Green Spells Money Too
By Gary Tufel -- Tradeshow Week, 8/4/2008
In 2004, Portland's Oregon Convention Center became the first convention center in the United States to earn LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)-Existing Building certification for sustainable facilities from the U.S. Green Building Council. Soon, it also hopes to become the first to receive a USGBC Gold Level certification.
In addition, the facility has Salmon-Safe certification, meaning it has safeguards in place to protect water quality and Pacific salmon, and it's hiring a full-time sustainability coordinator. All this “greening” is beginning to have an impact beyond simply being the right thing to do. It's also turned out to be the profitable thing to do.
Thirty green-minded groups have confirmed, or will confirm, meetings or tradeshows at the center during the next two years, according to Matt Pizzuti, OCC director of sales and marketing. The facility will earn about $4 million in direct revenue as a result.
“But the greater economic impact is to the city and region of Portland,” Pizzuti added, estimating that would amount to $62.3 million.
Among groups he said booked dates at the OCC because of its reputation for being sustainable are the Natl. Recycling Coalition, Natl. Environmental Education Assn. and Urban Land Institute.
“It's very good news, not just for us, but for the whole community,” Pizzuti added. “We're pretty pleased with how our being ahead of the curve with the sustainable movement is helping fill our books.”
The American Assn. of Law Libraries held its 2008 AALL Annual Meeting and Conference, which included an exhibition, July 12-15 at the OCC. Pam Reisinger, AALL director of meetings, said the meeting was booked in 2002, before the OCC received its first certification. Still, the OCC's efforts made a big difference in her meeting and how she will conduct future events.
“Our members are a very socially responsible group, and we had always looked for ways to meet greener,” Reisinger said. “We weren't pushing any limits, but we did make some sustainable efforts, so we were happy to meet at the OCC.”
When the AALL began promoting the 2008 show last year, sustainability became a selling point – and a template for marketing future meetings. Working with the show's contractors and other vendors at the OCC showed her what possibilities exist, Reisinger said.
The OCC and AALL came up with “sustainability stations” on the showfloor, where attendees could learn what items should be recycled where. The AALL used 100-percent recycled paper and recycled bags, reusable cups and badges made of organic material. Most meal functions offered the choice of china or paper plates, and water pitchers were used instead of plastic water bottles.
“The OCC inspired us, and our efforts impressed our members,” Reisinger said. The OCC is taking the unusual step of launching a show of its own, the Northwest Business to Business Green Conference, in mid-May to help other businesses in the Pacific Northwest interested in obtaining LEED certification and learning about how sustainability can make good business sense, Pizzuti said.
