Going Green is a Lifestyle Change, Not a Fad Diet!

If we may borrow a metaphor from the weight loss industry, creating an eco-friendly convention center is not a fad diet that’s “here today and gone tomorrow.” Rather, it’s a complete lifestyle makeover that involves the way we work and the countless decisions we make at the Fort Lauderdale Convention Center every day, from energy and water efficiency and recycling to xeriscape, the products we purchase and more.

Our green initiative began with many simple practices that most of us already use at home, such as recycling bottles, cans, paper and plastics, as well as choosing to purchase recycled products.  It felt right to all of us and we wanted to do more.

So in October 2008 the Center's "Green Team" took its first steps toward what eventually would prepare us for LEED certification for Existing Buildings: Operations & Management, including working with Sustainable Options, LLC, Green Building Consultants to register our Convention Center with the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). By 2009, the Center had a plan in place and was ready to move forward with LEED certification.

“The process of earning LEED certification for Existing Buildings presents opportunities and challenges every step of the way,” said Carlos Puentes, Deputy Director of the Broward County Convention Center. “Creating an environmentally sustainable building is a mindset that must be evident in the decisions and actions shaping every aspect of construction and ongoing operations. Our Convention Center team is completely on board when it comes to transforming our facility and reducing our carbon imprint.”

Today the SMG-managed Broward County Convention Center annually recycles an estimated 150 tons of brochures, wood pallets, cardboard, carpet and padding, clear sheet plastic, plastic table cloths, lamps and bulbs, shrink wrap, twine, landscaping debris and batteries, as well as plastic bottles, glass and cans. We take advantage of every opportunity to reduce energy and water usage. Our eco-friendly attitude impacts everything we do in providing an outstanding guest experience each and every time. 

We invite you to join us on our journey to preserving resources for generations to come. It’s amazing how many small, but important things we can all do. Many cities already have recycling practices in place for plastic bottles, glass, cans and paper. But there are many other simple ways to recycle at home and at your work place. Here are three simple steps everyone can take to a greener lifestyle:
Going Green Business Ideas

1. Buy and use recycled products whenever possible.
2. Recycle ink cartridges from computer printers and copiers by taking them to office supply stores that have safe-recycle programs in place.  Some offer incentives such as a free package of computer printer paper for every recycled ink cartridge.
3. Properly dispose of old batteries, electronics and other potentially hazardous products.  Check with your city regarding disposal of these items to keep harmful chemicals and byproducts from seeping into the environment.

It’s an exciting new era as the Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center moves closer to achieving LEED certification for Existing Buildings.

Sustainably yours,
The Green Team

Image licensed under Creative Commons, courtesy of Theorris.

This article was previously published at the www.ftlauderdalecc.com blog.

We're Walking the Walk: Becoming a Certfied Green Business

We’re pleased to report that the SMG-managed Greater Ft. Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center is well on its way to becoming a certified green facility.  We have registered with the U.S. Green Building Council for LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) certification for Existing Buildings: Operations & Management certification. The goal for our 600,000 square foot Convention Center is to achieve LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification for Existing Buildings: Operations & Management by August 2011, three years after receiving our official registration of the project.

About the U.S. Green Building Council

The Washington, D.C.-based U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC),  founded in 1993, is a national coalition of corporations, builders, universities, government agencies and nonprofit organizations working to promote environmentally responsible, profitable and healthy buildings. (www.usgbc.org)

About LEED

Developed by the USGBC, LEED provides a framework for identifying and implementing practical and measurable green building design, construction, operations, and maintenance solutions aimed at improving performance in five key areas: site development; water efficiency; energy efficiency; materials and resources; and indoor environmental quality. LEED is the nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high-performance green buildings granted by the USGBC. LEED certification provides independent, third-party verification that a building project is environmentally responsible, sustainable, and able to provide a healthy place to live and work.

A Green Business Vision and Commitment

If you’re wondering why all this talk about sustainability and reducing our carbon footprint is important to the convention industry, we believe it’s because eco-friendly business practices and green construction make our world a healthier place and secure the future of our planet. What could be more important than that? Many of us already recycle, conserve water and reduce energy consumption at home, and the time is right to expand those sustainability practices to our workplaces, too.

Our commitment to achieving our LEED goals is second to none. Retrofitting a building to achieve LEED certification requires more resources and time than building a new one, which is why few other convention centers have achieved certification for Existing Buildings.

