The events industry employs a wide variety of professionals. Those who come first to mind are project managers, producers, salespeople at trade shows, etc. But many more profiles are contributing to the success of an event.
Regarding trade shows, exhibitors’ booths are among the most visible elements. The conception and building of these structures require a whole team of professionals: project managers, designers, warehouse workers, etc.
Today we are going to look at this sometimes unsung hero, the cabinetmaker.
Time for a little history lesson
Woodworking jobs are numerous and varied: lumberjack, carpenter, joiner, cooper, woodturner, wood carver, stringed instrument maker, etc.
In the events industry, and more specifically when it comes to exhibition booths for trade shows, one of these crafts is vital; we are talking about the cabinetmaker.
Cabinetmakers are craftspeople who transform wood to create functional or decorative furniture (source: Wikipedia).
Historically carpenters were the ones who worked with wood, mainly to build the structure of a house. Then came joiners who specialized in smaller items.
In France, the word “ébénisterie” (cabinetmaking) appeared for the first time in a dictionary in 1732. The word itself comes from “ébène” (ebony), a rare and valuable wood. Of course, using wood to decorate or build furniture dates back a lot earlier, since antiquity for Israel and Rome and the Middle Ages for Europe. But, before the 16th century, ebony was only used for small objects, such as chess boards or small boxes.
It’s really under the reign of Louis XIV, thanks to Charles Le Brun and Charles Boulle, that marquetry veneer really starts to become ubiquitous with the use of thin layers of ebony, copper, tin, or shells. By the mid-17th century, the joiners’ corporation finally welcomed this new category of craftsmen, initially referred to as “ebony joiners.”
Nowadays, cabinetmakers use new materials and sophisticated, high-performance machines, notably Computer Numeric Controlled (CNC) Machines.
Photo by Shoot Studio
Cabinetmakers in the events industry
Let’s return to the events industry, specifically professional trade shows. Cabinetmakers are essential actors when it comes to building booths for exhibitors.
Indeed, the cabinetmaker is in charge of preparing and building all the walls and partitions, but also the furniture, following the blueprints provided by the designer. He is also an integral part of the assembly of all the components of a booth.
He has to work harmoniously with the project manager and the designer to ensure all the deadlines are met.
Photo by Shoot Studio
To complete these tasks successfully, the cabinetmaker has to master all the stages in a cabinetmaking project, i.e., conception, production, and assembly of all the components in the project. In addition, he must master the use of the tools required to complete the projects, be an expert in reading blueprints and be knowledgeable in mathematics. Finally, he needs a deep understanding of the raw materials that are used in construction. He now also needs to be able to program and operate CNC machines.
Education
In the USA, most employers prefer to hire individuals with a minimum of a high school diploma or General Educational Development (GED) credential, even though cabinetmakers are not required to have completed formal education related to the trade. Generally, a minimum of three years of experience is required to be considered a skilled craftsman. Still, some cabinetmaking apprenticeships are available after a high-school diploma and are usually completed in four years.
In the province of Quebec (Canada), specific diplomas are required to be able to work as a cabinetmaker: a Diploma of Vocational Studies (DEP) in Wood and related materials—cabinetmaking or a Diploma of College Studies (DEC) from the “École Nationale du meuble et de l’ébénisterie” (Victoriaville and Montréal).
Photo by Shoot Studio
In France, it is possible to start with a Professional Qualification (CAP) in cabinetmaking (2-year curriculum), then proceed with a Vocational Diploma (Bac Pro) in Cabinetmaking (also two years). Other diplomas are available such as a BMA (trade degree level 4) and a BTMS (vocational qualification) level 3. A master’s degree is in the process of being recognized on a national level.
How much does a cabinetmaker earn?
In the USA, cabinetmakers earned an average of $40,070 annually in 2021. In addition, the BLS (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics) predicted a 4% growth in employment for the woodworking field between 2021 and 2031, with good job prospects for highly qualified candidates.
In France, a novice cabinetmaker is usually paid the minimum wage (which was set at €1,709.28 monthly before taxes as of January 2023, i.e., €20,511.36 per year). On the other hand, an experienced artisan can reach up to €3,800 per month, i.e., €45,600 per year.
In conclusion
Cabinetmakers are vital when it comes to building exhibition booths, as they move a booth from a project phase to a built structure.
At totm exposition, we are very proud of our team of cabinetmakers who bring to life the ideas of our designers and clients.
We are always looking for talented craftspeople! So if you are interested or know someone who might want to join a dynamic and friendly team, please get in touch!
At totm exposition, we are very conscious that our industry has a lot of progress to make in terms of sustainability. That’s why we have been sharing several articles on this subject.
To round up (for now) our tour of green convention centers worldwide, we are focusing now on Europe, with five more convention centers that are working hard on their sustainability goals.
Since it opened in 1987, the Austria Center Vienna has been Austria’s largest conference center. The center includes 19 halls and 180 meeting rooms on five levels, amounting to 279,862 sq. ft. of exhibition/networking space and a capacity of up to 22,800 visitors. The rooms come in all sizes and can accommodate 4 to 4,320 people.
Sustainable initiatives
As a publicly owned company, the Center recognizes its environmental and social responsibilities. They have made a point of taking steps that have a real impact on their ecological footprint.
While they have made improvements since the building was built in 1987, they also have plans for a more sustainable future. These include continuous modernization measures, greening exterior spaces, raising awareness about environmentally friendly travel options, and hosting increasing numbers of green meetings.
Since 1987, the Austria Center Vienna has been through several modernization programs. The high-efficiency heat recovery technology installed in 2018 in the ventilation system has cut energy use by 90%, while unused waste heat from the air conditioning units is injected into Vienna’s district heating network.
The Center reckons the switch to LEDs saves about 500,000 kWh of energy each year. LEDs also generate less heat than regular light bulbs, which means less demand for cooling power in hot weather.
The solar panels on the roof of the Center provide hot water for all kitchens and restrooms. The Center also has its own well, which is used for flushing the toilets in the whole building, and supplies the water required for the cooling systems.
Finally, all the electricity comes from renewable sources, mainly hydro, and is CO2 emission-free.
Reducing waste
To reduce waste from the Center’s operations as well as from the events hosted there, the Center distributes information on waste prevention measures to employees and participants.
They will also adapt their waste management concept to an event’s requirements.
The main measures include not using disposable crockery, cans or coffee capsules, or disposable packaging for giveaways, keeping printed materials to an absolute minimum and only using eco-certified paper when printed materials are necessary.
Promoting local food
The Center’s exclusive catering partner, MOTTO, offers custom-made culinary concepts and is certified according to the eco-label for green meetings. They use local ingredients and favor seasonal dishes, including vegetarian and vegan options.
Promoting mass and/or green transportation
The Center has excellent access to Vienna’s public transport network and actively promotes its use among organizers and visitors.
Promoting green meetings
The Center encourages planners to work towards sustainable solutions for the events that take place at the Center. The Center helps plan the event and obtain certification for it—free of charge. Their green meetings offer emphasizes waste prevention, eco-friendly travel options, and regional sourcing of ingredients for catering.
Awards & certifications
The Center became certified “Green Conference Center” by the Austrian Umweltzeichen eco-label in 2014.
Lille Grand Palais is a 484,376 sq. ft. building offering spaces for events from 20 to 20,000 people. The available spaces include four auditoriums, which can accommodate up to 4,550 people, four exhibition halls with 193,750 sq. ft. of space, two modular multifunctional spaces, and 28 committee rooms with 39 possible configurations installed on four levels and connected to other areas.
Lille Grand Palais is one of the few convention and exhibition centers to offer conference rooms and a large exhibition area on the same level.
Sustainable initiatives
Lille Grand Palais has long put sustainable development at the heart of its concerns and wants to reduce its environmental impact. As a result, the center has adapted its operating methods to incorporate sustainable development at all times and at all stages of the events they host. In addition, they have launched an ambitious action plan to reduce their environmental impact by reducing consumption flows for paper, energy, and water.
