How Chicago’s McCormick Place and Detroit’s TCF Center Are Amplifying Green Efforts

February 17, 2020

As the importance of lessening the environmental impact of meetings, trade shows and events only continues to grow, here’s what two Midwestern convention centers are doing to help make sustainable planning easier.

McCormick Place

With nearly 3 million visitors each year, McCormick Place, North America’s largest convention center, has a large environmental footprint. However, for more than a decade, the 2.6 million-square-foot facility has been actively creating a more sustainable campus. In the last few months, the campus has taken two major steps forward.

  • With installation of the sustainable food waste system Grind2Energy in May 2019, McCormick Place now diverts nearly 100 percent of its pre-consumer food waste from landfills. In the first six months of use, this amounted to more than 25 tons of food waste. Grind2Energy, which converts food waste into renewable energy through anaerobic digestion, is being used in conjunction with composting and other traditional methods of food waste diversion.
  • In September, work began on a $36 million dollar investment to retrofit the lights in McCormick Place and the parking lots with energy-efficient LEDs. The switch to LED lights will save energy, reduce maintenance costs from new fixtures and improve lighting, according to the center’s officials.

In addition, McCormick Place is also home to the Midwest’s largest outdoor rooftop garden (measuring 20,000 square feet), which produces approximately 8,000 lbs. of produce each year that is consumed on its campus, including growing hops to be brewed into beer. They also shop local: One-third of all food purchased at McCormick Place is local, organic or environmentally preferred, and this includes sustainable seafood, meats raised without antibiotics and other farm-to-fork favorites from local businesses. 

TCF Center 

TCF Center

Formerly known as Cobo Center, Detroit’s 2.4-million-sq.ft. TCF Center is the venue of choice for many huge trade shows, including the North American International Auto Show.

In October 2019, it became the largest LEED-certified building in the state of Michigan when it was awarded LEED Gold certification by the U.S. Green Building Council for attributes such as parking spaces on the living green roof, highly efficient water use and zero-waste practices. In addition, it recently underwent a $279 million upgrade that incorporated green components such as low-flow equipment in kitchens and restrooms and more energy-efficient HVAC equipment.

 

Here’s what else the venue is doing to decrease its environmental footprint:

  • Centerplate, TCF’s catering services provider, recently hired sustainability consultancy Astrapto to help create a food waste reduction program.
  • Through partnering with Forgotten Harvest, Detroit’s leading food redistribution agency, Centerplate in TCF Center donated more than 8 tons of unserved food (or 12,000 meals) to feed people in the Detroit area in 2019.
  • TCF Center offers a wide range of options for customers including local culinary, vegetarian and vegan meals. 
  • It offers a zero-waste attendee education program that promotes reasonable portions, composting, recycling, plastic bottle alternatives and more. In June 2019, it was host to the Sustainable Brands annual conference, which recorded a record 100-percent diversion rate.

 

What green practices are you most looking for in trade show venues? Tell us on Twitter, @TSNN_com_US.

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Partner Voices
Overview: The award-winning Orange County Convention Center (OCCC) goes the extra mile to make every day extraordinary by offering customer service excellence and industry-leading partnerships. From their dedicated in-house Rigging team to their robust Exhibitor Services, The Center of Hospitality brings your imagination to life by helping you host unforgettable meetings and events. With more than 2 million square feet of exhibit space, world-class services and a dream destination, we are committed to making even the most ambitious conventions a reality. In October 2023, the Orange County Board of County Commissioners voted to approve allocating Tourist Development Tax funding for the $560 million Phase 5A completion of the OCCC. The Convention Way Grand Concourse project will include enhancements to the North-South Building, featuring an additional 60,000 square feet of meeting space, an 80,000- square-foot ballroom and new entry to the North-South Building along Convention Way. “We are thrilled to begin work on completing our North-South Building which will allow us to meet the growing needs of our clients,” said OCCC Executive Director Mark Tester. “As an economic driver for the community, this project will provide the Center with connectivity and meeting space to host more events and continue to infuse the local economy with new money and expanding business opportunities.” Amenities: The Center of Hospitality goes above and beyond by offering world-class customer service and industry-leading partnerships. From the largest convention center Wi-Fi network to custom LAN/WAN design, the Center takes pride in enhancing exhibitor and customer experience.  The OCCC is the exclusive provider of electricity (24-hour power at no additional cost), aerial rigging and lighting, water, natural gas and propane, compressed air, and cable TV services. Convenience The Center is at the epicenter of the destination, with an abundance of hotels, restaurants, and attractions within walking distance. Pedestrian bridges connect both buildings to more than 5,200 rooms and is within a 15-minute drive from the Orlando International Airport. The convenience of the location goes hand-in-hand with top notch service to help meet an event’s every need. Gold Key Members The OCCC’s Gold Key Members represent the best of the best when it comes to exceptional service and exclusive benefits for clients, exhibitors and guests. The Center’s Gold Key memberships with Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando and Walt Disney World greatly enhance meeting planner and attendee experiences offering world-renowned venues, immersive experiences and creative resources for their events. OCCC Events: This fiscal year, the OCCC is projected to host 168 events, 1.7 million attendees, and $2.9 billion in economic impact.  The Center’s top five events during their 2022-2023 fiscal year included:  AAU Jr. National Volleyball Championships 2023 200,000 Attendees $257 Million in Economic Impact MEGACON 2023 160,000 Attendees $205 Million in Economic Impact Open Championship Series 2023 69,500 Attendees $89 Million in Economic Impact Sunshine Classic 2023 42,000 Attendees $54 Million in Economic Impact Premiere Orlando 2023 42,000 Attendees $108 Million in Economic Impact