Enthusiasm for this challenging, eco-friendly project has fueled our excitement and provided the resources necessary to make it a reality. SMG, our parent company, committed up to $3 million to complete the conversion of our Center into a state-of-the-art, energy-efficient and environmentally sound, carbon neutral building. The Broward County Board of County Commissioners and Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau continue to support our efforts every step of the way.

“Experiencing this vision become a reality as our Convention Center moves closer to LEED certification is even more exciting than I thought it could be,” said Nicki Grossman, President/CEO of the Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center. “We are positioning ourselves as a ‘LEEDer’ among convention centers with a truly state-of-the-art facility in a fantastic destination.” 

From the eco-friendly sustainable products we select to the array of items we recycle and countless other new ways of viewing how we work and conduct meetings and events here at the Center, going green this project touches affects every aspect of our day-to-day operations.

We’re determined to be the most energy-efficient, least polluting and healthiest of convention centers, and we hope that you -- our meeting planners and guests -- will enjoy visiting our truly green facility as much as we enjoy working here every day. As the economy rebounds, we think the preference for green convention facilities will boom and we’re determined to be well ahead of the green curve! Stay tuned for upcoming blog posts, where we’ll keep you informed about our green progress toward LEED certification and share any helpful tips we learn along the way.

Sustainably yours,
The Green Team

This article was previously published at the www.ftlauderdalecc.com blog.

Welcome to Conventionally Speaking

We’re excited to launch our blog for the Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center!

We'll be covering a variety of topics, including our efforts to reduce our carbon footprint.  Situated on the Intracoastal Waterway, we offer 600,000 sq. ft. of space, award-winning food & beverage service and state-of-the-art amenities.  Visit us often to find out what we're doing to make our conference facility the location for your next event.

This article was previously published at the www.ftlauderdalecc.com blog.

Florida Convention Center Telecommunications Services

Telecommunications services are exclusive within the Greater Ft. Lauderdale / Broward County Convention Center and are provided by their in-house personnel. They can provide both analog and digital phone lines. Phones that can be rented include single-line sets, speakerphones, cordless phones or multi-line digital sets with caller I.D. Their data network includes fiber-optic, Cat 5 and Cat 6 infrastructure, T-1's and ISDN lines. Phone hookups can also be provided in all meeting rooms, exhibit halls and ballrooms. They offer a variety of features, including call waiting and 3-way conference calling. The conference center also has 2 carriers with interior cell sites installed, AT&T and Sprint. Their phone system is handled by CCLD, Inc.

Among the several ways that you can be assisted with communications while at your Florida conference venue is by requesting voice mail. If you are away from your booth on the exhibit floor and would like to allow your customers to leave a message for you, this feature can be added to a phone line. They can also provide fax machines and digital pagers if requested.

Video conferencing is another way their conference center telecommunications staff can help. They have capabilities up to 12 channels at 768 KBPS. Their two-way video can be placed anywhere within the convention facility and connected to one or more distant locations. If you need a satellite downlink, they can also provide that.

When the Ft. Lauderdale Convention Center expanded to their current 600,000 square foot conference facilities, they incorporated a state-of-the art teleconference suite into the design. This specially designed room allows their clients to conduct a teleconference in the comfort of a boardroom setting. They recently installed a 62" flat screen digital TV in this suite to enhance your experience.

No matter what your telecommunications needs might be while you are at the Ft. Lauderdale Convention Center, their convention facility staff is committed to fulfilling those needs and providing you with unparalleled customer service.

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Top 10 Florida Corporate Event Planning Tips

Planning a successful corporate event involves several important details. Here are 10 important corporate event planning tips.

10. Plan Your Budget
Budget is the key when planning a corporate event. You should create a financial plan for your event managers. Your plan should include costs such as supplies, printing, refreshments, and security. Every single detail is important when planning the budget for your event.

9. Find The Right Conference Venue
Choosing the right conference facility is essential for ensuring a successful conference. Make sure the size of the venue is more than adequate for the number of attendees. Check the venue before the day of the event so that you can avoid any potential and problematic surprises. You can also ask other event planners about their experiences at your chosen venue.

8. Ensure Proper Onsite Registration
Onsite registration and management at your conference should be planned in advance. Use an electronic system for the registration of attendees instead of a printed attendee list. This will ensure that the registration process goes much quicker and that records are kept accurately.

7. Use Appropriate Badges
Make sure to use printed badges and not stick-on, write-on badges. Print the badges in advance and use large type. Spell all names correctly and proof them twice.

6. Make Sure Your Attendees Are Comfortable
Make sure the needs and expectations of your attendees are not ignored. Restrooms should be close by. You should provide coffee if it's a morning event and enough water and/or refreshments for everyone.

