Awards
- April 2010 - The City of Saint Paul awarded our facilities with the “Sustainable Saint Paul – Waste Reduction and Recycling Award” for implementing a program that contributed to the development of waste prevention, reduction, recycling and related infrastructure.
- June 2010 - The Midwest Society of Association Executives (MSAE) presented Saint Paul RiverCentre with an Award of Excellence in Public Service for the venue’s multifaceted sustainability initiative “50 50 in 2.”
- September 2010 – Meetings: Minnesota’s Hospitality Journal presented Vice President and General Manager Jim Ibister with a Vision Award for his efforts to make Saint Paul RiverCentre, and its sister venues, regional leaders in sustainability.
- May 2011 – Xcel Energy recognized Saint Paul RiverCentre as the recipient of the 2011 Efficiency Partner Award acknowledging the facilities’ energy-efficiency achievements.
- October 2011 – The Recycling Association of Minnesota presented Saint Paul RiverCentre and Xcel Energy Center with a Green Project Award in recognition of the facilities’ having reached and exceeded our “50-50 in 2” waste reduction goals.
Waste
In fall of 2009 we kicked off a program called “50-50 in 2.” The goal was to reduce our trash stream by 50% and increase our recycling rate to 50% over a two-year period. We accomplished this goal in the following ways:
Recycling: We have implemented a nearly 1:1 ratio of trash to recycling bins on campus. As a facility we currently recycle cans, bottles, cardboard, paper, cooking grease, construction waste, electronics, fluorescent bulbs, pallets, shrink-wrap and tablecloths.
Composting: We are now composting all food waste from kitchens, concession areas and offices, as well as during post-catering clean-up. We are also one of the first convention centers in the country to offer composting of food waste, biodegradable service ware and paper towels in public areas.
Reduction: Our Events team has redesigned their processes to be largely computerized instead of printed, reducing their paper usage by over 50%.
Results: In two years we have reduced our trash by 59%, and are now recycling at a rate of 53%.
Purchasing
We established guidelines for the purchasing of environmentally preferable products across campus. This ‘playbook’ addresses the majority of purchases we make on a regular basis, including the following examples:
- Recycled-content toilet paper, hand towels, facial tissue & napkins
- Green Seal certified cleaning products
- Recycled-content office paper, folders, and envelopes
- High-efficiency electronics and computer equipment
- Biodegradable/compostable food service-ware in many areas
- Low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) paints, sealants, and carpeting
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Water
- Restroom sinks are equipped with automatic and / or self-closing faucets.
- Automatic flushers are installed on many commodes and urinals.
Energy
Our energy goal is dubbed “80-20 in 3.” We plan to reduce the carbon footprint of our operations by 80% and become 20% more efficient than average buildings like us over the course of 3 years. The timeline for reaching “80-20 in 3” is 2012. Here is how we are doing it:
Lighting
- The facility is equipped with a computer-controlled lighting system that monitors light usage 24 hours/day, 7 days/week.
- Saint Paul RiverCentre upgraded over 1,087 lights in the parking ramp to energyefficient
flourecent lamps. Several more lighting retrofits are in process for this year
that will make our loading docks and public hallways more efficient.
- Security and Operations staff check all parts of the buliding each night to ensure
that any unneccessary lighting is turned off.
Heating and Cooling
- Unused spaces are neither heated nor air-conditioned.
- The HVAC system is computer-controlled and monitored 24 hours/day to maximize efficiency. Demand management software also allows energy usage to be tracked and optimized even further.
- While just three physical IT servers exist in our facility, over sixty servers are run in a ‘virtual environment.’ This drastically reduces cooling & electricity needs.
Carbon Footprint
- All of the heating and air conditioning for the complex is furnished by District Energy St. Paul, which derives 70% of its heating from renewable biomass.
- Installation of a 1 MW solar thermal array on the roof of Saint Paul RiverCentre was completed in March 2011. This project was made possible in conjunction with the DOE’s Solar America Cities initiative and through a partnership with District Energy St. Paul and the City of Saint Paul.
- Two electric vehicle charging stations were installed at the Saint Paul RiverCentre parking ramp, thanks to American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grant dollars.
- An 82 kilowatt (kW) solar photovoltaic installation in is currently underway on the Saint Paul RiverCentre parking ramp thanks to grant dollars from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and the Minnesota Department of Commerce.
Transportation
- New, recycled-content Bike racks are located in multiple locations around our facilities to provide secure storage for bicycle commuters.
- Bus stops are located close to the facility and staff members are offered bus vouchers as a benefit to encourage the use of public transportation.
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