LAS VEGAS—MGM Resorts International announced that MGM Springfield, located in Springfield, Mass., has received the world’s first United States Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) New Construction Platinum level certification for a gaming resort.
MGM Springfield, which opened in August 2018, is the company’s most recent development. Working closely with state and city officials, as well as the local community, MGM Resorts committed to designing and building a property that exemplifies the company’s values in support of environmental sustainability and positive social impact while honoring local history and architecture.
A significant enabler of the LEED Platinum rating is the property’s new solar array, which will supply renewable electricity to the facility. In partnership with GE Solar, a subsidiary of General Electric that is based in Massachusetts, MGM Springfield will install a 1.13MW solar canopy on the 8th floor, on top of the MGM Springfield garage. This array is expected to generate more than 1,600 megawatt hours of electricity, helping reduce the property’s annual carbon footprint by approximately 410 metric tons of CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent).
‘We Celebrate This Achievement’
“As a values-driven company, we are immensely proud that MGM Springfield is the first resort in the gaming industry to achieve the LEED Platinum certification,” said Jim Murren, Chairman and CEO of MGM Resorts International. “We are grateful for the response we have received from the community since opening our doors in August 2018, and we will continue to strive to be a good neighbor and explore innovative ways to improve operations, guest experiences and the surrounding areas. MGM has enjoyed a productive working relationship with city officials and the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, and we celebrate this achievement with them.”
The sustainable design and development elements that helped MGM Springfield receive the LEED New Construction Platinum certification include:
- Redeveloped and revitalized a tornado impacted site in South Springfield, Mass.
- Integrated smart energy infrastructure and submeters through the facility to help monitor and control the property’s electrical and mechanical systems to support year-round energy efficiency.
- Designed for significant onsite electricity generation, including a 1.13MW solar canopy and a 450kw microturbine, Combined Heat and Power (CHP) central plant.
- Installed 50 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations and 140 low-emitting-fuel efficient (LEFE) vehicle parking spaces in some of the most preferable locations of guest and employee garages, to encourage the use of more environmentally preferable modes of transportation.
- Diverted more than 95 percent of construction and demolition waste by weight, from landfills during construction.
- Selected products from manufacturers that disclose information about the ingredients in their products, allowing the company to make better-informed environmental, economic, and social decisions.
- Used interior finishes such as paints, sealants, coatings, adhesives, carpeting, and composite wood products with low/no volatile organic chemicals and free of urea-formaldehyde, helping to create healthier spaces for guests and employees.
- Created a rainwater harvesting system and underground cistern to capture, store and treat rainwater onsite, allowing 100 percent of water for landscaping to come from this source.
Working with community partners, the MGM Springfield development project includes multiple buildings within the city of Springfield, including a daycare facility, entertainment venues etc. All aspects of this project have already achieved or are seeking a minimum of LEED Gold certification.
“The Legislature established strong energy goals in the Expanded Gaming Act for gaming establishments,” said Massachusetts Gaming Commission Chair Cathy Judd-Stein. “We are thankful to the City of Springfield and our fellow agencies for working closely with MGM Springfield to not only meet but greatly exceed our shared goal of achieving a world-class, sustainable facility. We extend our congratulations to MGM on this significant accomplishment.”
MGM Resorts has nine other properties that have achieved LEED Gold certification, including National Harbor, Aria and T-Mobile Arena. MGM Cotai in Macau earned a prestigious Three-Star certification under the China Green Building Design Label by the China Green Building and Energy Saving (Macau) Association.