5. Display An Agenda
Make sure there is an agenda available. Attendees will want to know what, where and when things are happening. Display the agenda by printing it and placing it on each chair or table at the convention center.

4. Invite Past Attendees Along With New Ones
When sending invitations, make sure to also send them to last year’s attendees in order to ensure that those same people return to your event.

3. Remind Your Attendees
Make sure an event reminder is sent via email, Twitter and/or Facebook. Reminders should be sent a week before the event.

2. Clean Up After The Event
When your conference is over, make sure you leave the conference hall clean. Make sure all relevant equipment has been sent back and pay all the necessary bills. You should check the convention facility thoroughly so that you can avoid the chance of forget anything. You may also want to send a thank-you letter to all your speakers and attendees after the event.

1. Test The Audio Visual Equipment
Make sure you find out if the speaker(s) will require any special audio or visual equipment. Create a thorough checklist of all necessary equipment so that you can avoid any surprises. Test the technical equipment hours before the event starts to ensure a successful corporate event.

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LEED Convention Centers

LEED® is an international green building certification system that was developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). It is a third-party verification system that provides a unique tool to building owners and operators. LEED® measures not only how the building was originally designed and built according to appropriate environmental standards, but it also recognizes the building’s performance in different key areas.

Organizations participate in the LEED® initiative as a voluntary effort to protect the environment. Convention centers and most types of buildings are suitable for LEED® certification. Once the certification is granted, the building increases in value and is a candidate for several government benefits. The advantages are not only for the owners; the tenants also save money in low energy consumption and waste reductions.

Buildings achieve the certification after they are measured and rated using a point-based system. LEED® guides and encourages all the necessary actions in order to get the highest level of sustainability. There are seven key areas that are measured and scored according to the environmental impact they have:

1. Sustainable Sites: The building needs to have a low impact on the site that it is occupying. This category considers the degree of development of the land chosen, the impact on the ecosystem and waterways, erosion, pollution, construction-related contamination and transportation systems.

2. Water Efficiency: Water use reduction through smart technologies.

3. Energy & Atmosphere: Utilization of different strategies to reduce the energy consumption. From the efficient design and construction of energy saving systems to the use of clean technologies that provide power to the building.

4. Materials & Resources: Selection of sustainable products used in the construction. Strategies to reduce the waste and encourage the recycling.

5. Indoor Environmental Quality: Use of good indoor air quality, access to natural daylight and improved acoustics.

6. Innovation in Design: Use of innovate strategies and technologies in order to achieve results higher than the LEED® standard.

7. Regional Priority: According to the location of the project, there are different environmental priorities that need to be considered when designing, building and operating a new facility.

The LEED® Green Building Rating System for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance sets performance standards for certifying the operations and maintenance of existing commercial or industrial buildings of all sizes. The intent is to promote high-performance, healthful, durable, affordable, and environmentally sound practices in existing buildings. Under this rating system, LEED® has designed different distributions of the points awarded to each of the areas explained above. The first five areas sum up to 100 points and the last two areas provide extra points to a maximum of 110 points in total.

The certification is achieved through the Green Building Certification Institute (GBCI), in order to guarantee the quality of the LEED® certification process.

In our current global crises, going green is necessary and also quite profitable. LEED® certification provides the right framework for achieving the environmental sustainability of any building. If you have any questions about the Ft. Lauderdale LEED convention center, you can contact them for further details.

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Broward Convention Center Video Conferencing Services

The Greater Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center has an ongoing commitment to providing the latest in technological services. To that end, they are pleased to offer clients the capability of setting up video conferences. Convention center video conferencing is available in all of their meeting rooms, exhibit halls and ballrooms. Video conferencing is established through either a T1 line or an ISDN line.

The capabilities of the conference center include up to 12 channels at 768 KBPS. They have two-way video that can be placed anywhere within the convention facility and connected to one or more distant locations. If you need it, the convention center also can provide a satellite downlink.

During the expansion of their Florida convention facilities, which now total 600,000 sq. ft., the Fort Lauderdale Convention Center incorporated a state-of-the art Teleconference Suite in the design. This specially designed room offers the option to conduct a teleconference in the comfort of a boardroom setting.

No matter what your video conferencing needs might be while you are at the Broward Convention Center, their convention facility staff is committed to providing you with unparalleled customer service in meeting those needs.

For information regarding ordering video conferencing services and prices, contact their Telecommunications Department at (954) 765-5605.

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