The Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu is launching the Hoʻomaluō Program, a comprehensive environmental sustainability initiative with the goal of enhancing the overall meetings experience.
The Hoʻomaluō Program is kicking off in conjunction with the 2018 American Dental Association (ADA) – America’s Dental Meeting, held October 18-22, 2018. The 1.1 million-square-foot center will host over 15,000 registrants from 46 countries for the meeting, which is expected to generate an estimated $70.8 million in statewide visitor spending.
The ADA has also committed to reforesting 100 Legacy Trees through the Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative, a nonprofit organization that has led the reforestation of more than 340,000 endemic trees on the Hawaii Island.
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The Hawaii Convention Center has committed to planting one million native trees across the state.
“As contributing members of our community, both professional and personal, we are always working to give back to the public,” said Jeffrey M. Cole, D.D.S, ADA president-elect “Our organization’s vision is helping the public achieve optimal health, so it made sense to participate in this effort. The Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative and Hawaii Convention Center offer a unique opportunity to offset our carbon footprint in traveling here and to help keep the islands that we love pristine and picturesque for years to come."
Hoʻomaluō, which means “to conserve; to use or manage wisely” in the Hawaiian language, celebrates the center’s recent award of LEED v.4 O+M: Existing Buildings Gold Certification by the U.S. Green Building Council. The Hawaii Convention Center is the first and only “public assembly, convention center” to earn LEED v.4 O+M Gold Certification in the U.S. and is the only LEED v.4 O+M Gold project in Hawaii.
“At the Hawaii Convention Center, our guests, planners, staff and communities have come together for more than two decades to preserve, protect and enhance the natural beauty of the Hawaiian Islands,” said Teri Orton, general manager of the Hawaii Convention Center. “This LEED certification nationally recognizes the dedicated work of our staff to make our Hoʻomaluō Program a reality. Since our opening 20 years ago, the Hawaii Convention Center has been deeply committed to a multifaceted approach to environmental conservation that inspires everything we do and touches everyone we serve."
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The Hoʻomaluō Program includes the center’s work to conserve and reuse resources; maintain a high quality of operations, such as climate, guest comfort and building design; and careful attention to reducing waste throughout each stage in the event process. The center incorporates guest education and participation through its One Million Trees effort to support the reforestation of endemic Legacy Trees in Hawaii.
In addition, the Hawaii Convention Center, which is operated by AEG Facilities, participates in AEG’s industry-leading corporate sustainability program AEG 1EARTH, which helps it exchange best practices with other AEG Facilities venues and track environmental performance.
