Concerts, conventions, expos and meetings happen all over the country, but at the Charleston Coliseum & Convention Center (CCCC) we have adopted GREEN operating practices and use the latest GREEN technologies. Our mission is to create, implement and enforce policies that minimize our impact on the environment. Our commitment includes the use of safe-cleaning products, reduced water usage, energy efficient lighting, recycling and streamlining the management of our HVAC, lighting, power, elevators and escalators.
The CCCC received LEED Silver certification by the U.S. Green Building Council on February 29, 2020. We are the largest public building in WV to be LEED certified. This achievement is significant for Charleston because it helps the city compete regionally with other convention centers: there is a real demand for LEED certified convention facilities nationwide.
Since our renovation in 2019, the CCCC has used 45% less water and saved over 25% in energy costs - these things save taxpayer money and natural resources.
We are proud to be LEED® Silver Certified and invite you to experience our comprehensive sustainability plan supported by an eco-friendly design.
GREEN INITIATIVES AT THE CCCC
We Have Honeybees
We make a buzz in Charleston – literally. We introduced the first urban beekeeping garden within city limits. With help from Sugar Bottom Farms, we have three beehives with more than 150,000 bees. In addition to the beehives, our beekeeping garden includes a Chef’s Garden that features organic herbs and flowers.
We Take Green Seriously
Our food service team takes all food and biodegradable materials, puts them through a pulper, crushes it and dehydrates it. This not only reduces the amount of trash that we send to the landfill by 80%, but it creates a rich compost that we use in our very own Chef’s Garden. Food waste composting reduces waste disposal costs, conserves landfill space, and highlights the commitment that the CCCC is making to being green.
Certified & Committed
We are committed to conserving resources and actively participate in electric and water reduction programs. We continually strive to adopt greener practices and processes and are making a difference every day.
Recycling Program
Not only do we reuse and reduce – we recycle. As the largest entertainment venue in our state, our team is committed to these sustainable efforts. We recycle an average of 30,000 pounds of cardboard per year. We also use 100% green seal certified paper products in our facility restrooms.
Energy Management
Our systems were designed to ensure continued efficient operation through our HVAC systems, lighting and plumbing.
Smart Lighting
Our state-of-the-art lighting control systems are smarter than ever and are programmed to take advantage of natural light. They do this by turning off automatically if a room is unoccupied to conserve energy. All our lighting is LED and large open spaces with expansive glass utilize daylight harvesting to reduce light energy consumption when daylight permits.
Water Efficiency
Because water is one of the planet’s most precious resources, we work to maximize its efficiency and minimize its impact on the local environment. Our bathroom fixtures are highly efficient to reduce the burden we place on water supply and wastewater systems. We have low flow automatic fixtures and high efficiency dishwashers. To help reduce our plastic footprint we have added four water filling stations provided by our community partner WV American Water Company.
Green Cleaning
“Go Green and Create a Sustainable Healthy Environment” is a slogan that promotes the conservation of a healthy environment. The first aspect of going green is to promote the awareness of the importance of changing traditional cleaning chemicals and cleaning procedures for green certified products and guidelines. We clean our smoke-free facility with Green Seal certified products to limit harmful volatile organic compound (VOC) particulates in the air.