The Palais des congrès de Montréal earns major environmental recertification

MONTRÉAL, April 22, 2018 /CNW Telbec/ - The Palais des congrès de Montréal is proud to have had its BOMA BEST environmental certification renewed until 2020. This signifies that the Palais' environmental performance and the fulfilment of its commitments have been duly recognized and certified by Canada's largest environmental assessment and certification program.

The Urban Agriculture Lab of the Palais des congrès de Montréal (CNW Group/Palais des congrès de Montréal)

"It is with pride and enthusiasm that we continue to maintain our commitment toward sustainable development, by multiplying our efforts in various areas of our operations," indicated André Saucier, Vice-President, Finance and Administration, and also in charge of sustainable development at the Palais.

"We are pleased with our energy saving outcomes stemming from equipment we've replaced via our asset maintenance program, including the replacement of a chiller and two winter water towers, and the restoration of our summer water towers," added Stéphane Alarie, the Palais' Director of Building Management. "The complexity of managing operations tied to hosting different events at different times of the day renders this recertification that much more rewarding," Alarie went on to say. Optimizing the control of fresh air supply circulating throughout the property's distribution system has enabled the Palais to reduce its energy consumption by almost 3%, in a building that hosts nearly 350 events a year, 900,000 visitors, and spans 1.4 million sq. ft.

A commitment entrenched in business practices
Responsible, determined and committed, the Palais des congrès de Montréal became, in 2005, one of the first convention centres in Canada to be BOMA BEST certified. The Sustainability Action Plan and Sustainable Development Policy at the core of its strategy are ensuring the viability of its commitment. Also, the Responsible Procurement Policy it recently adopted is raising awareness among the Palais' staff, partners and suppliers about the importance of consuming, producing and purchasing responsibly.

An urban farming lab as a form of green roofing
When the Palais des congrès de Montréal opened its Urban Agriculture Lab in 2016, in collaboration with AU/Lab, an organization associated with the faculty of science and the institute of environmental science of the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), it became the main showcase in Québec for experimenting with and advocating for urban farming technologies and techniques.

The Lab's VERTical project is among the activities endorsed by the "Carrefour de recherche, d'expertise et de transfert en agriculture urbaine" jointly set up by the Québec department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, the city of Montréal and UQAM. The project, which earned the Palais the 2017 AIPC Innovation Award, has attracted the interest of the scientific community and the media.

A certifiably green host destination
Montréal and the Palais are ASTM-APEX certified (Accepted Practices Exchange) as a green convention site.

About the Palais des congrès de Montréal
The Palais des congrès de Montréal attracts and hosts conventions, exhibitions, conferences, meetings and other events, and generates major tourism revenues and intellectual wealth for Montréal and Québec, while also contributing to Montréal's international reputation as a premier host city. congresmtl.com

SOURCE Palais des congrès de Montréal

For further information: Source: Chrystine Loriaux, Fellow Adm.A., B.A.A., Director, Marketing and Communications, Palais des congrès de Montréal, Phone: [phone]; For information: Amélie Asselin, Advisor, Communications and Public Affairs, Palais des congrès de Montréal, [e-mail], Phone: [phone]