The New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center has earned two major awards from the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality for major and impactful initiatives aimed at reducing the facility’s environmental footprint. The Environmental Leadership Program Awards, given to the Convention Center in the Community Environmental Outreach category, as well as the Energy and Water Pollution Reduction category, recognize outstanding activities and projects that demonstrate environmental leadership and the pursuit of a cleaner, safer environment.

New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center representatives were recognized for their efforts at the Environmental Leadership Program Awards on June 9 in Baton Rouge. To be considered for the awards, facilities were required to report and describe their most impactful projects as well as how the projects benefit their local communities.

The Community Environmental Outreach Award recognizes innovative projects that contribute to enhancing the quality of the environment for the local community. For this award, the Convention Center highlighted an October 2021 project that, as part of a waste audit in pursuit of LEED certification, saw members of the facility’s Executive Leadership Team, as well as staff managers and team leads, sort through over 400 pounds of a representative sample of waste materials.

For the Energy and Water Pollution Reduction category, the Convention Center was able to demonstrate a deep commitment to the reduction of water and energy use in its facility. They did so by implementing several major energy efficiency projects, which add up to be one of the largest energy-saving initiatives ever undertaken in the region. Through these initiatives, the Convention Center awarded $11 million in contracts to small and emerging businesses (SEBs) in the community and participated in Energy Smart, a comprehensive energy efficiency program developed by Entergy and the New Orleans City Council.

“We could not be happier with the recognition our cutting-edge environmental projects are receiving,” said Convention Center President Michael J. Sawaya. “These awards are meaningful to every single person who has worked on these projects and also provides a blueprint that other facilities of our size can follow if they want to create positive change in their environment and local communities. It is also what our event planner clients expect.”

“Our success in sustainability is thanks to the efforts from our committed staff who reached these major milestones in energy reduction through planning, design, and management,” said Adam J. Straight, Convention Center Vice President of Operations. “We also appreciate the strong response from community leaders who encourage us to share our results and best practices with local organizations to help make sustainability a major focus in New Orleans. I’m so proud of everyone involved.”

These awards are not the first recognition for the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center’s sustainability efforts. Earlier in 2022 the facility was given the “Love Your City Award” in the Best Overall category. This award highlights individuals and organizations that assess, improve, and address their impact in their communities through reductions in energy use, contributions to the local economy, commitments to providing equitable opportunities for all, and more. The Convention Center Director of Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility, Linda Baynham, spearheaded these initiatives.

Pictured: Adam J. Straight, Vice President of Operations at the at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center (Left) and Linda Baynham, Director of Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center (Right), accept an award from the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality Secretary, Dr. Chuck Carr Brown (Center) in the Community Environmental Outreach and Energy and Water Pollution Reduction categories.

Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE) has teamed up with professional services company KPMG to reimagine the arena suite concept at Capital One Arena.

MSE, which owns Capital One Arena, along with its two major league teams, the NBA’s Washington Wizards and NHL’s Washington Capitals, has transformed an existing suite at the venue into the newest KPMG Ignition Center.

KPMG Ignition is a specialized team that seeks to think and work differently to produce differentiated results for the company’s clients. The Capital One Arena site is the latest Ignition Center, joining other facilities in Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, New York, and KPMG Lakehouse in Lake Nona, Florida.

The renovated suite is equipped with the latest technology and will serve as a meeting place for KPMG and its clients to collaborate and solve business problems together, 365-days-a-year, at any time of the day, regardless of the evening game scheduling of the Capitals, Wizards or other live concert or event. When a game, concert, or event is hosted in the arena, KPMG will also be able to offer traditional live-event hospitality to its clients.

“When KPMG and the senior executives at Monumental Sports came together on this idea, I thought it was brilliant,” said Ted Leonsis, founder, chairman and CEO of Monumental Sports & Entertainment.

“Taking a suite normally used to host clients to watch Capitals and Wizards games and innovate within it – bringing customers into an environment that’s unexpected and creating a destination to engage people to think differently – is such a big idea.

“This reinforces the notion that arenas play a central part in the business community’s ecosystem — and that we are now creating a new real estate category of shared workspace — turning suites normally used a few hours per game day into workspace, all day and year-round.

“I believe the shared space will be seen as a very economical investment given the dual benefits of suite usage for entertaining at games and then office space for meetings, working, and demo centers for the benefit of customers.

“This reimagining of suite space is another innovation our team is bringing to our community of business partners. So, I congratulate the leaders at KPMG for being a first mover and an exemplar in finding new uses for the convening operation we have built, and I’m sure others will soon join them.”

The concept, creating the most experiential Ignition Center yet, came about through KPMG’s business need to engage in-person with its clients in an innovative and unique setting and MSE’s pursuit of developing additional daypart uses for an otherwise dormant arena.

