Pennsylvania Convention Center boosts visitor health and comfort levels through high-sustainability modernization efforts

The Pennsylvania Convention Center (hereinafter Center), located in the heart of the Center City Philadelphia, serves as one of the city’s pillars in supporting the conventions and meetings industry. With typical visitor traffic welcoming over 1 million guests a year, the 2 million square foot Center helps drive $600 million worth of meeting and convention activity in Philadelphia. The positive economic ripple effect buoys business to the region’s hotel industry, dining and entertainment venues, retail stores, transportation commerce and historical and cultural attractions.

Supported by a collaborative quasi-government structure that represents city, county and state stakeholders, the Center—a $1.3 billion investment—serves as a critical regional economic engine, as well as a source of civic pride.

The 2020 pandemic, and the associated downturn in convention and meeting business, served as an opportunity for the Center to upgrade and modernize the facility, enhance health and safety infrastructure and redouble its commitment to sustainability and related CO2 emissions reductions.

With a goal to modernize the facility and reduce operational environmental impact, plus offer visitors a safe, comfortable and positive customer experience, the Center’s stakeholders wisely invested $15 million in infrastructure upgrades. The strategic upgrade plan included deploying state-of-the-art air purification and ventilation, technologies that lower water use, energy efficient LED lighting, new reflective roofing, expanded recycling, and streamlined management of HVAC, lighting and power.