Solar-Powered Conventions

The Orange County Convention Center has adopted sustainable practices across many functional areas of the facility, and became nationally recognized for its initiatives. In 2007, it was the first U.S. convention center to be ISO 14001:2004-certified for its recycling program.

However, the center’s greatest innovation recycles one of Orlando’s most prized assets – the sun. The center was awarded a $1.8 million grant from the State of Florida to develop a one-megawatt rooftop photovoltaic (PV) system. The project will generate electricity by collecting solar energy and is expected to produce enough juice to power 100 average-size-homes. The system was plugged in during May 2009.