
Built To Sustain
Sustainability initiatives are on display in the hospitality industry and across the city.

Facilities & Venues
New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center
Ongoing Commitment to Sustainability
- Achieved Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification is a globally recognized symbol of sustainability achievement
- The largest convention center project in the U.S. certified under LEED v4.1 Operations and Maintenance
- First convention center in the world to be awarded initial certification under LEED v4.1 O+M.
- Transformed two lanes of traffic into 7.5 acres of linear green space with over 200 trees and more than 150 irises planted in the park's garden
Caesars Superdome and Smoothie King Center
- Implemented an ongoing reduced energy consumption initiative starting in 2015 to reduce energy consumption from installing LED lighting. By 2025 the cumulative energy savings will be $7,554,776 indicating a dramatic decrease in energy consumption.
- Installed water waste reduction fixtures in 70% of the venues restrooms and kitchen areas.
- Food donation initiative with Second Harvest and Bethel Colony food banks to reduce food waste.
- Mardi Gras Bead recycling and repurposing initiative in partnership with ARC of GNO.


Job Growth and Investment
The Greater New Orleans region has seen significant economic growth over the past two decades, with over 16,000 new jobs and more than $40 billion in investments. This growth has been driven by a number of factors including the development of key industries and a strategic focus on diversifying the local economy.
New Orleans is concentrating on traditional sectors like education, healthcare, real estate, infrastructure/port development, manufacturing, and tourism, as well as emerging industries such as tech, biotech, film production, and digital media to enhance its economic variety.

Further Sustainability Efforts
New green initiatives are happening all around New Orleans
Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana (CRCL) Oyster Shell Recycling Program
CRCL partners with more than 2 dozen restaurants in the New Orleans area, as well as two drop-off locations, to collect oyster shell and return it to the water, where oyster reefs slow erosion and create habitat for new oysters to grow. Since 2014, CRCL has recycled more than 13 million pounds of shell, making this Oyster Shell Recycling Program one of the largest such programs in the country. CRCL partners with coastal communities and volunteers to place the shell into biodegradable mesh bags and then place the shell in the water. They’ve built five reefs so far, and they're just getting started.
Glass Half Full
- Recycles Louisiana’s glass “waste,” both residential and commercial, into sand and gravel for disaster relief and prevention, coastal restoration, eco-construction, new glass products, and more
- Commercial pickup program helps 80+ clients across multiple industries, including hotels, bars, restaurants, casinos, and offices, optimize their sustainability practices and reduce garbage collection costs
- GHF has recycled 7+ million pounds of glass
Louisiana Wind Energy Hub at UNO
- The Beach at UNO, the University’s research and technology park, hosts the Gulf’s Premier ecosystem for innovation, entrepreneurship, and education in offshore wind energy, which strives to accelerate the growth of the state’s wind energy innovation ecosystem
- The Louisiana Wind Energy Hub at UNO accelerated the growth of the state’s wind energy industry by supporting research, spurring new technologies, and supplying training professionals
- In April of 2024, the U.S. Interior Secretary set out a schedule for up to 12 wind energy lease sales through 2028, including three in the Gulf of Mexico
(1) CRCL OYSTER SHELL RECYCLING PROGRAM Reef, (2) CRCL OYSTER SHELL RECYCLING PROGRAM Wetlands, (3) Glass Half Full, (4) RECYCLE DAT!, (5) RECYCLE DAT!
H2theFuture Coalition GRANT
- U.S. Economic Development Association (EDA) awarded a $50 million federal grant to H2theFuture to develop a clean hydrogen energy cluster in South Louisiana
- A key deliverable is an end-use hydrogen project at the Port of South Louisiana, including infrastructure for hydrogen production and fueling
- New Energy Center of the U.S. (NEXUS) will be established at The Beach at UNO and serve as the physical and programmatic hub for a range of clean energy initiatives.
In-House Initiatives
In 2023 New Orleans & Company collaborated with the City of New Orleans and local recycling organizations to create a Mardi Gras recycling campaign called RECYCLE DAT! The campaign encouraged residents and visitors alike to recycle glass, aluminum cans, and beads during the carnival season. Through this initiative the following was collected and recycled:
- 1500 pounds of glass
- 1,475 pounds of aluminum (roughly 50,000 cans)
- 11,535 pounds of beads/throws were collected and recycled
In 2022 New Orleans & Company partnered with Life City to create a Zero Waste Challenge for the hospitality and tourism industry, which reduced business waste and increased recycling and composting efforts:
- 68 businesses participated
- 1500 tons of waste diverted from landfills
- 2022 focus Water & Energy
- 2023 focus Recycling
New Orleans & Company participated in a statewide cleanup effort, Love the Boot Week, and in 2023:
- 12,777 individuals volunteered a total of 61,493 hours
- 313 tons of litter was removed in all 64 Louisiana parishes
In addition to litter removal, volunteers focused on community beautification, planting 370 trees and 3,542 plants, and refurbishing 146 gardens.
Click Here to Submit Your RFP
Our team is ready to assit.