Earlier this month, the Convention Center earned a major achievement as the first convention center in the country to achieve LEED® Gold certification for Existing Buildings. This achievement also signifies the facility as the Commonwealth of Virginia’s largest building (over 515,000 square feet) to achieve the LEED® Gold certified project for Existing Buildings. The LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction, and operation of high performance green buildings, which was developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). The LEED for Existing Buildings (LEED-EB) Rating System helps building owners and operators of existing buildings measure operations, improvements and maintenance on a consistent scale, with the goal of maximizing operational efficiency while minimizing environmental impacts. A video clip of the Convention Center’s LEED announcement can be found here.  To add to the mix, the Convention Center is in the running against 13 other buildings to win the EPA’s first-ever National Building Competition. The competition will reveal the most energy-efficient building in the country. Stay tuned for more info.

I’m very proud of the CVB’s hard-working staff and the ongoing sustainable initatives that the city is pursuing. Together, we will ensure that the future of our environment will last for many generations to come.

PICTURED (from left to right): Courtney Dyer, Lori Herrick and Jim Ricketts, Virginia Beach CVB; Kimberly Lewis, USGBC.

When it comes to protecting our environment, there are a number of ways that we can help do our part. The Virginia Beach CVB offers the top 10 to consider when planning your next sustainable meeting.

1. Choose a sustainable venue like the Virginia Beach Convention Center, which is anticipated to be LEED certified in the near future. The facility also is a “Virginia Green” certified & Energy Star Partner that recycles, composts and donates food, incorporates its own vegetables, locally grown and organic food into its menus.

2. Take advantage of the Virginia Beach CVB’s Social Responsibility program and volunteer your time to the multitude of charities hosted by the United Way of South Hampton Roads.

3. Recommend local hotels, restaurants and off-site venues like The Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center and the Contemporary Art Center of Virginia, that participate in the “Virginia Green” program to your attendees. Virginia Green is the Commonwealth of Virginia’s campaign to promote environmentally-friendly practices in all aspects of the Virginia tourism and hospitality industry.

4. Encourage attendees to car pool to meetings, conferences and conventions since Virginia Beach is a drive meeting destination in a lot of cases.

5. Conserve paper by posting event materials to your Web site or distributing on flash drives.

6. Purchase name badges that are reusable and collect them at the end of the meeting for use at the next one.

7. Avoid dating promotional items and reuse overages at future meetings.

8. Provide water stations for attendees or encourage the group to provide reusable water bottles.

9. Encourage attendees to enjoy environmentally-friendly activities including walks on the beach or visiting nearby state and national parks.

10. Encourage exhibitors to bring a realistic amount of promotional materials. Have them recycle unused portions rather than dispose of them.

Recently I sat down with a local radio personality to discuss the affects of the green movement on the meetings industry as well as what Virginia Beach is doing to support this great cause. A brief excerpt of the interview can be heard here:

 

In addition to the city’s ongoing initiatives, Virginia Beach is proud to have reached a new milestone with green and sustainability practices. The city is the Commonwealth’s first Virginia Green destination with 100 green hospitality businesses including the Virginia Beach Convention Center, which is currently in pursuit of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver certification. This designation should be obtained next spring.

Virginia Green is the Commonwealth’s new campaign to promote environmentally-friendly practices in all aspects of the Virginia tourism and hospitality industry. Other Virginia Green certified businesses include hotels, restaurants, events and unique meeting venues like the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center. To further the city’s resources in the green industry, the CVB entered into partnerships with Convene Green Alliance and the Green Meeting Industry Council – (GMIC), which include hundreds of other organizations committed to being environmentally friendly.

It’s been a busy summer for the Virginia Beach Convention Center!  Last month, we hosted nationally ranked high school wrestlers for the National Wrestling Open Championships, talented young dancers for the Starquest International Dance Competition, the Gem & Jewelry Show and a reception for 1,000 executives of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement (NOBLE) Conference . 

Not only are events keeping us busy, but our green efforts are moving right along as well.  Just recently, we ordered parking signs designated for drivers of hybrid vehicles and for those vehicles that are carpooling.  We are also working on signs to post around the building with little tidbits regarding eco-friendly functions related to that area. For instance, signs posted outside of our meeting suites would convey their use of energy efficient LED lighting and/or compact fluorescents in addition to other green info.

This month, we are happy to welcome nearly 4,000 attendees for the Black Expo, about 5,000 for the Antique Show and over 1,000 for the International Youth Event.  Recently, we re-booked the Mary Kay convention for 2011 and 2012 as well as the 2nd Annual Get Green Already conference that was held here in June. Never a dull moment at the VBCC!  Be sure to follow us for more detailed updates on Twitter @ www.twitter.com/VBCC and become of our Facebook page @ http://bit.ly/wLK7F

To meeting and event planners, continuing education is key. That’s how the City of Virginia Beach attracted more than 70 meeting planners, industry publications, restaurateurs, and hoteliers from throughout region to its Convention Center for the Get Green Already Conference. Featuring executives from the US Green Building Council, National Restaurant Association, Quaintance-Weaver Restaurants & Hotels (Proximity Hotel) and TFC Recycling, the expert panel educated the audience about the advantages of going green, how to budget for it, and how to measure its success. A photo slide show of the conference can be found here, courtesy of Organization Management Group, Inc.

During the conference, the City of Virginia Beach proudly announced a partnership with Green Meetings Industry Council (GMIC) and The Convene Green Alliance. Teaming up with these types of organizations will enhance Virginia Beach’s position to market the destination to the rapidly growing segment of meeting planners who want and need a green/eco-friendly destination for their clients.
 
As the first green destination in the Commonwealth with more than 90 Virginia Green certified restaurants, hotels, attractions and events, Virginia Beach is paving the way for a greener tomorrow.

Photo: Lynne Forsman, Green Meetings Industry Council (GMIC) (left.) Al Hutchinson, (center) and Tracey Messina, Executive Director, The Convene Green Alliance (right).

Virginia Beach is gearing up for Groovy & Green June 4-5, an exciting event to showcase the city’s newest products like the Sandler Center for Performing Arts in Town Center, the Virginia Aquarium’s $25 million renovation, Restless Planet, as well as highlight major CVB initiatives focused on green and sustainability. The 2-day event will include participation from 20 meeting planners, the city’s hospitality partners – restaurants and hotels, national trade media, an expert panel on green as well as keynote speaker Kimberley Lewis of the US Green Building Council. Agenda for “Get Green Already” Conference can be found here.

Two partnership announcements will also be shared at this event. Stay tuned for photos and updates.

As research shows, clients are interested in doing business with environmentally conscious organizations. That is why the City of Virginia Beach has made a pledge to being green. In 2008, Virginia Beach became the first Virginia Green destination with more than 60 certified hospitality businesses. The Virginia Beach Convention Center also became the first in the Commonwealth to achieve Virginia Green certification.

The Convention Center, which is making significant strides in operating as an energy efficient facility, recently reported a cost savings of more than $204,000 between February 2008 and January 2009 as a result of their participation in the Energy Star program. During that period, the facility reduced natural gas usage by 40%, used 22% less power & conserved 3.9 million gallons of water. Earlier this year, Governor Tim Kaine came to Virginia Beach to recognize this industry for their efforts. Additional sustainability initiatives and recommendations for green meetings can be found at www.vbconventioncenter.com/green.