Sands Expo and Congress Center, a Las Vegas-based convention center, achieved ASTM International’s advanced ‘Level Two’ certification for green meeting venues.
“There are only four venues in the world that are certified at Level One,” said John Caparella, president and chief operating officer, Sands Expo. “We are thrilled to be a leader in the industry, being the first venue to become certified at Level Two.”
Officially called the Level Two Certification to the ASTM Standard, this certification was created by ASTM International, which develops and publishes voluntary consensus technical standards, in partnership with the Convention Industry Council’s (CIC) Accepted Practices Exchange (APEX), which promotes the development and implementation of industry-wide accepted practices. The certification is one of nine APEX standards for environmentally sustainable meetings, events, tradeshows and conferences.
“While the accomplishment itself may be celebrated, the greater mission of these efforts is to benefit the environment and the community,” said Ashlyn LaPorte, executive director, Sands Expo. “In a convention capital like Las Vegas, meetings are naturally a major part of that effort.”
Achieving Level Two venue certification means Sands Expo has met ASTM/APEX requirements in the areas of venue selection, staff management, communications, waste management, energy, air quality, water, procurement and community partners.
Green meetings efforts at Sands Expo, along with connecting properties The Venetian and The Palazzo, were launched in 2011 with the Sands ECO 360° Meetings Program, a holistic approach to providing environmentally preferable choices and options to meeting planners.
