improve their sustainability in distinct and powerful ways. To push sustainability to the highest level, however, convention centers must also prioritize robust network access. From smart systems to tracking software, IoT sustainability technology often relies on high-speed internet to remain connected and maintain sustainable function. In turn, convention centers need a partner that can design, install, and maintain high-density networks.
Enter Hospitality Network. Our industry-leading connectivity solutions supercharge varied pieces of technology at convention centers across the United States — including comprehensive sustainability programs. As a Cox company, we practice what we preach — following actionable, impact-driven company wide sustainability initiatives across Cox brands. Don’t let a sustainable future wait any longer; request a consultation with Hospitality Network today.