All waste produced at the center is sorted into ordinary industrial waste, cardboard, wood, carpets, scrap metal, and rubble from the events.
Whenever possible, alternative solutions to paper are preferred.
They adapt quantities on the bar to avoid waste, sort waste from the catering area, and recycle it. They also use eco-designed consumables that are more environmentally friendly.
Being part of the community
Lille Grand Palais contributes up to 446 direct and indirect jobs created to the local economy, the equivalent of 73 million dollars in economic benefits for the city of Lille.
Improving air quality
The center has implemented an environmentally friendly cleaning policy, choosing low polluting and degradable cleaning products.
Committing to sustainable purchasing
The center mainly relies on local and regional actors, service providers, and suppliers.
They hold annual meetings with their suppliers to develop new products, seasonal ranges, and organic products.
Awards & certifications
Lille Grand Palais’s commitment to sustainability is evidenced by two certifications, ISO14001 and the “Quality and Sustainable Development Charter” from France Congrès.
Lille Grand Palais has been ISO14001 certified since 2010. ISO14001 is an internationally agreed standard that sets out the requirements for an environmental management system. It helps organizations improve their environmental performance through more efficient use of resources and waste reduction.
The certification by the “Quality and Sustainable Development Charter” of France Congrès includes 25 commitments grouped according to 3 main axes: supporting customers for the best success of their events, making employees aware of eco-responsibility (Quality and Sustainable Development Guide, ISO Integration Path, participation in the European Weeks of Sustainable Development, …), taking action to protect the environment.
Very recently (end of May 2022), Lille Grand Palais also secured an ISO20121 certification for event sustainability management.
The center includes three auditoriums (450, 800, and 2000 places), 30 meeting rooms, and 64,583 sq. ft. of multi-purpose areas. It can host events from 200 to 4,000 participants.
Sustainable initiatives
For more than 15 years, the congress center has pursued an eco-responsible approach, as evidenced by the several certifications related to sustainability.
The Cité has a Centralized Technical Management System (CTMS), which allows efficient energy management of the building’s various technical systems, generating significant savings without loss of control for the users or loss of quality in the services available in the building.
The building is powered 100% by green energy, and waste incineration produces urban steam heating. In addition, energy-saving lamps have been installed (LED), and most rooms get plenty of natural daylight.
Reducing waste
More than 26 types of waste are sorted selectively, and 33% of all waste is recycled. Organizers and exhibitors are also encouraged to sort heavy and bulk waste.
Being part of the community
The center has implemented a food redistribution system for local associations.
Saving water
Water consumption in the center is controlled and monitored at all times.
Committing to sustainable purchasing
The center uses mostly local eco-friendly contractors, which reduces the carbon footprint for delivery services. In addition, all flower arrangements used on site are made locally.
Favoring eco-friendly, recyclable, or reusable products
This includes using eco-friendly furniture and settings, eco-designed and carpet-free booths, recyclable carpet when some carpet is necessary, printing all signage with environmentally friendly ink, favoring recyclable materials and reusable installations, etc.
For the catering part, the center offers coffee breaks featuring local organic products or products from fair trade, and the tableware is porcelain.
Awards & certifications
The center has received and maintains several certifications in relation to sustainability: ISO20121 (Sustainable Events) as well as the “Quality and Sustainability Charter” from France Congrès. The Cité is also the only French convention center among the 30 AIPC-certified centers worldwide to have been awarded the AIPC Gold Quality Standards Certification (International Association of Convention Centres).
The building offers 22 multifunctional rooms suitable for meetings, banquets, conferences, and exhibitions of all shapes and sizes, a 2,000-seat auditorium, and 48,438 sq. ft. of exhibition space. The Forum can accommodate 3,000 participants in its theater setting. The Convention Centre Dublin (The CCD) is located at the heart of Dublin’s transport hub, just 15 minutes from the airport, and within walking distance of many hotels, restaurants, and attractions.
Sustainable initiatives
The Convention Centre Dublin (The CCD) is recognized as the world’s first carbon-neutral constructed convention center and one of Europe’s most environmentally friendly venues. Its design meets the highest standards of environmental sustainability. They are also committed to long-term sustainability under the ISO14001 standard.
The Convention Centre Dublin (The CCD) aims to become Ireland’s most sustainable venue and a leading expert in sustainable event delivery in Europe. To achieve that, they have identified four goals: becoming carbon neutral by 2025, being certified ISO20121 by 2021 (which they achieved), offering sustainable hospitality, and eliminating single-use plastics by 2023.
To reduce their overall energy consumption, they rely on a sustainable energy supplier, which has allowed them to reduce their carbon emission output for electricity to zero (representing a 67.5% drop in CO2 emissions).
They have implemented sustainable systems such as an Integrated Building Automated System (IBAS). They have also installed a thermal wheel heat recovery system and an Ice Storage Thermal Unit (ISTU), which chills water overnight to form large ice blocks that melt during the day to provide air conditioning for the entire building.
The building design uses natural light as much as possible in all foyer spaces and small meeting rooms. In addition, most of the meeting spaces are fitted with motion sensors, which automatically turn off lights when the room is empty, and all of the exterior lights use energy-saving LED bulbs.
The sleep mode also gets automatically activated for all PCs and equipment in the office.
Finally, they are exploring options for renewable gas as well as researching carbon offsetting where switching is either not possible or unavailable at the moment.
Reducing waste
The Convention Centre Dublin (The CCD) has put a comprehensive waste management policy in place to help manage the generation and segregation of waste. As a result, they reckon they consistently recycle around 95% of their waste.
The recycling effort is made both within the building and for the events they host (for example, by providing custom-built recycle-friendly bins to help delegates be a part of the process).
Regarding food waste, they are actively exploring initiatives such as converting food waste to fertilizer.
They are also looking into viable alternatives to landfill, such as converting waste to energy.
To eliminate single-use plastics by 2023, they removed them from their cash catering food offering and replaced them with green packaging.
All their disposable coffee cups are broken down into SRF waste (Solid Recovered Fuel).
The cleaning team also uses reusable microfiber cloths and mops made from recyclable materials that are laundered on-site, as well as recycled paper products and refillable soap dispensers.
Saving water
To ensure minimum water usage, they have installed sensor taps in all wash hand basins and sensor flushes in all urinals.
Promoting local food
The Convention Centre Dublin (The CCD) is committed to offering sustainable meals and promises food safety, freshness, small farm economics, and environmental sustainability. They use suppliers from all over Ireland who champion sustainable practices.
In addition, the vast majority of food products, including all beef and chicken supplies, are locally sourced. This ensures meals are fresh and seasonal while also supporting local farmers. In addition, all chocolate, tea, and coffee supplies are fair trade.
Committing to sustainable purchasing
The Convention Centre Dublin (The CCD) chooses products and services with minimal or beneficial environmental impacts whenever possible.
Promoting mass and/or green transportation
The Convention Centre Dublin (The CCD) is a 10-minute walk from the city center and is easily accessible by public transport, with plenty of hotels, restaurants, and entertainment within walking distance.
The center encourages public transport and offers its employees a “Cycle to Work” scheme.
Offsetting carbon emissions
The Convention Centre Dublin (The CCD) offers clients the opportunity to offset all of their event carbon emissions. They do this by calculating the event’s total CO2 emissions output and matching that to an adequate number of indigenous Irish trees that will be planted throughout Ireland.
Awards & certifications
The Convention Centre Dublin (The CCD) holds two ISO accreditations showing its commitment to long-term sustainability: Event Sustainability Management ISO20121 since 2021 and Environmental Standard ISO14001 since 2011.
IFEMA MADRID is a consortium formed by the Community of Madrid, the Madrid City Council, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Montemadrid Foundation. The “Conventions and Congresses” Division manages two venues, the Recinto Ferial (fairgrounds) and, since 2019, Palacio Municipal (convention center), which are both well connected to the city center and close to the airport. These venues can accommodate all types of events: conventions, congresses, product presentations, conferences, symposiums, meetings, gala dinners, sporting events or concerts, etc.