The 28-person ‘mega-suite’ has 500-plus square feet of open space that can be transformed to meet clients’ needs. From its walls to its furniture, the suite’s modular and movable functionality seeks to create a unique room design for each business session.

The suite is fully equipped with cutting edge technology. The central video wall displays stories and demonstrations to facilitate discussions. Interactive screen displays are scattered throughout the room, along with high-resolution monitors on the ceiling and at the entryway that showcase relevant visuals during meetings. Plus, video streaming enables people to join sessions from anywhere in the world.

Tim Gillis, KPMG Washington DC area office managing partner, said: “This is the first partnership of its kind – an innovation space in a sports and entertainment facility – and a forward-thinking blueprint for arena suites of the future.

“Innovation can happen anywhere, anytime. KPMG Ignition – DC will provide an opportunity to engage with clients in a collaborative environment outside of their traditional office spaces to lean into disruption and uncover opportunities to create value.

“The KPMG brand is synonymous with disruptive transformation and innovation. This partnership with Monumental Sports & Entertainment is a representation of how we are transforming our own business and how we bring that same approach – and our ever-evolving capabilities – to help organizations in the DC area do the same.”

MSE in January announced plans for District E Powered by Ticketmaster, a new multi-purpose live-event venue next to Capital One Arena. The space will span nearly 14,000 square feet and offer year-round immersive experiences in esports, music, event programming, and community events, along with pre- and post-event activations for fans attending Capitals and Wizards games or other events.

In May 2021, a William Hill sportsbook officially opened at Capital One Arena, becoming the first sports betting venue to launch within a US professional sports facility.

By Emily Eades

Five long-time employees serving the Orange County Convention Center’s (OCCC) Security Division were recognized for their recent heroic actions at the Center by the Greater Orlando Chapter of American Society for Industrial Security (ASIS) International. Security Supervisor Charles Young, and Security Representatives Urbane Caleb, Robert Estevez, Jason Norfleet, and Gerry Nunez received the 2022 SOAR (Security Officer Awards and Recognition) Award in the Critical Incident Category during an award ceremony on May 26.

The ASIS International SOAR Awards recognize leaders in the security field for a wide range of achievements, including giving back to the community, outstanding service and life-saving decisions. Founded in 1955, ASIS International is a global community of security practitioners who have a role in the protection of assets, people, and property.

“It is with great pride that I recognize these five members of our Security Division staff,” said OCCC Security Director Isiah White. “Each security officer, whether supervisor or front line, were involved in a first aid and life-safety incident at the OCCC. Their training and commitment to safety and security at the OCCC ensured they could maintain situational control until first responders arrived.”

Each award recipient has dedicated at least five years with the OCCC Security Division. The awards recognized two scenarios where teamwork and quick thinking made a major impact.

· Charles Young recently assisted a contract service employee who was suffering a medical emergency. Jason Norfleet activated the automated external defibrillator (AED) on the employee while Robert Estevez and Gerry Nunez conducted crowd control measures while Young and Norfleet attended to the contract service employee. The four security team members worked together until paramedics arrived.

· Urbane Caleb performed CPR on a contracted decorator who was suffering a medical emergency until paramedics arrived. Caleb’s actions served a critical role in saving the decorator’s life.

The OCCC Security team’s mission is to provide a safe and friendly environment for guests at the OCCC, while maintaining 24-hour security, overseeing all public areas, concourses, back-of-house areas, parking lots, and exterior grounds.

Additionally, the OCCC maintains an excellent partnership with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) and several federal law enforcement agencies. The OCSO assigns deputies to the OCCC regularly.

Ensuring guest and employee safety is a cornerstone of security operations at the OCCC. The Center’s leadership team congratulates award recipients for their dedication and for their commitment to keeping guests and employees safe.

Emily Eades is Public Relations/Information Officer | Marketing & Communications at the Orange County Convention Center.

By Mary Tucker

The Global Biorisk Advisory Council™ (GBAC), a Division of ISSA, and the International Association of Exhibitions and Events® (IAEE) are expanding their partnership to include GBAC’s Infection Disease Awareness Course in IAEE’s Certified in Exhibition Management® (CEM) Learning Program for exhibition and events professionals.

IAEE will offer the Infection Disease Awareness Course from GBAC Academy, designed to increase participants’ knowledge of infectious disease basics, including how they spread and how people become sick. The course will supplement the Security, Risk, and Crisis Management module within the CEM Learning Program curriculum.

“IAEE’s partnership with GBAC began in 2020 and has been instrumental in helping exhibition and event professionals feel confident in managing the challenges of not only the COVID-19 pandemic but any infectious diseases that may emerge,” said IAEE President and CEO David DuBois, CMP-F, CAE, FASAE, CTA. “With this new course offering, exhibitors, show organizers, and attendees can remain confident in their health and safety at these essential in-person events.”

