| Claude Molinari, general manager of SMG/Cobo Center in Detroit, announced that Cobo Center has achieved re-certification to the Event Industry Council’s Accepted Practices Exchange and American Society for Testing and Materials international sustainable meeting standard for venues.
The Cobo Center Green Committee is also in the process of attaining LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification with the U.S Green Buildings Council, a venue rating for design, construction, operation and maintenance of green buildings with environmental responsible practices that utilize resources efficiently.
“Sustainable Brands is excited to continue to partner with suppliers and venues like Cobo who demonstrate a commitment to sustainable practices. Cobo’s commitment to innovation and sustainability has demonstrated how leadership and teamwork can achieve very high goals,” says David Fiss, CMP and director of business development and event strategy for Sustainable Brands. “Doing so helps our event meet our sustainability goals, educate our attendees, and encourage other suppliers to the meeting and events industry to do the same. A sustainable event is more thoughtful and creates a better participant experience.” Fiss is president of EIC Sustainability Initiative, Northern California Chapter, and former member of EIC Sustainability Leadership Council. “We continue to make strides in improving the sustainability of our offerings, including a new post event donation program. Getting recertified to the APEX/ASTM green meeting standard and hosting Sustainable Brands for the second time signals that our efforts are truly world class,” Fiss says. During 2018, the Green Committee in Cobo Center organized a group of local area agencies that can use materials often left behind by big events in the convention center. Materials like wood, metal, and carpet along with plants, clothing, food and various attendee giveaways are donated to local non-profits and schools. The re-use of these materials prevents them from going into the waste stream and contributes tons of materials annually to the local Detroit region goal of a more sustainable economy. Cobo Center was initially certified in 2015 to the APEX/ASTM Standard pertaining to the evaluation and selection of venues for environmentally sustainable meetings, events, trade shows, and conferences, and was the ninth U.S. facility to do so. The venue’s standard is one of the nine developed by the meetings, conventions, exhibitions and events industry to provide event planners and suppliers with specifications for producing events in a more sustainable manner. “2019 is shaping up to be a big year for our green team,” Molinari says. “Each year we strengthen our green operations and our contribution to the greater Detroit sustainability action agenda.” With 723,000 sq.ft. of exhibit space, Cobo Center boasts one of the largest contiguous exhibit floor spaces in North America and is the 17th largest convention center in the country. For more info, visit www.cobocenter.com. Sustainable Brands is a premier global community of brand innovators who are shaping the future of commerce worldwide. Since 2006, its mission has been to inspire, engage and equip today’s business and brand leaders to prosper for the near and long term by leading the way to a better future. For more info, visit ww.events.sustainablebrands.com/sb19det/. |
Cobo’s sustainable operations gained the attention of the tradeshow industry and the facility was chosen as the site of this year’s Sustainable Brands conference. Detroit’s main convention and exhibition venue was the host site for Sustainable Brands ’17 Detroit, and will again host the event June 4-6.
