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Las Vegas

Our Las Vegas master-planned development, which combines The Venetian®, The Palazzo® and Sands® Expo and Convention Center, is the largest ‘green’ building on the planet.

The Palazzo is a recipient of the LEED Silver Award for New Construction and The Venetian and Sands Expo have received the LEED Gold Award for Existing Buildings. All areas of the properties are LEED certified with the exception of the gaming floors.

We are proud of the progress we have made in protecting and preserving our environment. As we continue to find new ways to improve our business practices, we would like to share with you some of what we have already accomplished.

Energy Conservation

Through energy conservation initiatives, our Las Vegas building saves about 73 million kWh annually compared to the LEED baseline performance requirements. This is enough to power more than 6,500 average American households:

  • To minimize energy usage, energy-efficient light bulbs, such as LEDs, have been selected to optimize energy while providing a high level of aesthetic ambience in the suites and public areas.
  • Suites in The Palazzo feature a master power switch enabling guests to conveniently turn off all lights when leaving.
  • Sensors are installed in The Palazzo suites to adjust the temperature automatically according to guest occupancy.
  • In the service areas of the building, we have installed occupancy sensors to turn off the lights when Team Members are not present.
  • Our entire building uses a sophisticated building automation system that monitors and optimizes heating, cooling, ventilation and lighting levels to constantly provide optimal indoor conditions while utilizing energy efficiently.
  • The Palazzo takes advantage of the abundance of natural light present in the desert through two stunning atria skylights located in our lobby and entrance areas.
  • The largest solar-thermal system in the United States is mounted on the roof to provide hot water for swimming pools, spas and a portion of domestic hot water.
  • Solar photovoltaic panels atop one of our parking garages generate 116 kW (DC) of electricity.
  • Extensive planting areas and permanent built-in planters create a vegetated roof, which help reduce building temperature and storm water runoff.
  • Double glazed windows are installed to reduce noise and halve the heat that normally comes through the windows.
  • The Palazzo will result in the prevention of over 16.4 million pounds of carbon emissions from entering our atmosphere.

Water Conservation

Through water saving initiatives, we have reduced building consumption by about 100 million gallons of water annually without impacting guest and Team Member experiences. The water we save every year can supply the annual water needs for more than 680 average American households:

  • We utilize an innovative cooling technology which saves 50 million gallons of water each year.
  • To improve water efficiency in our landscaping efforts, we replaced natural grass areas with artificial grass.
  • Plants and trees are irrigated with subsurface drip systems that distribute water directly to the root to avoid wasteful evaporation.
  • We also installed sophisticated central irrigation control systems. These systems monitor outdoor air temperature, relative humidity, wind, solar intensity, rainfall and soil moisture content to ensure plant and tree health is maintained without excess irrigation.
  • In our guest suites, our water efficient fixtures yield more than 20 percent water savings over standard fixtures.

Waste Management

We have implemented a robust recycling and solid waste management program, reducing the volume of waste leaving the building and entering landfills through the following measures:

  • Currently we recycle over 55 percent of our solid waste stream. This includes glass, plastics, aluminum, cardboard and paper.
  • More than 75 percent of food waste is used as animal feed at a local farm or composted.
  • A full 100 percent of our used batteries are diverted from landfills and rechargeable batteries are utilized in many applications.
  • More than 75 percent of the waste from renovation projects is recycled and reused.
  • During the construction of The Palazzo, over 70 percent of waste materials were recycled, diverting nearly 42,000 tons from landfill; the equivalent to a stack of cars approximately 23 miles high.

Sustainable Procurement

We have established a Sustainable Procurement Policy that guides the use of environmentally conscious products for the building:

  • Our offices utilize office paper, office equipment, furniture and building materials that incorporate recycled and salvaged material, rapidly renewable materials, or local materials. For example, more than 25 percent of our office paper comes from postconsumer recycled sources.
  • Cleaning products, disposable janitorial products and trash bags have recycled content or low VOC (volatile organic compound) levels.
  • The Horticulture Department purchases recycled mulch for landscaping from a local organic vendor. They also buy products from a company that donates a portion of profits to polar bear habitat conservation.
  • One of the many environmentally friendly steps taken that cannot be seen by guests involves the actual construction of The Palazzo. The steel used averaged more than 95 percent recycled content, while the concrete contained 26 percent recycled content, including fly ash from coal-burning power plants. Additional efforts were made to procure materials from within a 500-mile radius of the construction site to minimize the negative environmental effects of transporting those materials.
  • We have committed to reducing the amount of paper used throughout the property by transitioning to paperless data management systems. This includes a wide range of initiatives spanning Team Member communications, human resources, accounting and general office functions. The program increases labor efficiencies, realizes cost savings and substantially benefits the environment.
  • To reduce the tremendous amount of detergent and water used to wash linens and towels, we invite our multiple-night resort guests to be our sustainable partners by participating in our Eco-Linen program. Our guests choose when to replenish their linens and towels.
  • In addition, our laundry service provider implemented new technologies to achieve a 72 percent water use reduction versus traditional laundry operation. They use detergents that carry the EPA’s DfE (Designed for the Environment) Certification and non-perchloroethylene dry cleaning solvents.

Ensuring Quality Air

Indoor air quality is constantly monitored to ensure a pleasurable guest experience; we encourage alternative transportation to reduce vehicle emission:

  • We adhere to environmentally sensitive indoor air quality guidelines that include utilizing paints, coatings, adhesives, sealants and cleaning products with low VOC content.
  • Additionally, our new carpeting meets the testing and product requirements of the Carpet and Rug Institute’s Green Label Plus program. These steps reduce the quantity of indoor polluting contaminants.
  • To encourage the use of alternative transportation, preferred parking spaces are provided for guests and Team Members who carpool or drive low-emission and fuel-efficient, hybrid, or alternative fuel vehicles.
  • The Venetian and The Palazzo have also provided valet bicycle parking for guests and secure bicycle racks for Team Members. We also have close access to a variety of public transportation options.
  • Installed building management system for monitoring of carbon monoxide content in the parking garages to ensure carbon monoxide will not accumulate and provide a safe environment for guests.
  • Many areas are equipped with carbon dioxide monitors to achieve the best balance between air quality and energy efficiency.

Social Responsibility

The following are shining examples of how both sustainability and contributing to the community can benefit everyone involved:

  • Opportunity Village is a local not-for-profit organization that serves people with intellectual disabilities by providing them with vocational training, employment and social recreation services that make their lives more productive and fulfilling. We have partnered with Opportunity Village’s linen and terry (i.e., sheets and towels) recycling program. Opportunity Village receives clean, but worn out fabrics, and converts them to usable cleaning cloths. Through this program, Opportunity Village is able to employ more than 30 people, training these individuals for potential employment in the community. Opportunity Village’s staff also helps us shred and recycle all our confidential paperwork and assemble our amenity baskets.
  • The Las Vegas Mission is also a partner we support by donating remaining packaged food products at the end of trade shows to help feed the many less fortunate who rely on the Mission for meals.
  • Our old electronic products are donated to The Blind Center of Nevada for reuse. A portion of our shredded office paper is donated to the Nevada Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals for use as animal bedding when needed.