Palacio Municipal comprises more than 322,917 s.ft. of usable space. It has an auditorium with a capacity of 1,812 participants, a multi-purpose room of 25,984 sq. ft., and 32 rooms that can accommodate from 26 to 360 people.
Recinto Ferial offers a meeting space of 2,152,782 sq. ft. distributed in 13 halls, 85 rooms, two convention centers (the North Convention Centre has an auditorium for 1,100 people and 18 additional rooms; the South Convention Centre offers another auditorium with a capacity of 600 people) and outdoor areas.
Sustainable initiatives
IFEMA MADRID is well aware of the considerable impact that events can have, especially from the environmental point of view, and they are taking steps to make their operations more sustainable. They have published guidelines aimed at exhibitors and visitors.
IFEMA MADRID concentrates its efforts on the following areas for sustainable development, which are included in its annual CSR Master Plan.
Becoming more energy-efficient
The electricity supplied throughout IFEMA MADRID’s facilities comes from 100% renewable sources. The Puerta Sur building is heated by geothermal power, which uses underground energy to heat and supply sanitary hot water in an environmentally friendly way. In addition, photovoltaic panels have been installed.
Reducing waste
To decrease paper consumption and waste, they have introduced digitalization as much as possible and reduced the number of printers in their offices. They have also eliminated almost all paper passes and invitations.
They try to reduce the overall use of carpeting, eliminating it at some events. They also installed used carpeting at some events and stopped installing perimeter carpeting that connects the stands to the aisles at all fairs.
Finally, they donate surpluses from food sector events for use by various associations, reducing the waste generated.
Thanks to these actions, IFEMA MADRID has reduced its waste ratio by 53% in the last four years, and in 2021, 69.40% of the waste generated was recycled.
Reducing greenhouse gas
As a result of its efforts, IFEMA MADRID has reduced its GHG emissions ratio by more than 72% in the last five years.
Saving water
The drinking and reclaimed water at IFEMA MADRID is supplied through the general water mains and the reclaimed water network.
IFEMA MADRID has introduced the following measures to reduce water consumption over the years: all irrigation on the site uses reclaimed water, all taps are fitted with flow regulators, and they have installed dry urinals, automatic faucets, and double-flush toilets in the halls and changing rooms, as well as efficient shower heads in the changing rooms.
The green spaces are planted with plant species, all suited to the local climate and suitable for the reclaimed-water irrigation system.
They have gradually reduced the area occupied by lawns and grasses to reduce water consumption and maintenance requirements.
They have prioritized the use of cover plants to stabilize the land, prevent weeds from appearing and enable the use of a localized irrigation system that reduces water consumption. In addition, they use organic fertilizers and only use chemicals to deal with deficiencies, always opting for low-nitrogen formulations to minimize water pollution. They also favor manual and mechanical methods to control weeds, raking, and hoeing so as not to use herbicides.
Promoting mass and/or green transportation
IFEMA MADRID has partnered with Iberdrola on initiatives such as installing the first sustainable public car park at a trade fair site in Spain and organizing activities to promote electric mobility.
The car park can simultaneously charge 34 vehicles with 100%-green energy. This facility’s use has helped prevent the emission of 8 tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere.
In terms of mobility and electrification of transport, they have a fleet of electric vehicles, which has significantly reduced their annual CO2 emissions from transport.
Awards & certifications
The following certifications are proof of IFEMA MADRID’s commitment to sustainability: ISO50001 (Energy efficiency management for the Puerta Sur building), ISO14001 (environmental management), and ISO20121 (sustainable event management).
In 2021, IFEMA MADRID also received the “Commitment to Energy Efficiency and Sustainability Award” at the 8th Association of Energy Efficiency Companies (A3E) awards.
In conclusion
The most recent heatwaves, wildfires, and other climate-related catastrophes have highlighted the need for everybody to act towards a more sustainable society. Unfortunately, the events industry is by nature not very eco-friendly, but some steps can be taken to improve the impact on the environment.
As we’ve seen, convention centers worldwide are trying to take steps in the right direction and make their operations greener.
Their actions are definitely welcome by event planners who wish to make their events more eco-friendly.
Totm exposition can help you make your tradeshow booths more sustainable. Contact us if you have a project you would like to discuss!
Even in the midst of a pandemic, with major health and safety concerns, sustainability still matters to 58% to 67% of event professionals, according to a study published in American Express Global Meetings and Events Forecast for 2021, and they were very likely to address that issue in their meeting plans.
As we’ve seen in two previous articles (How to reduce the environmental impact of your events, Part 1 – travel and transportation, and Part 2 – energy and F&B), there are multiple ways to have a positive impact on an event’s carbon footprint. Some involve the venue you choose to host your event in.
Many venues worldwide have taken steps to ensure their operations are more sustainable. This article focuses on five convention centers in the USA that are making good on their green promises.
The Colorado Convention Center provides 584,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space on one level, 63 meeting rooms providing 100,000 sq. ft. of meeting space on one level, a 35,000 sq. ft. ballroom, a 50,000 sq. ft. ballroom, and a 5,000 seat theater.
Sustainable initiatives
The Colorado Convention Center has made sustainability a priority since 2008 and encourages event planners to be a part of the effort by integrating sustainability practices into their events. The Center focuses on the following improvement areas.
Becoming more energy-efficient
To reduce energy consumption, the Colorado Convention Center has implemented mindful scheduling, equipment retrofits and upgrades, and preventative maintenance.
For example, they installed variable frequency drive fans in their HVAC system for increased efficiency and a 300kw rooftop solar array that saved, since 2008, the equivalent of 282 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions as compared to conventionally produced electricity.
They also set their lighting level protocols at 50% for move-in and 25% for cleaning and maintenance.
Reducing waste
The Center has implemented a waste management program that identifies, reduces, and diverts the various waste streams created by venue operations, attendees, and clients. Their goal is to divert over 50% of waste from the landfill. Their initiatives include putting single-stream recycling bins next to every landfill bin and compost collection for all kitchen items, bathroom paper towels, and yard waste.
They also aim to reduce single-use plastic by providing water bottle fill stations and fully compostable service ware, as well as making bulk packaged purchases whenever possible.
Being part of the community
The Center partners with several nonprofits and local organizations to donate leftover conference materials. They also adopted 8 acres of land along the Platte River in Downtown Denver, and, each year, members of their team spend an afternoon working together to clean up and maintain the park.
Improving air quality
The Colorado Convention Center enforces a strict non-smoking policy inside the building and anywhere within 25 ft. of doors or air intakes.
Transportation options also play a big part in improving air quality, with the enforcement of an anti-idling policy, the hosting of two of Denver’s Bike Share stations on property, free parking spaces dedicated to hybrid and electric vehicles, and a free ECO-Pass provided to all full-time employees to encourage the use of light rail and bus transportation.
Saving water
The Center focuses on water quality and conservation methods, such as chemical management (bio-renewable cleaning supplies), water-efficient landscaping and irrigation (replacing the grass in certain areas with native and drought-resistant plants resulted in 75% less water being used to maintain these areas), and building infrastructure efficiency (for example, low-flow toilets and urinals).
Promoting local food
The Center partnered with Centerplate to install an urban garden with over 5,000 sq. ft. of growing space to provide the Center’s chefs with more than 1,800 pounds of fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as local honey.
Awards & certifications
In 2009, the Colorado Convention Center received an ISO 14001 certification as part of the City of Denver’s Environmental Management System.
Since 2010, the Colorado Convention Center has been LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold Certified for Existing Building, Operation, and Maintenance.
In 2015, the Center was recognized as Gold Leader in the Environmental Leadership Program, a voluntary program administered by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment that recognizes organizations that go beyond compliance with environmental regulations and strive toward sustainability.
