• BRINGING THE WORLD TO HARTFORD

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XL CENTER ENVIRONMENTAL INITITATIVES

XL Center is dedicated to operating one of the most environmentally responsible venues in the United States. XL Center’s commitment to the environment is woven into the way the venue operates through AEG 1EARTH, AEG‘s environmental program that measures and quantifies the impact of our operations, identifies goals to guide decision-making, and provides tools to continually improve environmental performance. AEG 1EARTH has set company-wide 2020 environmental goals with a focus on energy, water and waste. XL Center tracks our progress toward these goals on a monthly basis through AEG Ecometrics which measures our resources consumed and wastes generated.

ENERGY & CLIMATE
XL Center recognizes that certain human activities contribute to global climate change, which impacts public health and the environment. The best way for us to do our part is to reduce our overall energy demand through energy efficiency. Some of our energy efficiency and renewable energy initiatives include:

  • Conducted an energy audit of the XL Center Exhibition Hall. As a result the facility is installing energy efficient bulbs and fixtures throughout the hall.

  • Conducted an energy audit of the 47 large refrigeration units on site to assess their efficiency.

  • Gradual replacement of suite refrigerators with Energy Star unitsMonitoring the pre-programmed lighting levels to ensure energy consumption is minimized during after-hours cleaning and event-based conversionsUsing safety lighting modes and reducing HVAC usage on non-event days.

  • Reminding employees about their role in energy conservation at XL Center, specifically powering down office equipment before leaving their workspaces

  • Although we don’t have direct control over how our fans travel to our events, we aim to help reduce the carbon emissions from our fans’ commute through the following measures:

  • Encouraging staff and guests to take public transit or carpool to the facility. Public transit options include Hartford’s downtown Star Shuttle, a zero-emission hydrogen fuel cell bus, which offers more frequent stops near the facility during large events.

WATER CONSERVATION
We believe water availability is one of the greatest challenges the world will face. We want to start doing our part now by being a leader in water conservation. Some of our water efficiency efforts include:

  • Gradual installation of automated toilet flushers and sink taps throughout the facility

RECYCLING & WASTE DIVERSION

  • Solid waste generation is growing in volume and toxicity in most communities. The disposal of manufactured products that contain chemicals and metals into landfills causes pollution. Installation of public recycling containers and signage on the concourse to assist the public in diverting mixed recyclables

  • Working with third party vendors to divert electronic waste, light bulbs, batteries, cooking grease, toner cartridges and hazardous wastes from landfill

  • Sending our landfill waste to the Connecticut Resource Recovery Authority’s Waste-to-Energy Facility. At the facility waste is converted to steam through a low emission burner. The steam spins turbines that generate electricity which is then sold to local power companies.

SUSTAINABLE PURCHASING
The manufacture, use and disposal of the products we buy contribute to our environmental footprint. We are committed to making smart purchasing decisions and selecting environmentally preferable products whenever feasible. Some of our sustainable purchasing initiatives including:

  • Purchasing 50% post-consumer recycled content toilet paper and paper towels

  • Purchasing 80% green cleaning products for the venue

EDUCATION/OUTREACH
As an entertainment venue we have an amazing opportunity to raise environmental awareness among our staff and guests and an XL Center Employee Green Team, made up of representatives from each department, meet quarterly to identify opportunities and initiatives to lessen the facility’s impact on the environment. In addition we engage our guests through environmental outreach events such as Earth Hour, Earth Day and America Recycles Day. Recent efforts include:

  • Sponsoring the 2nd annual “Trashion Fashion” Show in Hartford in honor of Earth Day. The show featured garments made from consumer waste, like newspapers, plastic bags, paper goods, books, and soda cans, worn by models and dancers. The event was open to the public and also featured sustainable vendors, activities and environmentally-friendly raffle.

  • Turning off our lights annually for Earth Hour, the world’s largest environmental action event, to send a symbolic message that now is the time to take action against climate change.

  • Partnering with the Connecticut Whale, AHL affiliate of the New York Rangers, to host a “Go Green” night every year to raise environmental awareness amongst fans.

To track our company’s overall progress towards our 2020 Environmental Goals check out AEG’s 2012 Sustainability Report by visiting: www.aegworldwide.com/aeg1earth.
 

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