submitted by the Pennsylvania Convention Center
PHILADELPHIA — The Pennsylvania Convention Center — managed by the world’s leading development, full-service venue, and live-events company ASM Global — has achieved Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED®) v4.1 O+M: Existing Buildings Silver certification. This latest certification is the second for the facility, which achieved the LEED Gold certification for New Construction in 2011.
Based on the venue’s ongoing commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility and supported by the recent LEED certification, the Center was recently selected to host the prestigious 2024 Greenbuild International Conference & Expo, the largest gathering of green building professionals worldwide, which took place on November 12 – 15. The Center partnered with event organizers to achieve sustainability objectives, including energy use and waste diversion management and reporting from move-in to move-out.
LEED certifications serve as a crucial benchmark for organizations selecting sites for future events that align with their corporate sustainable development goals and meet the expectations of the next generation of attendees for sustainable events.
The Pennsylvania Convention Center focused on meeting stringent standards for energy, water, and waste efficiency, as well as the quality of the human experience at the facility. By successfully implementing initiatives, such as increasing its annual purchase of renewable energy certificates to 50 percent of all energy consumed, increasing its waste diversion rate goal to 50 percent, and reducing the use of single-use plastics, the venue was able to reach this significant milestone.
Additionally, in 2023, the Center was also awarded the Events Industry Council (EIC) Sustainable Event Standards Gold certification for venues and was recertified by the EIC in July 2024.
“This latest certification underscores our long-standing commitment to hosting environmentally friendly and sustainable events that minimize waste, reduce energy usage, and deliver event attendees the best possible experience,” said John J. McNichol, President and CEO of the Pennsylvania Convention Center Authority. “We recognize that sustainability is a high priority for many of our customers and we share those values. We are committed to being one of the leading sustainable venues in the country, which is why our team is constantly evaluating new technologies and implementing new best practices.”
The Pennsylvania Convention Center is a recognized leader in sustainable meetings and events practices, and is supported by the ASM Global Acts program, under which it has enforced a robust sustainability and social impact plan.
“Green building standards, such as LEED, are a key aspect of our sustainability strategy, providing both accountability and a clear framework to guide our efforts,” said Lindsay Arell, Chief Sustainability Officer, ASM Global. “They ensure we measure progress against global standards, fostering transparency and continuous improvement. At ASM Global, we believe these benchmarks are essential for driving meaningful change and demonstrating our commitment to a sustainable future.”
“For Greenbuild and Informa Connect, it is vital for us to know that when we select a Convention Center to host our events, the venue will also partner with us to host our attendees in the most sustainable manner possible,” said Katie Gillham, Event Director, Greenbuild. “Achieving LEED certification assures us and our attendees that the Pennsylvania Convention Center is committed to being that partner for us and the many events they host each year.”
With its commitment to innovation and growth mindset, ASM Global is transforming its portfolio of over 400 venues into the most sustainable in the world, setting a new standard for delivering exceptional and environmentally friendly experiences at its venues around the globe. Recently acquired by Legends, a global premium experiences company, ASM Global is dedicating its full resources to achieving measurable results throughout its business through developing a comprehensive and unified sustainability tracking system and advancing sustainability practices at its venues. Currently, over 50 venues in the company’s global portfolio have a sustainability certification. In August 2024, ASM Global also signed an international Net Zero Carbon Events Pledge with over 700 stakeholders from 60 countries, with a goal of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
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 one of the largest exhibit spaces and ballrooms in the Northeastern U.S. The meetings, conventions, trade shows, and other events hosted by the Center attract attendees from across the country and around the world to Philadelphia, making the facility the largest economic driver of the region’s hospitality industry. For more information, visit www.paconvention.com.
About ASM Global:
Award-winning ASM Global is the world’s No. 1 development and full-service venue company focused on client-first approaches for driving significant financial success. The company’s elite network spans five continents featuring a portfolio of more than 400 of the world’s most prestigious arenas, stadiums, convention/exhibition centers and performing arts venues.
ASM Global translates its unique visionary ownership experience into innovative project development, planning, and execution; content programming; curated guest-immersive experiences; locally tailored solutions; and optimized revenue streams for our client’s properties and surrounding communities. Focused on value creation and economic growth, ASM Global realizes venue business potential to elevate the profitability and profile of our clients and partners. We cultivate strong, inclusive relationships with the communities we work and live in while championing the welfare and development of our employees and small business partners, resulting in a more cohesive, resilient, and vibrant community.
ASM Global’s expertise and commitment extends across existing venue management, new venue development, and transformative renovation projects across the most exciting properties in the industry, including Kai Tak Sports Park (Hong Kong), Caesars Superdome (New Orleans, Louisiana), The Moscone Center (San Francisco, California), AO Arena (Manchester, U.K.), The Greek Theatre (Los Angeles, California), Desert Diamond Arena (Glendale, Arizona) and Fishers Event Center (Fishers, Indiana).
