Sustainability

By attending an event hosted by the Orange County Convention Center (OCCC), The Center of Hospitality, attendees support one of the most innovative, large-scale sustainability programs in the United States. The OCCC has demonstrated industry and community leadership by pioneering pathways for large venues to achieve continuously improving levels of sustainability stewardship. 

Below are some of the initiatives attendees can enjoy during their visit to the OCCC.

 

Walkability & Mobility

 

• Pedestrian Bridges - The OCCC has five pedestrian bridges available to help attendees avoid on-the-ground vehicle traffic. Visitors may access the OCCC through five pedestrian bridges which are connected to four surrounding hotels: The Hilton, the Hyatt Regency, the Rosen Plaza and the Rosen Centre.
• Alternative Transportation Programs - Visitors may access the CenterLine bus route for travels to and from the West and North-South buildings. The I-Ride Trolley is available for travelling to neighboring restaurants, shops and attractions.
• Electric Vehicle Charging Stations - The campus provides 12 EV charging stations for guests and visitors at both the West and North-South Buildings.
• Fleet - 89% of the OCCC’s fleet is electric or hybrid, including on-site vehicles, golf carts, scooters and lifts.

 

Food

 

• Center-to-Table Gardens - Our 81 indoor aeroponic grow towers consist of 44 planting spots per tower and produce over 50,000 lettuces and herbs annually. In partnership with Sodexo Live!, our exclusive food and beverage provider, the OCCC is proud to be a leader in innovative urban agriculture.
• Food Donations - In collaboration with clients, Sodexo Live! works to donate any unused or surplus of food items to local organizations like Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida and Orlando Union Rescue Mission.
• Back of House Compost - Food scraps are collected back-of-house and deposited in designated organic compactors. The OCCC’s organic waste hauler then takes the organic food waste to be processed into nutrient-rich soil.
• Cooking Oil Recycling - The recycling of cooking oil ensures that we are properly disposing of such waste. We partner with Brownie’s Septic and Plumbing to pick up and recycle our cooking oil and grease turning it into biodiesel.

 

Energy

 

• Renewable Energy - The OCCC’s North-South building houses a 1 MW rooftop solar farm and five on-the-ground solar arrays which offsets an average of 100 kWh of energy use per month.
• Building Efficiency - The OCCC incorporates natural lighting from floor-to-ceiling windows and is currently converting to LED lighting throughout concourses, meeting rooms, eating areas and office spaces. During off-show hours, escalators and moving walkways are powered off to conserve energy. During show move-in and move-out, lighting is reduced, and A/C is limited.

 

Water

 

• Low Impact Development - The OCCC prides itself in preserving natural lands, including multiple vegetative areas which hold rainwater and drain into natural waterbodies.
• Water Efficiency - The OCCC has retrofitted low-flow faucets and reduced water leaks throughout our West Building.
• Smart Irrigation - 100% reclaimed water is used to irrigate the OCCC's 400-acre campus, and the North-South building utilizes smart irrigation to sense efficient watering.

 

Waste

 

• Waste Reduction - OCCC works with clients and contractors to reduce event waste by 20-25% annually. We strive to increase our annual waste diversion by 3%.
• Recycling Receptacles - Our campus is home to over 575 outdoor and indoor landfill & recycling duos at our concourses, meeting rooms, bus stops, outdoor entrances, walkways, and pedestrian bridges. These receptacles were manufactured in the United States using recycled plastic.
• Water Bottle Filling Stations - The North-South and West buildings are equipped with multiple water fountains with built-in bottle filling capabilities.

 

Sustainable Events

 

• Front-of-House Composting - In partnership with O-Town Compost, our events can reduce their carbon footprint by opting in to composting in our food areas.
• Donations - Miscellaneous non-food items can be donated after events to local community organizations such as A Gift for Teaching, Habitat for Humanity and Orange County Public Schools.
• Post-Event Sustainability Reports - Each event will receive a Sustainability Report containing event-specific energy, water and waste metrics. Reports will also include highlights of sustainability successes and recommendations for future events. ^*

 

Please contact the OCCC Sustainability Coordinator for more information and event pre-planning.

^*Reports may take up to 3 months to be generated due to utility billing cycles.

 

Sustainability Efforts

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OCCC Butterfly Garden Expands 2024

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Contact Information

 

Katerina L. Chagoya, PhD

Sustainability Coordinator

Katerina.Chagoya@occc.net

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Certifications & Awards

 

LEED O+M: Existing Buildings
OCCC North-South Building

 

ISO 14001:2015
The OCCC meets the ISO 14001:2015 standard for environmental management

 

Winner • 2018
USGBC Central Florida Region Battle of the Buildings
Warehouse less than 100,000 square feet: OCCC Remote Operations Building

 

Winner • 2017
USGBC Central Florida Region LEEDership Awards
Outstanding Sustainable Program: Center-to-Table Gardens