Categories: Philly

Philadelphia is #8 Best City For Green Meetings

Philadelphia’s green scene wins another accolade, as ranked in the top 10 US Cities for Green Meetings. What perfect timing after the USGBC’s Greenbuild International Conference was hosted here in November. Our city was ranked 8th, as Denver, Las Vegas & Chicago respectively took the top 3 spots.

Greenbiz weighed the Pennsylvania Convention Center features for its evaluation. The Convention Center’s 2011 LEED Gold certification  – with 100% biodegradable food containers (plates, cutlery & napkins), green cleaning products & lighting and more energy-saving tactics won over the judges.

Other reasons the PA Convention Center is getting green? Post-Greenbuild, the center & USGBC initiated ongoing composting and recycling programs.  According to Pro-Tech Energy, the PA Convention Center reduced its energy cost by 40% since 2011. Starting in 2014, 25% of the Convention Center’s energy will come though renewable (wind) energy, but likely 75% will still come from gas & dirty natural gas.

According to Mayor Michael Nutter,

“Our commitment to making Philadelphia a leading green city is a shared vision. We are fortunate to have leaders and organizations from a variety of sectors incorporating sustainability goals into the work that they do.  The Convention Center’s recognition as a top green meeting destination is yet another demonstration that sustainability principles often align to make for good business and help to make our city more competitive.”

Greenbiz.com created the rankings based on “industry standards for sustainable meetings and convention practices”, set forth by the Convention Industry Council’s Accepted Practices Exchange (APEX) and the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM International), according to a press release from the PA Convention Center. Standards expand across 9 sectors, including transportation, accommodations, audio/visual, venues, food & beverage, onsite office, exhibits, destinations & communications.

The PA Convention Center isn’t the only green meeting space in Philly. Our Twitter friends the Hub is a B Corp with several locations downtown. Hotel Palomar in Philadelphia also holds the sustainable LEED certification, with meeting space available.

Readers, any other green meeting spaces we need to know about? Share in the comments.

 

Photo: Library of Congress, Highsmith Archive 

Julie Hancher

Julie Hancher is Editor-in-Chief of Green Philly, sharing her expertise of all things sustainable in the city of brotherly love. She enjoys long walks in the park with local beer and greening her travels, cooking & cat, Sir Floofus Drake.

Recent Posts

Climate action updates, EPA deregulation, new gardens, & more

Check out the latest sustainability news: Office of Sustainability releases 2025 Climate Action Update. OSS…

5 days ago

A bird-a-thon without birdwatching? For blind birders, it’s all about sound

From Malvern to Massachusetts, the first blind birding event showed accessibility in action. Chester County…

6 days ago

How Fishtown neighbors organized for a pedestrian safety win

More than 500 residents advocated for change, leading to 40% longer crosswalk times on Girard…

7 days ago

Protecting community gardens, PA’s green energy package & more

Check out the latest sustainability news: City Council votes to protect one of the city’s…

2 weeks ago

Mayor Parker’s $2 Billion H.O.M.E. plan to tackle housing & climate change

Here’s how the city plans to retrofit the aging housing stock and support existing repair…

2 weeks ago

Plant-based as resistance: Veggie Mijas reconnects BIPOC communities to the land

From storytelling workshops to seed swaps, they’re cultivating more than just vegetables in Philly and…

2 weeks ago