The Moscone Center (North and South) offers more than 502,000 sq. ft. of contiguous space that can be used for exhibitions and/or meetings, two ballrooms, including a 50,000 sq. ft., column-free ballroom, 82 meeting rooms, 107,000 sq. ft. of pre-function lobbies, and more than 25,000 sq. ft. of outdoor terraces. In addition, Moscone West offers 96,660 sq. ft. of dedicated main floor exhibit space and 195,848 sq. ft. of flexible swing space for meetings or exhibits.
The Center has completed a two-part energy efficiency program. The solar component consists of a solar electrical system capable of producing enough power for 550 homes annually. This is accompanied by an extensive lighting system retrofit and related energy efficiency measures designed to reduce energy usage (by as much as 20% in the first year) without diminishing interior lighting levels: all 5,000 bulbs in five exhibit halls were replaced with compact fluorescent lamps, T8 fluorescents, metal halide fixtures, all more energy efficient.
When Moscone expanded to more than two million sq. ft. in 2003 with the opening of Moscone West, they incorporated important resource-efficient design features in the new facility. These features include high-performance glazing with low emissivity glass, use of the latest and most energy-efficient lighting fixtures throughout the facility, as well as the use of daylight sensors to control pre-function areas, energy-efficient mechanical systems, including chilled water plant and cooling towers, heating water plant, and air control systems.
Reducing waste
The Moscone Center started diverting material from the waste stream in 1998. Nearly 2 million pounds is diverted annually.
The opening of Moscone West required the tracking and reporting of all waste generated during the demolition of existing buildings and the construction of the new facility. In each instance, over 80% diversion was achieved.
The Center uses an exclusive catering company whose food composting program captures all organic material from foodservice operations. They have implemented a kitchen-based composting program, use exclusively compostable foodservice ware products, and collect compost from all public areas of Moscone West.
Being part of the community
Almost 20% of all diverted material is donated to local area nonprofits. In addition, the catering company also donates unused or excess food to local nonprofits.
Improving air quality
Their initiatives in that matter include daily monitoring of carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrous oxide and the use of propane additives to reduce carbon monoxide emissions.
Committing to sustainable purchasing
Policies and procedures place emphasis on sustainability in all purchasing activities. For example, contracts for major capital projects include provision for required tracking and reporting of diversion by material type for large-scale contracts such as replacement of escalators, carpeting, and lighting fixtures.
Promoting mass and/or green transportation
The Center promotes the use of transit in all public information sources and supports transit use among the facility’s workforce. The exclusive caterer only delivery van operates on biodiesel fuel.
Awards & certifications
Over the years, this dedication to improving the sustainability of its operations has earned the Moscone Center multiple awards, starting in 1999 with the WRAP Award (Waste Recycling Awards Program) awarded for outstanding achievement as a commercial recycler.
Other awards include a 2009 Environmental Achievement Award from the U.S. EPA Pacific Southwest Region 9 for distinguishing itself as a sustainable building that has helped protect the environment.
The Moscone Center also achieved a LEED® Gold certification for Existing Buildings in 2012 (first convention center on the West Coast to achieve that certification) and received the California Resource Recovery Association (CRRA) Award in 2016 for Outstanding Practices in Venue/Event Resource Recovery.
Oregon Convention Center, Portland, Oregon
Photo courtesy of Metro.
A few facts about the Center
The Oregon Convention Center offers 255,000 sq. ft. of contiguous exhibit space, two ballrooms, Portland (34,200 sq. ft., with a 16,000-square-foot lobby), and Oregon (25,200 sq. ft.), divisible into sections, 52 meeting rooms, two VIP suites overlooking their respective exhibit halls, and a Suite offering meeting space, side offices, two boardrooms, and living room area.
Sustainable initiatives
A renovation project was completed in October 2019 and included sustainability as a central aspect. Overall, the Oregon Convention Center focuses its sustainability efforts on six main topics.
Becoming more energy-efficient
The facility has installed all LED lighting that is automatically controlled to brighten or dim depending on the amount of natural light in the space at a given time.
As part of the actual building and functionality changes for the renovation, a corridor was built as an alternative route, making it possible for event attendees to forego using the Center’s elevators while traveling across the first floor. Lighter usage of escalators and elevators means less energy usage (the energy use of a pair of escalators is equivalent to the annual average energy consumed by about three average American households).
Recent energy reduction projects include the implementation of energy-efficient air handlers (with variable frequency drive fan motors), interior lighting fixture upgrades, and the installation of over 6,500 solar panels now producing more than 25% of the Center’s electricity.
Reducing waste
During the renovation, a particular focus was placed on recycling construction waste, including metals and gypsum. 110 tons of carpet were removed, recycled, and repurposed. The carpet padding was remade into new carpet padding, while the carpet itself was shipped to Seattle to be made into a filtration system.
The long-term goal is to reach at least an 80% waste diversion rate, which can only be achieved through extensive waste recycling, composting, and food and reusable material donation programs, working in partnership with many local nonprofit and community assistance organizations.
All in all, the Center managed to recycle more than 400 tons of materials, divert 122 tons of food scraps from the landfill by composting, and divert 66% of all materials from the landfill.
Being part of the community
The programs developed by the Center transferred 61,580 pounds of reusable goods to nonprofit organizations and 44,240 meals to nonprofits working to address food scarcity in the Portland area.
Improving air quality
The Center has implemented an environmentally-friendly cleaning policy, in addition to integrated pest management and a no-idling policy on the loading docks.
Saving water
The Oregon Convention Center uses a mix of stormwater management and water conservation methods. These include creating a rain garden that filters particulates out of the rainwater, encouraging guests to use water bottle filling stations, upgrading all bathroom fixtures for water efficiency, etc. They estimate that these initiatives contribute to saving 1,221,180 gallons of water annually.
Committing to sustainable purchasing
The Oregon Convention Center has chosen to opt for small and local when it comes to purchasing whenever possible.
Awards & certifications
The Oregon Convention Center was the first convention center to receive the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED® certification for Existing Buildings in 2004. In 2008, the facility was recertified at the Silver level, and they have been LEED® Platinum-certified since 2014 (the highest certification that can be achieved).
The Center has also earned a level 4 APEX/ASTM certification, the first standards created specifically for green meetings and events, and verified by the Events Industry Council.
San Diego Convention Center, San Diego, California
The San Diego Convention Center offers over 2.6 million total sq. ft. of space, including an exhibit hall providing more than 500,000 sq. ft. of contiguous exhibit space divisible into seven separate halls, up to 72 meeting rooms located throughout the upper and mezzanine levels, offering 204,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, two 40,000 sq. ft. ballrooms, and a 90,000 sq. ft. of column-free, glass-enclosed Pavilion.
Sustainable initiatives
The San Diego Convention Center is focusing its environmental efforts on three main areas.
Becoming more energy-efficient
The entire facility uses LED light fixtures, which has helped lower electricity usage. They have also added low-flow automatic sinks and toilets, drip irrigation for outdoor landscaping, and energy-efficient dishwashers.
Reducing waste
Their program includes the use of 4-stream waste receptacles divided into paper, recyclables, trash, and compost. This system lets attendees help with the recycling process. Instead of having in-sink garbage disposal units in their in-house kitchens, they compost and train staff to place all excess food scraps into compost bins. Composting also comes from the food waste sorted into the compost bin on their 4-stream containers.
Being part of the community
The Center works with event organizers to ensure that extra promotional items or event supplies do not go to waste by donating them to local organizations.
Through a partnership with Habitat for Humanity, excess booth materials from exhibitions are picked up and repurposed for building homes. They also partner with the San Diego Rescue Mission to provide unserved food to San Diegans in need (more than 100,000 meals every year).
Awards & certifications
In recognition of their efforts, SDCC was awarded a LEED® Gold certification in 2017.