The GBAC Infection Disease Awareness Course is approximately 30 minutes, and covers the following:

Increase awareness on the chain of infection
The importance of infectious disease or communicable disease prevention programs in the workplace
Regulatory compliance
Risk assessment
The hierarchy of control
Personal protective equipment (PPE).
Individuals who successfully complete the course within 30 days will receive a Certificate of Completion from GBAC. This course brings increased value to participants’ employers and customers because it demonstrates competence to carry out their responsibilities and their commitment to the standards of excellence and continuous learning.

“We are excited to continue our partnership with IAEE while educating events professionals on the intricacies of safe in-person events,” said GBAC Executive Director Patricia Olinger. “As the world enters the post-COVID-19 pandemic phase, it’s more important than ever to remain diligent in health and safety efforts.”

The GBAC Infection Disease Awareness Course is offered in English, Spanish, French, Italian, Simplified Chinese, and Haitian Creole. Through the IAEE Referral Program, members of IAEE will receive ISSA membership pricing. For more information, visit learn.iaee.com.

Mary Tucker is Senior PR and Communications Manager for IAEE.

By Mike Achoki

Henderson Engineers, a national building systems design firm, celebrates the one-year anniversary of the June opening of Q2 Stadium, the first ever major league sports venue in Austin, Texas. The Kansas City-based company, which has offices in nearby Dallas and Houston, served as the lead engineer for the $260 million facility that is home to the Austin FC Major League Soccer (MLS) team.

In providing architectural lighting, electrical, fire and life safety, mechanical, plumbing, security, and telecom design services, Henderson was keen on elevating the fan experience.

Most striking of all Henderson-designed features are the lighting systems, which enabled Q2 to be the first ever stadium worldwide to be constructed with tunable RGB LED lights from the ground up. As a result, all 402 light fixtures throughout the facility have color changing and color tuning capabilities. The stadium’s operations team can instantaneously shift the lights from white to more than 16 million unique colors, allowing them to illuminate the pitch, the stands, and even attendees in numerous hues and patterns.

“Most stadiums use fireworks to boost excitement, so it’s an amazing experience to watch everything around you change color to red, white, and blue during the national anthem, to rainbow when commemorating PRIDE Month, and so on,” explained Mischa Haramia, Henderson’s entertainment practice director who project managed the firm’s work on Q2. “Austin FC fans are ravenous, and the full-color-tunable lights are a great complement to the passion they show for their team at every game. The operations team also really loves the experience it provides, so much so that they host tours for the general public and other major league sports teams to specifically
showcase the lighting.”

Adding to Q2’s stimulating atmosphere are several landscaped green spaces surrounding the stadium that serve as outdoor recreation areas on game days and public parks year-round. This includes a terraced 2,500 capacity amphitheater that doubles as a concert venue. To sustainably irrigate the greenery, excess rainwater is diverted from the soccer pitch via piping and pumping systems that were powered by Henderson and stored in nearby ponds, the stormwater catch basins designed by GarzaEMC, the civil engineer on the project. Henderson helped implement a HVAC condensate capture system that stores condensation in a holding tank and pumps it out to irrigate the landscaping as needed. Furthermore, the stadium’s electrical, mechanical, and plumbing systems are fully equipped to allow the facility to install a SubAir System for the pitch if desired in the future to supply fresh air into the root zone to help maintain healthy turfgrass.

“In a relatively dry state like Texas, it’s important to make sure we’re using our natural resources responsibly,” noted Haramia. “We’re proud to have helped provide fans, families, and the surrounding community with beautiful green outdoor spaces that they can enjoy throughout the year while still limiting water usage. The amphitheater is an especially great addition in a city where live music is a beloved part of the local culture. And because we’re diverting rainwater, the City of Austin’s sewer systems are less strained whenever there’s unusually high rainfall
or wastewater.”

For a seamless technological experience for fans and the operation team, Henderson provided a public distributed antenna system (DAS) and WiFi throughout the 465,000 square foot venue to boost connectivity and power key stadium technology features including a large LED videoboard. Given the rapidly evolving technological landscape, the systems are designed to be readily adaptable to future innovations.

“Social media, video, and other communication tools are an integral part of the modern sports experience, and we made sure fans are able to engage with the game and each other from virtually every location at the stadium,” said Haramia. “Our venue experts work on projects for every major sports league, giving us firsthand experience on how fast technology is changing and the steps we can take to keep up. So, we consciously provided Q2 with the flexibility to upgrade its WiFi systems, cellular network, and DAS without needing major infrastructure upgrades. That helps ensure the venue can remain at the forefront of tech for years to come.”

The Q2 Stadium project team included Gensler as the lead architect, Walter P Moore as the structural engineer, and Austin Commercial as the general contractor. The facility is LEED Gold certified by the U.S. Green Building Council owing to the sustainability efforts undertaken during design and construction.

Mike Achoki is Public Relations & Communications Specialist for Henderson Engineers.