PA Environment Digest

evolveEA Wednesday released the findings of its 22-month-long study to evaluate Pittsburgh's David L. Lawrence Convention Center’s effectiveness which found 38 percent of the events at the Center came from green events bringing in $144 million in spending to Pittsburgh between 2006 to 2010.

In addition, the study found the Center has saved over $2 million in energy costs since 2005 compared to a conventional venue of the same size.

Christine Mondor, principal at evolveEA says "This study illustrates that the DLCC, one of the greenest convention centers in the world, is an excellent example of a building whose smart design leverages efficient operations. It is also a great story of what can be achieved by an operations team that looks for constant improvement.”

evolveEA and its team investigated the convention center’s performance, not only as a physical building, but as a functioning organization. To do this, the team benchmarked the DLCC against other convention centers, and provided recommendations to improve operations and leverage marketing opportunities.

The study highlighted that 38 percent of DLCC revenues from 2006 to 2010 came from green-seeking events. These same events brought approximately $144 million in direct spending to the Pittsburgh region.

In addition to added business, the convention center’s design and how it has been operated has allowed it to save over $2-million in energy costs since 2005, compared to a conventional venue of its size.

Upon its completion in 2003, the David L. Lawrence Convention Center facility received LEED Gold Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. It was the world’s largest green building at 1.4 million square feet, and was the first LEED certified convention center, hosting the G-20 Summit in 2009, and receiving international acclaim.

Selected from a field of 25 national firms, evolveEA led a project team comprised of CJL Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University’s Center for Building Performance and Diagnostics, and Civil and Environmental Consultants. By analyzing energy consumption, water use, airflow, purchasing, waste management, transportation, marketing, and occupant behavior and satisfaction, the team identified opportunities to make improvements that will continue to generate financial savings, marketing value, and business growth.

Stephen Hockley, evolveEA project manager says “This study represents a truly compelling business case for pursuing sustainability. It shows that no matter the business model, an organization can do well by doing good.”

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