TCF Center offers 723,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space and 255,000 sq. ft. of meeting space, including banquet rooms and 100 meeting rooms with seating capacities from 100 to 1,725. The dividable ballroom is 40,000 sq. ft. with floor-to-ceiling views of the Detroit Riverfront. A 24,000 sq. ft. outdoor space is also available to host exhibits and outdoor events.
The glass-enclosed concourse area on the main level, the three-story glass atrium, and the third-floor corridor glass ceiling provide enough natural light during daytime hours to minimize main hallway daytime lighting throughout the Center. In addition, all exhibit halls are equipped with induction lighting that uses 50% less electricity.
The Center is air-conditioned by pumping grey water from the Detroit River through chillers that then send the cool water to various air handlers, providing cooling to zoned areas in the Center. This system uses considerably less electricity than conventional air conditioning units.
All main hall lighting and heat/cool settings are computer programmed and managed.
Escalators in the building are energy efficient and run based on occupancy and event needs.
The recent facility upgrade incorporates numerous green building components, including low-flow restroom and kitchen equipment, energy-efficient HVAC equipment, and a living green roof.
Reducing waste
Paper, aluminum cans, and plastic bottle recycling containers are placed in all office areas and high-traffic meeting areas throughout the Center. In addition, all in-house contractors participate in center recycling and green initiatives.
All pallets are recycled to a local area vendor and the TCF Center partners with My Green Michigan for complete composting services.
Being part of the community
Materials left by events are donated to local agencies for reuse and upcycling.
The TCF Center’s exclusive food and beverage provider collects prepared food that has not been served for pick up by a local company that delivers to pantries, soup kitchens, and shelters throughout Southeastern Michigan.
Awards & certifications
TCF Center achieved a LEED® Gold certification and is an APEX/ASTM Standard Certified Facility.
The Center has also earned many community-based awards for their sustainability leadership over the years: 2020 USGBC Leadership Award, EcoWorks Sustainable Communities Champion Award, Keep Michigan Beautiful President’s Plaque, Detroit Free Press Green Leader Award, Detroit Green Task Force Earth Day Business Award, and USGBC Detroit Region Outstanding Sustainable Design Award.
IN CONCLUSION
For event venues, the way to becoming more eco-friendly can involve alterations to the building itself with the installation of green roofs or solar panels, rainwater harvesting, low-flow bathroom features, LED lighting, smart irrigation, etc.
Venues can also make improvements on a smaller scale, such as providing soap dispensers instead of individual plastic bottles, implementing recycling and composting programs, setting up partnerships with charities to donate leftovers, growing food on-site, etc.
Most of the venues that are serious about becoming greener usually get involved in certification processes. Certifications, while not compulsory, can provide external reassurance to event planners that sustainable practices are in place.
Corporate events can bring many benefits to a business, from the promotion of products and services to improving brand recognition, or generating qualified leads and getting new clients. Indeed, 95% of marketers trust in-person events to help their company achieve its business goals.
But you can’t have a successful event unless you have a solid communication plan in place. Without it, your event will most certainly go relatively unnoticed. Often, event professionals concentrate their efforts on pre-event communication, but communicating during and after your event is equally important.
In this article, we will share why and how to communicate at the different stages of an event.
Pre-event communication
Why it’s important to communicate before your event starts
Most event planners are familiar with pre-event communication as it’s the only way for them to let their target audience know about their upcoming event. A good communication strategy at this stage will help create the buzz around the event, build excitement, and exacerbate the desire to attend, which should help boost registration. It’s also when you start engaging your audience.
When to start communicating about your event depends mainly on its size: the larger the event (for your business), the sooner you want to start communicating about it.
How to do it
Event planners have many tools at their disposal for pre-event communication.
First and foremost, the event website will give your potential attendees all the information they need in case they are planning on attending, but also all the reasons why they should participate if they are still unsure.
Your social media accounts have a big part to play at that stage. Use them to relay your important announcements: where and when the event will take place; if it’s a conference, reveal the speakers you have booked, etc. Social media are also a great way to start engaging with your audience. Don’t forget to create a specific hashtag for your event and make it easy to remember.
While it might seem like an outdated practice, emails should still be a prominent part of your communication plan at that stage. Plan to send several batches for the initial invitation to your regular clients/prospects list, then for the confirmation once they registered, and also a couple for reminders that the big day is coming.
Why it’s important to communicate during your event
Once your event has started, don’t let up on communication. There are several reasons for this. During your event, you have to provide helpful information to your attendees so that they can navigate your event without any problem. You can also make sure people who couldn’t attend in-person still feel as if they are part of it. Finally, a good communication strategy at this point will help you generate even more engagement and ensure your event is a success.
How to do it
For your remote attendees, live-streaming is a must as it will help reinforce the feeling of being part of the event even though they are not present physically.
Once again, social media is your best friend during the event. Posting live updates through Twitter, short videos or pictures on Instagram, etc., will go a long way in keeping people engaged during the whole event.
If you are an exhibitor at a tradeshow, think of your booth as one of your most powerful communication tools. A well-designed booth will help boost brand recognition and attract potential clients.
Photo by totm exposition
Also, on-site information such as signage or TV visuals will help your attendees navigate your event more efficiently.
Finally, a welcome bag that includes swag, a printed schedule, and other important details can be a helpful addition. Regarding swag, be mindful to include goodies that are useful in the long run so that your attendees don’t end up throwing them away as soon as they leave your event.
Post-event communication
Why it’s important to communicate after your event is over
This is one area where event planners sometimes fail to plan appropriately. Post-event communication is of utmost importance to keep the relationship alive, create event communities that will help carry your brand from one event to the next and keep engaging your audience to convert them into clients.
How to do it
Surveys represent one of the most popular tools for post-event communication. Indeed,71% of event organizers use them to keep engaging their attendees. Furthermore, surveys will provide you with interesting data and insights.
Social media, once again, should be part of your post-event communication strategy: try posting pictures or short videos that will remind your attendees of the good time they had at your event and prepare them for your next one.
You can also convert your event website to a post-event page, including content such as a photo gallery, important documents (such as conference slides), etc.
Finally, don’t forget that you can use emails at this stageto send thank-you notes or tease your attendees with your next event.
In conclusion
As we’ve seen, event planners have many tools at their disposal when it comes to communicating with their attendees. Making a communication plan for your event where you break down what to tell your audience, when, and how will ensure that you’ve covered all areas where you can reach them.
Another essential and sometimes overshadowed aspect is to share that plan with your event team so that they know what is going on and can be prepared.
Make sure your tradeshow booth or exhibit is a successful part of your event communication strategy! Contact us today if you have a project you would like to talk about.
A recent survey conducted by Promoleaf and CensusWide revealed that a majority of conference attendees want event organizers to incorporate sustainable practices into their planning. This is especially true of the younger generation (under 34), which means that event planners and venues are likely to feel more pressure to adopt sustainable practices in the future.
We addressed what event planners can do to make their events greener in two previous articles on this blog (How to reduce the environmental impact of your events,Part 1—travel and transportation, and Part 2—energy and F&B). We also showcased five convention centers in the USA that have taken steps to ensure their operations become more environmentally friendly.
With totm exposition being based in Montréal, it’s time to look at what convention centers in Canada have been up to when it comes to sustainability. In this article, we will focus on five of them and highlight their efforts in terms of durability.
The Edmonton Convention Centre provides 150,000 sq. ft. of space on three levels for events and meetings. The Pedway Level features Hall D (23,600 sq. ft. of space) and the 4,000 sq. ft. Riverview Room. The Assembly Level (80,000 sq. ft. of space) includes three main banquet halls and exhibit rooms, which can be expanded into one open space for more significant functions. Finally, the Meeting Level features 20 flexible meeting spaces.
Sustainable initiatives
The Edmonton Convention Centre has been committed to reducing its own environmental impact. To take hosting sustainable events one step further, the Centre launched its Responsible Events Program in 2019. The Centre provides event organizers with a toolkit to help them plan greener events.
