Pennsylvania Convention Center Releases 2019 Sustainability Report
The report details the Center’s implementation and results of environmental efficiency and sustainability measures
PHILADELPHIA – In recognition of Earth Day, The Pennsylvania Convention Center today released its annual sustainability report, a document that summarizes the Center’s efforts to reduce the environmental impact of its operations and includes key facts and figures on the results. The Center uses the annual report as a benchmark to evaluate its ongoing sustainability efforts.
“Our facilities team is committed to sustainability and finding new ways to improve our processes every year,” said Gregory J. Fox, Esq., Chairman of the Board of the Pennsylvania Convention Center Authority (PCCA). “When activity in the meetings and conventions industry begins to resume, the Pennsylvania Convention Center’s sustainability practices will be another point of distinction for our great facility.”
The 2019 Sustainability Report highlights the fact that the Center recycled 842.75 tons of waste through its recycling partner Republic Services. The amount of material that was recycled enabled the facility to achieve a new record of diverting 45 percent of waste from landfill. These efforts resulted in saving the equivalent of 3.65 million kilowatt hours of electricity, 100,306 gallons of oil, 5.74 million gallons of water, and 9,841 mature trees. In total, the sustainability efforts of the Center reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 2,608 metric tons.
“The sustainability practices that we have put in place are part of the culture of our facility, but they are also important to an increasing number of customers and event attendees,” said Janet Mitrocsak, ASM Global Director of Facilities at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. “We’re proud to highlight the ways in which we are helping individual events implement green practices, as well as the overall initiatives we continue to implement in order to make a positive impact on the environment.”
The Center hosted a number of sustainable events in 2019, including APHA 2019 (American Public Health Association), the Philadelphia Auto Show, LIGHTFAIR® International (LFI®) 2019, the Pennsylvania Conference for Women, and the 2019 Veeva Global R&D Summit. The facility worked with the individual planners of these events to focus on environmentally responsible decision-making throughout the planning, organization and implementation stages. Internally, the PCCA/ASM Global Green Team also held an internal salvage recycling event in 2019. That effort led to the recycling of 20.95 tons of broken furniture, refrigeration equipment, and electronics.
“ASM Global is diligent in its efforts to remain the industry leader in environmental sustainability. We work in conjunction with our venues around the world to identify and implement best practices,” said Kelvin D. Moore, ASM Global Regional General Manager. “The Pennsylvania Convention Center is no exception. A lot of hard work goes into ensuring our operations and services are environmentally friendly. I know that our meeting planning partners will appreciate those efforts as the industry navigates its way into a new normal.”
The 2019 Sustainability Report can be found on the Pennsylvania Convention Center’s website at: https://www.paconvention.com/about/facility/sustainabilitygreen-meetings
About the Pennsylvania Convention Center
The Pennsylvania Convention Center is located in Center City Philadelphia at the heart of the city's many cultural offerings and world-class dining and entertainment scene. Managed by ASM Global, the Center is the 14th largest facility in the nation and features the largest exhibit space and ballroom in the Northeastern U.S. Each year, the Center hosts more than 200 events that attract more than 1.2 million attendees, making it the largest driver of the region’s hospitality industry. For more information, visit www.paconvention.com.
Contact: Ashley Dabb Pete Peterson
215-418-4856 215-990-8928 (cell)
adabb@paconvention.com ppeterson@bellevuepr.com