HONOLULU, HAWAII—To mark its 20th year of operations, the Hawaii Convention Center is launching the Hoʻomaluō Program, a comprehensive approach to environmental sustainability with the goal of enhancing the guest, planner, staff and community meetings and events experience.
Hoʻomaluō launched in conjunction with the 2018 American Dental Association (ADA)—America’s Dental Meeting. The meeting was held last week and drew over 15,000 registrants from 46 countries, while generating an estimated $70.8 million in statewide visitor spending. It was ADA’s third annual conference at the Center, including the building’s largest-ever gathering of 30,000 attendees in 1999. The ADA returned in 2009, marking the association’s 150th anniversary. The ADA has committed to reforesting 100 Legacy Trees.
“As contributing members of our community, both professional and personal, we are always working to give back to the public,” said ADA President-Elect Jeffrey M. Cole, D.D.S. “Our organization’s vision is helping the public achieve optimal health, so it made sense to participate in this effort. The Hawaiian Legacy Reforestation Initiative and Hawaii Convention Center offer a unique opportunity to offset our carbon footprint in traveling here and to help keep the islands that we love pristine and picturesque for years to come.”
Only LEED v.4 O+M Gold Project in Hawaii
Hoʻomaluō, which means “to conserve; to use or manage wisely” in the Hawaiian language, celebrates the Center’s recent award of LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) v.4 O+M: Existing Buildings Gold Certification by the U.S. Green Building Council. The Center is the first and only “public assembly, convention center” to earn LEED v.4 O+M Gold Certification in the United States and is the only LEED v.4 O+M Gold project in Hawaii. This certification places the Center among a select group of buildings to complete an extensive review of sustainability and conservation practices.
“At the Hawaii Convention Center, our guests, planners, staff and communities have come together for more than two decades to preserve, protect and enhance the natural beauty of the Hawaiian Islands,” said Teri Orton, General Manager of the Center. “This LEED certification nationally recognizes the dedicated work of our staff to make our Hoʻomaluō Program a reality. Since our opening 20 years ago, the Hawaii Convention Center has been deeply committed to a multi-faceted approach to environmental conservation that inspires everything we do and touches everyone we serve.”
Hoʻomaluō includes the Center’s work to conserve and reuse resources; maintain a high quality of operations, such as climate, guest comfort and building design; and careful attention to reducing waste throughout each stage in the event process. The Center incorporates guest education and participation through its One Million Trees effort to support the reforestation of endemic Legacy Trees in Hawaii.
In addition, the Center, which is operated by AEG Facilities—the leading sports, live entertainment and venue operator in the world—participates in AEG’s industry-leading corporate sustainability program AEG 1EARTH, which helps it exchange best practices with other AEG Facilities venues and track environmental performance.