The Centre itself focuses on the following improvement areas.
Becoming more energy-efficient
By sourcing a large part of its energy from Canadian renewable sources, the Centre is committed to reducing its energy consumption in the long term. Ongoing LED retrofit upgrades are made to reduce energy consumption. Organizers are also encouraged to do their part, for example, by turning projectors off when not in use.
Reducing waste
The Centre’s waste management program includes compost, recycling, paper, and waste bins located in all areas. In addition, they provide free waste audits to event planners interested in minimizing the waste generated at their events.
In 2019, 270,245 pounds of waste were composted. This compost is used as fertilizer to farm Alberta fields. Overall, 67% of the Centre’s waste (i.e., 390,474 pounds, the equivalent of 124 compact cars) is diverted from landfills.
The Centre has selected reusable flatware, dinnerware, napkins, and compostable cups. In addition, bulk coffee and water stations are available, and they promote the use of reusable and recyclable exhibit materials.
Developing a sustainable permaculture
To contribute to Edmonton’s urban biodiversity, the Centre has installed an indigenous medicine wheel garden on the rooftop of the Riverview Room, an herb and vegetable garden, and a monarch butterfly preservation garden.
In 2016, a hive of 8,000 urban bees was set up on the southeast corner of the Centre. The beehive produced over 20 pounds of honey in 2019, used for the Centre’s kitchen needs.
Inside the venue, hundreds of plants absorb 4,120 pounds of CO2 each year, and a sustainable living wall is located on the Pedway level.
Reducing greenhouse gas
Through its 2020–2035 Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan, the Edmonton Convention Centre has committed to implementing operational and behavioral changes to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 15% by 2025 and 30% by 2035 (from 2018 levels).
During events, a no-idling policy is in place. In addition, to offset a specific event’s carbon footprint, the Centre is committed to matching the event organizer’s carbon offsetting contribution up to 20 tonnes of C02.
Being part of the community
Leftover food is donated through a partnership with Edmonton’s Food Bank’s Second Helping Program. In 2019, this donation represented 5,084 pounds (4,243 meals). The Centre also participates in the River Valley annual clean-up.
Promoting local food
The Centre works with local producers and growers within 100 miles of Edmonton, and 45% of their culinary purchases are made through local partnerships.
The Centre estimates that, by sourcing from local growers, they reinvest more than $750,000 into Edmonton’s economy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions generated from food production and transportation.
Promoting mass and/or green transportation
The Centre is close to several bus stops and a light rail traffic station. Guests are encouraged to walk, as the Centre is close to downtown Edmonton and attached to Edmonton Pedway.
Awards & certifications
The Centre is one of only five Canadian venues certified to ASTM standards and was the first conference venue in Canada to receive Green Key level five certification. The facility is also a certified Climate Smart business.
The Palais houses 508,756 sq. ft. of floor space, spread over seven floors and 113 multipurpose rental spaces (meeting rooms, ballrooms, reception halls, gala rooms, VIP lounges, exhibition halls—including one of the largest column-free exhibition halls in Canada—, and outdoor terraces).
The Palais has made recycling a priority and provides facilities for collecting recyclable waste at all times, including during conferences and special events. In addition, organic waste collection is included when event planners choose the Palais’ partner, Capital Traiteur, for their catering needs.
Reducing greenhouse gas
The Palais is among the first convention centers to operate a carbon-neutral building in the Americas. GHG emissions from the building’s energy use are offset by contributing to tree planting efforts at Université Laval’s Montmorency Forest, the world’s largest university teaching and research forest.
In collaboration with Planetair, a leader in climate change awareness and GHG offsets, the Palais has developed an innovative carbon offset program for event organizers and participants called Palais Boréal. This initiative aims to help event planners organize carbon-neutral events by minimizing GHG emissions throughout the event life cycle and offsetting GHG emissions whenever these emissions can’t be reduced.
The Palais is also dedicated to offsetting GHG emissions from their business development activities (mainly travel) through the Université du Québec à Chicoutimi’s Carbone boréal program, a tree-planting offset program.
Promoting urban agriculture
The Palais is also the site of the Urban Agriculture Lab, an initiative led by AU/LAB, a laboratory for research, innovation, and intervention in urban agriculture associated with the Institut des sciences de l’environnement of the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQÀM). This makes the Palais the main showcase for experimentation and promotion of urban agriculture technologies and techniques in Québec.
The Urban Agriculture Lab has four main components:
Culti-VERT, which experiments on extensive green roofs and container gardening
Two pollinating beehives that can house up to 50,000 bees
VERTical: an urban vertical scaffold farming project
Urban vines: an urban rooftop vineyard
Awards & certifications
Over the years, the Palais has collected many accolades for its green efforts. These include a Silver certification awarded by Boma Best national green building certification program, a Gold-level certification for quality and management performance granted by the International Association of Convention Centres (AIPC), and a certification awarded by iCompli Sustainability that recognizes Montréal and the Palais as leading destinations for environmentally responsible events.
The Centre offers 300,000 sq. ft. of configurable space. This includes three exhibit halls for a total of 82,000 sq. ft. with retractable walls, two ballrooms (the 17,000 sq. ft. Peller Estates Ballroom can be configured in eight different ways), and 13 meeting rooms, as well as a 4,974 sq. ft. lounge and pre-function areas (20,000 sq. ft. of usable space).
Sustainable initiatives
The Centre was built with sustainability in mind, using locally sourced and recycled construction materials. This contributed to the local economy while reducing air pollution associated with transportation. But the Centre is continuously working on improving its global impact on the environment and focuses its green efforts on six different areas.
Becoming more energy-efficient
The Centre aims for 40% energy savings by using advanced technical systems that allow for high energy use performance. Energy-saving targets have been set, and consumption is regularly monitored.
The general layout maximizes natural light by favoring floor-to-ceiling windows whenever possible. In addition, overall energy performance has been achieved by installing efficient exterior wall and roof insulation, heat recovery units, and a high-efficiency HVAC system.
All mechanical equipment is CFCs and HCFCs free.
Reducing waste
All materials leftover from events organized on-site or generated internally are separated into three streams, recycling, organics, and landfill waste.
Surplus food is either repurposed or donated to a local soup kitchen.
The Centre also encourages paperless practices.
Saving water
A 42% reduction in water consumption has been achieved by installing water-conserving plumbing fixtures. In addition, a stormwater management system has been installed and controls discharge, making sure run-off is minimized and water quality is protected.
Improving air quality
Green cleaning practices include the use of ozonated and deionized water. This helps maintain good air quality. In addition, whenever possible, low-emitting materials have been selected for paints, coatings, adhesives, and sealants.
The entire building has also been fitted with demand control ventilation and carbon dioxide sensors.
Promoting local food
The kitchen sources local and seasonal ingredients as much as possible, therefore reducing the emissions generated by long-distance transportation.
Promoting mass and/or green transportation
The Centre encourages greener transportation means, such as walking, cycling, or public transit.
Awards & certifications
The Centre has achieved a Silver Level LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification.
Metro Toronto Convention Centre
Photo courtesy of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Agency, Ontario Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism and Culture Industries.
A few facts about the Center
The Metro Toronto Convention Centre is Canada’s largest convention facility covering over 2 million square feet. It includes seven exhibition halls (442,000 sq. ft.), 77 meeting rooms (129,900 sq. ft.), two ballrooms (78,000 sq. ft.), and a 1,232-seat theater.
Sustainable initiatives
Event planners are strongly encouraged to take part in the Centre’s sustainability efforts by reducing the carbon footprint of their events. Possible strategies include recycling, using nontoxic green cleaning products, donating leftover items/food, using green electricity, and choosing local food offerings.
The Centre itself focuses on the following strategies.
Becoming more energy-efficient
The South Building has been fitted with a seven-acre green roof, which reduces energy consumption and cooling costs. In addition, LED lighting has been incorporated in most parts of the North Building, which helps save 565,852.20 kW-hr of electricity per year.
