Energy Center of Wisconsin requires offsite venues to meet environmental standards

Friday, January 23, 2009

From a news release issued by the Energy Center of Wisconsin:

MADISON, Wisconsin (January 22, 2009)—Beginning this month, only green venues will be used for offsite events coordinated by the Energy Center of Wisconsin.

The Energy Center hosts more than 75 educational seminars and meetings each year, contracting with 25 different hotels, conference centers and other facilities. They also coordinate an annual three-day conference with 55 individual workshops. These events were attended by nearly 3,000 participants in 2008. Attendance could increase significantly in 2009 with the growing need for skills and knowledge in energy efficiency and sustainability.

"Our educational programs helps professionals in the Midwest prepare for a more sustainable economy," said Marge Anderson, associate director. "We want our events to demonstrate emerging green meeting and event management practices."

For the past two years, the Energy Center has been connecting venues in Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois and Minnesota with technical support, incentives and ideas to reduce their environmental footprint.

"We help venues go green and they're better prepared for meeting planners who ask for greener meetings. Everybody wins," Anderson said.