The Oregon Convention Center’s decision to become a top-level purchaser of Pacific Power’s Blue Sky Block wind energy is just a part of the organization’s commitment to reducing its environmental impact.

In addition to managing the Pacific Northwest’s largest convention hall, the Convention Center’s operations team continually evaluates ways it can broaden its environmental efforts. It has extensive recycling programs and has frequent employee training on how to better ensure sustainable operations.

Another recent step was to become a top-level supporter of Blue Sky Block, which is Pacific Power’s voluntary wind-power purchase program. The Blue Sky Block program is one of three options giving Pacific Power’s Oregon customers a way to help grow the demand for renewable energy. The utility also offers Blue Sky Usage (formerly known as Green Mountain Electricity) and Blue Sky Habitat (formerly known as Green Mountain Salmon-Friendly). These voluntary, customer renewable power purchases are made in addition to the renewable energy Pacific Power already buys and distributes.

Wind power is an attractive form of energy generation, because it helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Wind produces no air pollutants, wastewater, smog or acid rain. The Oregon Convention Center began looking at purchasing wind power through Blue Sky Block after it hosted the American Wind Energy Association’s (AWEA) annual conference in 2002.

“We believe Oregon should be a leader in wind energy, and we want to be a part of its development,” said Jeff Blosser, Oregon Convention Center executive director. “One reason AWEA came here is that we do have wind turbines in the area. Blue Sky is an exciting program that brings the power of nontraditional energy to light.”

The Oregon Convention Center is purchasing 350 blocks per month, which equates to about 4 percent of its total energy usage. Purchasing 350 blocks a month for a year has the same environmental benefit as taking 72 cars off the road for a year* or planting 165 acres of trees.

“Purchasing Blue Sky shows that the Oregon Convention Center is continuing its ethic of sustainability,” explained Bob Spier, Oregon Convention Center’s operations manager. “As a major trade-show venue, we work hard to recycle and identify other means of being green.”

Spier pointed out that everything shipped to the center, in conjunction with a trade show, generally is packed in cardboard, shrink-wrap and on wood pallets. “ If you can sort it appropriately, there isn’t much that ISN’T recyclable,” he said. “In the past six months alone, we’ve recycled 26 tons of cardboard.”

On April 18, 2003, the center was acknowledged for its forward-thinking expansion design, and was selected for the BEST Award (Business for an Environmentally Sustainable Tomorrow) by the City of Portland Office of Sustainable Development for water conservation and its innovative rain garden. The rain garden captures storm water from the roof and channels it through a series of ponds that cool and filter the water before it enters the storm water system and the nearby Willamette River.

At nearly one million square feet, the Oregon Convention Center is now the largest meeting facility in the Pacific Northwest. Double its original size, the center offers 255,000 square feet of contiguous exhibit space, 50 meeting rooms, two grand ballrooms, full service catering and dining, and an 800-space parking garage.

“We train employees twice a year on what it means to be green,” Spier said. “We also have a green team that meets every month. They review different projects and help us determine how we can best operate in a sustainable way.”

*Based on the number of miles the average car is driven in a year, according to the EPA.