The MTCC offers clean power to its clients with Bullfrog Power and provides planners with the ability to offset all greenhouse gas emissions created by their event by purchasing renewable energy. Bullfrog ensures that for every kWh of electricity used, a kWh of pollution-free, renewable source is put back into the grid.
The facility is also on Enwave Energy’s Deep Lake Water Cooling system, which uses cold water extracted from Lake Ontario to cool the South Building allowing for reductions in GHG emissions & electrical consumption.
Reducing waste
Each year, 90% of the waste produced on-site is diverted from landfills. In 2018, the Centre diverted or recycled 4.4 million pounds of waste (equivalent in weight to 1,000 cars).
Improving air quality
The facility has a no-idling policy for all vehicles in parking lots and those carrying exhibitor materials. Instead of waiting at the marshaling yard, exhibitors schedule a time to deliver materials. This is done in partnership with Voyage Control and helps reduce traffic and carbon monoxide emissions in the local area.
Being part of the community
Since 2014, the Centre has donated over 340,000 meals to food rescue organizations in Toronto. Leftover items are also donated to various local charities.
Promoting local food
The roof of the South Building is home to six beehives (50,000 bees each). This produces honey for the Centre’s kitchen needs and supports the preservation of essential pollinators.
The Centre purchases approximately 80% of wine and 65% of all food and beverage items through local farms and businesses. They also encourage their clients to choose local food offerings.
Awards & certifications
The Metro Toronto Convention Centre has been awarded multiple awards and certifications over the years. Among these, and starting in 2006, they received a BOMA GO Green designation, awarded for being a commercial building showing environmental leadership and best practices. They also received a Sustainable Tourism Award from the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO) in 2012. In 2014, the South Building was certified LEED® Gold Facility for Existing Buildings by the Canadian Green Building Council (CaGBC).
With 466,500 sq. ft. of pre-function, meeting, exhibition, and ballroom space, the facility can host multiple simultaneous events and large single events with upwards of 16,000 delegates.
Sustainable initiatives
The Vancouver Convention Centre is committed to sustainability, from the facility’s design to everyday green practices.
The Centre also encourages event planners to do their part and publishes toolkits and checklists to help them organize and hold sustainable meetings and events.
The efforts of the Centre are focused on six different areas.
Becoming more energy-efficient
Reducing overall energy consumption is one of the main targets of the Centre’s sustainability plan. To ensure consumption is kept under control, it’s measured and monitored throughout the facility, with carbon emissions calculated quarterly.
A seawater heating and cooling system has been implemented to take advantage of the adjacent seawater by producing cooling for the building during warmer months and heating in cooler months.
The West Building hosts a six-acre living roof (the largest in Canada and the largest non-industrial living roof in North America) that features more than 400,000 indigenous plants and grasses. This roof is designed to act as an insulator.
Natural light and ventilation are maximized throughout the facility. General building lighting is controlled by daylight and occupancy sensors. The HVAC system is also programmed to match activity levels in the buildings. Finally, low-flow fixtures are used in both buildings as well as Green Seal™ and EcoLogo™ certified paper products, soaps, and cleaners.
Reducing waste
The Centre diverts around 75% of the total volume of waste generated, which represents over 2.2 million pounds of materials annually. On average, 97,000 pounds of organic waste are recycled each month.
They avoid buying prepackaged canned goods, utilize cutlery, china, glass, and cloth napkins, and serve nearly all condiments in bulk or reusable containers.
Saving water
The Centre operates a blackwater treatment plant that recycles all water consumed by the facility, reusing it for toilet flushing and rooftop irrigation during warmer weather.
Staff and attendees are also encouraged to adhere to water conservation best practices.
Improving air quality
The measures include an anti-idling policy, smoking policies (no smoking allowed within 25 feet of any door or window), promotion of alternative transportation, and managing volatile organic compounds and hazardous air pollutants.
Promoting local food
The Centre’s “scratch” kitchen uses primarily fresh, local, and seasonal ingredients. Four beehives have been installed on the living roof, and the bees supply honey for the Centre’s kitchen while helping pollinate the plants and grasses.
Promoting and using locally grown products means less energy consumption for transportation.
Committing to sustainable purchasing
Whenever possible, the Centre prioritizes purchasing regional, organic, and sustainable materials and chooses suppliers who consider their environmental impact.
Awards & certifications
The Vancouver Convention Centre has earned numerous awards and certifications over the years, starting with the PCMA Environmental Leadership Award in 2010.
Most notably, the Centre was awarded LEED® Platinum certification for New Construction in 2010, and in 2017 the West Building was awarded LEED® Platinum certification for Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance. This makes the Centre the first double LEED® Platinum convention center in the world.
In conclusion
Canada is often viewed as a prime destination for nature tourism due to its large territory and comparatively small population (11 people per mi2). Indeed, the expanse of Canada’s natural beauty, from mountains and glaciers to secluded lakes and forests, is almost unparalleled.
But as we know, this diversity and beauty are at risk from environmental threats. A substantial majority of Canadians are highly concerned about environmental issues and aware that they must do their part.
Therefore, it comes as no surprise that this translates into the events industry and the efforts that venues now put in lowering their impact on the environment mainly through the reduction of waste and increased energy efficiency.
At totm exposition, we want to do our part, and we can help you make your tradeshow booths greener. Contact us if you have a project you would like to discuss!
Technology has been an integral part of events for decades in various forms. Event apps, digital kiosks, even holograms are now commonly used by event planners to enrich the attendees’ experience. Still, some tools can also provide quantitative and qualitative data of unprecedented depth.
And there is one piece of event technology, in particular, that can give event professionals more insight into attendees’ behavior than any other; we are talking about wearables.
In this article, we will take a deeper dive into the world of wearable technology, how it can help event planners get more actionable data on their attendees’ behavior, and how it can also help exhibitors achieve better results during tradeshows.
What are wearables?
To put it simply, wearables are pieces of technology worn close to the body. You can now find them in all shapes and forms: fitness trackers, smartwatches, clothing, eyewear, earwear, even tattoos!
The market for wearables has been growing steadily over the past few years, and IDC’s latest research shows that global shipments for wearables grew 9.9% during the third quarter of 2021, reaching 138.4 million units. Leading the way are hearables, accounting for 64.7% of wearable device shipments, followed by wrist-worn devices.
Wristbands, smartwatches, and smart badges are already fairly commonplace for events. In the future, we will likely encounter more wearables in the shape of earwear (for real-time translation), smart glasses (for facial recognition), or clothing (to recharge your phone as you go).
Why should event professionals consider wearables?
People are now quite familiar with fitness trackers and smartwatches. These devices are compelling for their tracking ability during physical activity because they allow for gathering data about the person wearing the device passively. Data is produced through participation in the activity itself, and people don’t need to stop what they’re doing to feed the device information.
This makes wearables ideal for events, as they allow:
Passive, real-time, and automatic collection of data: no need to wait for people to use them (like for event apps), and at the same time, data is collected in real time so that corrective actions can be taken immediately (unlike feedback from a survey, for example). No bias either, like what can be encountered during post-event surveys.
Event engagement without distraction: wearables make it easier to have smartphone-like help without reneging on human interaction. They can deliver everything the attendee needs to navigate the event without the distractions brought by smartphone use (like what can happen with event apps, for example).
New, less cumbersome, and more economical opportunities for insights: many areas of an event consume a lot of manpower/time or on-site logistics. Still, they yield minimal benefit (e.g., surveys after an event). Wearables can help in that respect too.
Let’s see in more detail what kind of benefits event planners and exhibitors can get from using wearable technology and the data it collects.
Why use wearables if you are an event planner?
Goals of event planners when organizing an event
The main goal of event planners is to deliver a successful experience to their attendees while helping sponsors and exhibitors get as much exposure and qualified leads as possible. To achieve that, they need to be able to gather reliable data on attendees’ behavior, if possible in real time, to address any issue on the spot.
