Convention and exhibition centers are dedicating resources to divert waste from landfills, valuing sustainable food, seeing the importance of sustainability leadership roles, utilizing on-site renewable energy technologies and improving communication around event sustainability. Those are just some of the key findings in the 2016 Green Venue Report: The State of Convention and Exhibition Center Sustainability.
This third-annual report, conducted by Greenview, a firm in the events and meetings industry promoting sustainable practices, surveyed 44 convention and exhibition centers from 11 countries to evaluate the practices and impacts of venues on a global scale. The report compares green performance over a wide-range of areas, including energy efficiency, waste management, water usage, food and beverage services, cleaning practices, staff involvement, communications and certifications.
Additional findings from the 2016 report include:
- Event-specific waste tracking is increasing. Seventy-nine percent of responding centers can provide event planners a specific waste diversion report for their event.
- Convention centers support city and regional sustainability goals. One-hundred percent indicate holding a sustainability certification or participate in initiatives lead by the city government or other local organizations.
- Water management is improving. Although water consumption varies at each venue, many are improving water management techniques and completing efficiently upgrades.
- Venues are responsibly managing food waste. Eighty-one percent reported practicing food waste management, like tracking and monitoring food production waste, overage and spoilage, and 93 percent say catering departments regularly compost kitchen waste.
The survey consisted of 142 survey questions, was conducted in spring 2016 and is based off 2015 operational data and information. To download the complete report and see the 2016 participants, visit www.greenvenuereport.com.