As suppliers, your role in producing sustainable events is vital to the success of your clients. Clients need your facility, services and products as well as your partnership to create a truly sustainable event. Without your company leading the way, sharing best practices, and providing an environmentally-responsible experience the ecological footprint of their event will be much higher. Sustainability has gone from a “value add” to a critical component from the proposal stage through the event itself.
For over two decades, MeetGreen has provided sustainability consulting services to convention centers, hotels, meeting venues, general contractors, caterers and audio visual companies who understand the importance of initiatives that are both good for the environment and the economic bottom lines. Cost savings are traditionally high for vendors implementing these practices allowing for additional programs to roll out and we have the data to prove it.
Venues
Large event venues like convention centers and arenas have a unique opportunity to contribute to implementing sustainable processes and practices. Take a moment to assess how your building measures up with this checklist.
While this list covers environmental practices, promoting labor practices that guarantee fair and equitable treatment of staff in a safe work environment should also be taken into consideration. If your building venue ticks all the boxes, congratulations!
If not this is an excellent time for the MeetGreen team to help you set forth a plan to use the planet’s resources wisely.
Certification and Policies
- Has your building achieved environmental certifications, such as ISO 14001, ENERGY STAR, LEED, BOMA 360 or other third-party verified programs?
- Does your building have a written sustainability policy, including accessibility provisions?
Energy
- Does your facility turn off lights and HVAC in rooms when not in use, either manually or through scheduling?
- Do you adjust HVAC and lighting to seasonally appropriate levels and schedules?
- Does your building use energy efficient lighting in meeting rooms, foyers and halls?
- Have you designated and enforced “no idling zones” at the key access points?
- Do you conduct audits of energy use to measure and improve efficiency?
- Do you offer electric hand dryers in public washrooms?
- Does your building purchase green or renewable energy (solar, wind, tidal)?
Water
- Do you use low-flow toilets and/or dual flush toilets in restrooms?
- Are there sensors on your faucets, taps and urinals?
- Does your building have a system for rainwater and greywater re-utilization?
- Do you sweep (and not spray) parking lots, sidewalks and driveways when cleaning?
- Do you monitor water use with meters, and can you provide data if requested?
Waste
- Do you have a recycling program to recycle glass, aluminum, plastic, paper, grease and electronic waste?
- Do you provide collection bins, facilities, staffing and training necessary to recycle all glass containers, aluminum and steel cans, plastic bottles, pallets, paper (newspaper, cardboard and other office paper) and e-waste?
- Does your building have a system for composting?
- Do you have a policy to reduce and reuse where possible and appropriate?
- Is your building’s staff trained to implement environmental policies and practices in regard to minimizing waste?
- Do you have a donation program for materials that are not used?
Environmental Purchases
- Do you have a written policy to purchase sustainable options for all items procured within your operations?
- Have you purchased bathroom paper products that include recycled content of at least 35%?
- Do you purchase environmentally responsible cleaning products for carpet, floors, kitchens and bathrooms?
- Do you purchase environmentally responsible paints that have low VOC emissions and dispose of this product responsibly?
- Do you use humane and environmentally responsible options for pest control?
- Do you request that vendors have environmentally responsible practices?