Savannah, GA – (July 20, 2017) The Savannah Convention Center (SITCC) has been awarded LEED Gold certification for Existing Buildings by the U.S. Green Building Council, making it the first convention center in Georgia to obtain this certification. LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) is a green building rating system for the design, construction, operations, and maintenance of sustainable building. Following in the footsteps of its sister site in Atlanta (the Georgia World Congress Center earned LEED Silver certification in 2014), both convention centers managed by the Georgia World Congress Center Authority (GWCCA) are now LEED certified.
Part of the LEED certification rating system is validating sustainable best practices already in place at a facility and improving in other areas beyond energy efficiency and carbon emissions reduction. LEED also forces facility managers to look inward at all operations and resource consumption. The SITCC team, along with sustainability consultants and engineers from Sustainable Investment Group (SIG), undertook the LEED EB: O+M certification process to tackle sustainability from a comprehensive approach. Over the course of nine months, the team focused on sustainable policy implementation, an ASHRAE Level I Energy Audit, and various upgrades achieving a 77 ENERGY STAR® equivalent score, earning the building 60 points for LEED for Existing Buildings Gold certification. “We are all very proud of our team and this accomplishment in our first application for LEED certification. We will take the things we learned through the process and continue to improve our operations further,” said Sherrie Spinks, General Manager, SITCC.
The admirable accomplishment of LEED certification comes only three years after the GWCCA began management of the property. “Convention centers sometimes have difficulty comparing operational efficiencies due to the unique nature of the industry – from event frequency to size or type,” said Tim Trefzer, LEED Accredited Professional and Sustainability
Manager at GWCCA. “The LEED rating system provided us with a baseline for sustainable operations and maintenance, and we at GWCCA and the on-site team in Savannah are ecstatic to have met the stringent environmental criteria of a LEED Gold building.”
The GWCCA and Savannah Convention Center staff are deeply
committed to continuous improvement in operations and maintenance of their facilities to
provide truly high performing, sustainable work environments. During the project’s
performance period, sustainability statistics at the Savannah Convention
Center include:
the Savannah Convention Center, offers a unique and memorable venue for your next successful meeting, tradeshow or special event. The SITCC is a 330,000 sq.ft. waterfront complex on the Savannah River featuring 100,000 sq. ft. of divisible exhibit space, 50,000 sq. ft. of prime meeting space, including 13 meeting rooms, four executive board rooms, a 25,000 sq. ft. Grand Ballroom, and a state-of-art 367-seat auditorium.
Located on Hutchinson Island, the SITCC has complimentary access via the Savannah Belles Water Ferry to the world-renowned historic district. The Savannah Convention Center is adjacent to the Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa. The historic district includes the Hyatt Regency, Savannah Marriott Riverfront, Hilton Savannah Desoto accompanied by many other eclectic and unique lodging options for conference attendees.
The building, located across the Savannah River from downtown Savannah and the River Street neighborhood on Hutchinson Island, was built in 2000 and encompasses 376,724 square feet. It features 100,000 square feet of divisible exhibit space, 50,000 square feet of prime meeting space, including 13 meeting rooms, four executive board rooms, a 25,000 square foot Grand Ballroom, and a state-of-the-art 367-seat auditorium. The Savannah Belles Water Ferry provides access from the convention center and adjacent Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort and Spa to the world-renowned historic district of Savannah.