Why collect data through wearables?
As we said before, the main advantage of wearables compared to other types of data collection tools (event apps, surveys, check-ins, etc.) is that they don’t require any effort on the attendee’s part. His attention can be kept on the event instead of his smartphone. And the event planner can get real-time data without any delay or bias on the attendee’s part.
Applications of the data collected through wearables
The data, in turn, can be used for many applications, such as:
Guest tracking. By generating footfall heat maps of where the activity is happening at any given time and tracking attendee interactions, event planners can better understand traffic flow and attendee behavior. This can help solve issues in real time and make decisions for future events.
Tracking attendance to conferences, sessions, or exhibitors’ booths. Event planners can figure out what worked and what didn’t, which part of the event was the most/least successful. This, in turn, will help inform future event planning and management decisions.
Increasing the engagement level. Creating a more memorable experience is crucial to repeat attendance and positive feedback.
Why use wearables if you are an exhibitor?
Goals of exhibitors when attending an event
When they decide to attend an event, exhibitors’ main goal is to make sure their booth is visible to their target to get as many quality leads as possible and maximize their ROI (always tricky to gauge but not impossible).
Why collect data through wearables?
Exhibiting at an event is an expensive endeavor that takes a lot of time and dedication. Therefore, any information exhibitors can gather on the engagement generated by their booth, the performance of the people they sent to the tradeshow, how long people actually stay in their booth, etc., can help them decide if the event is worth attending. Unlike other data collection methods, wearable technology can help with accurate, real-time data, which in turn can generate better leads.
Applications of the data collected through wearables
Wearables can help exhibitors in different ways:
Provide data on the booth and surrounding area traffic. This can help address issues on the spot or provide insight into the performance of the booth’s location.
Show how well the booth is performing. Having accurate data on how an exhibitor’s booth compares to its competitors in terms of performance can help inform future decisions.
Show the time spent in their booth or on specific activations (such as a product demo). This is a crucial piece of information when you’re trying to make your booth stand out and attract more people to it.
Get better leads. Their booth can be suggested to potentially interested attendees. They can be notified when valuable prospects visit their stand or are close by and focus on them instead of other people not part of the target, such as competitors or students.
Help create exciting activations to attract more people and build engagement. That’s what the car manufacturer Infinity did during the 2016 Pebble Beach Automotive Week.
In short, if you are an exhibitor and the event organizer offers wearable technology, you should jump on the opportunity to use it!
In conclusion
Event planners’ main goal is to provide the best experience to their attendees. At the same time, they need accurate data that prove to their exhibitors and sponsors that they need to be a part of their events. In addition, exhibitors need the data to calculate their ROI and justify the cost of attending the event by showing they got interesting leads out of it.
As we’ve seen, wearable technology can be a powerful tool to help achieve these goals.
This technology is not going anywhere, so why not use it to become more efficient while giving your clients the best experiential events they have ever been part of?
We can help you choose the best elements for a successful booth. Contact us today if you have a project you would like to talk about!
While the pandemic of Covid-19 had a severe negative impact on the events industry, with the cancellation of all in-person events for most of 2020 and parts of 2021 in some places, there is no denying thatit had some positive impacts on the environment. With no air travel allowed for months, lockdowns, and the slowing down of economic activities, there have been marked improvements in air quality, as well as lower water and noise pollution or greenhouse gas emissions.
Another impact of COVID-19 is that it has been on everybody’s mind for the past 18 months. Companies have been focused on ensuring the health and safety of employees and clients, and virtual events have been at the forefront to mitigate the fact that physical events were banned in most places.
But with wildfires raging in North America, Europe, and North Africa, and other extreme weather phenomena such as hurricanes or heat waves getting more frequent and deadly, it’s safe to say that nobody can escape from thinking or hearing about the environment. As a result, people are becoming more environmentally conscious and even willing to pay more to ensure the products they buy are sustainable and the companies that sell them adopt greener policies.
And the inevitable return of physical events means that the issue of sustainability will also come back to the forefront of event planners’ considerations.
In this article, we are going to share with you some tactics to help you reduce the impact of your event for the biggest culprit of all, travel and transportation.
The events industry and the issue of sustainability
The events and meetings industry is generally considered very wasteful and not environment friendly, with a large carbon footprint.
Astudy by MeetGreen and Event Manager Blog shows that a conference attendee typically produces 1.89KG of waste per day, 1.16KG of which goes directly to a landfill. The same research has also shown that the three main problem areas are travel, accounting for 84% of the carbon footprint of a national event in the US, followed by energy with 12%, and food & beverage with 3%.
If we dig a bit deeper, air travel accounts for 70% of the carbon footprint, followed by car travel with 10%, and train with 4%.
For event planners, this is by far the biggest and most difficult challenge to tackle. Indeed, attendees have to travel for most events, sometimes internationally, in the case of major conferences and trade shows. For example, if an attendee books a round-trip flight between New York, where he lives, and San Francisco, where your event takes place, that trip will emit 1.4 tons of carbon dioxide. This is theequivalent of the emission of an average car if used daily for three months!
We can all agree this is a colossal number, and whatever small step you take to improve the situation will help to make your event more sustainable.
Here are a few avenues to look into.
Consider where your event will take place
Taking into account where the majority of your participants will be coming from can help you choose a central location, which will help lower the amount of travel necessary to get to your event. But, of course, this will not always be possible, as events such as CES usually always take place in the same location year in, year out.
If you have the option, try and organize local or regional events. These might be smaller, but they will allow you to get local talents, which comes with two benefits: they are more attractive to a local audience, and they don’t have to travel to your event (which, coincidentally, might also help you if you have to work with a lower budget)!
Your choice of venue is also essential. If you pick one that can double as accommodation, that should significantly lower any transportation needs. Even better if the venue/hotel is within walking distance of the destination’s main attractions!
Promoting public transportation and safe, walkable routes could also be a step in the right direction.
Widen your choice of transportation options
Sometimes, you have no other option than to transfer a lot of people from one place to another. In that case, you can reduce the number of flights or trains necessary to get people to and from your event by coordinating travel from major cities, for example, by organizing chartered transportation.
Carpooling and shuttle options can also be considered, especially if you can find services using electric or hybrid vehicles. To make carpooling more attractive, offer discounts (or even free) parking options for full vehicles at your event location.
Most importantly, communicate heavily on these greener means of transportation so that attendees don’t need to look for the information themselves. Make it convenient for them to make green choices!
Use technology to your advantage
MeetGreen calculated that by holding the UN Global Compact Uniting Business Live 2020 event virtually instead of in-person for three days in New York,the organizers managed to reduce the CO2 emissions from 1,153,291 KG to 16,798 KG! The difference of 1,136,493 KG of CO2 emissions is comparable to the energy-related CO2 impacts from 192 homes over a year.
Obviously, not all events fare that well virtually (trade shows are a good example), but many can offer live streaming for participants who can’t or won’t attend in person.
Compensate your carbon emissions
As we’ve seen, some events can’t be held locally or virtually, and you have, therefore, no other option than to rely on some kind of transportation. However, that doesn’t mean you are doomed and can’t go greener. Carbon offsetting is one of the best options you have, and there are several initiatives that can help you with it.
At totm exposition, we chose to plant trees to offset the greenhouse gas emissions of our company’s activities and to reduce our carbon footprint. We also minimize our impact on the environment by taking concrete steps to maximize the recycling of our materials.
In conclusion
There is no perfect path towards sustainability. Each industry has its own issues, and it’s essential to start your journey towards greener events by understanding your main sustainability problems.
The way to improvement requires setting attainable objectives and targeting your primary source of waste or carbon emissions, i.e., travel most of the time. We’ve seen some tactics to help you with that issue, and if you keep track of your efforts and measure how far you’ve come, you’ll be well on your way to more sustainable events.
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