Green Initiatives In Miami

Greater Miami & Miami Beach is constantly striving to achieve sustainable and environmentally conscious tourism and hospitality practices. From the modernized, Silver LEED certified Miami Beach Convention Center to green building codes, sustainable hotel practices and public transportation, Miami is a model city for green meetings and events. 

Learn about all the ways Miami is staying green and discover how to choose an environmentally conscious venue and hotel partner for your next meeting or event.

Let's Get Sustainable At Miami Beach Convention Center

As part of The City of Miami Beach’s commitment to sustainability, the Miami Beach Convention Center is a LEED Silver certified green building, a requirement for all new public projects. Home to major annual events like Art Basel Miami Beach, the Miami Beach Convention Center is an award-winning meetings venue which welcomes more than 600,000 event attendees and exhibitors annually. Spanning five stories with 500,000 square feet of flexible exhibition halls, ballrooms and breakout rooms, as well as two beautifully landscaped parks, MBCC can accommodate meetings and events of every size and occasion.

Newly reimagined following a $640 million renovation, this state-of-the-art facility plays host to exceptional conferences, conventions, trade shows and meetings. By incorporating environmentally friendly building features and sustainable business practices, MBCC is committed to sustainability, climate change actions and resiliency initiatives. This includes reduced flow water fixtures, reduced electrical consumption practices, wastewater reduction, electrical vehicle charging stations and critical building systems raised above flood level requirements.

Even the glass façade and exterior architectural “fins” are designed to create shade, while also taking advantage of natural sunlight to both cool and light the facility naturally. MBCC’s commitment to sustainability has earned it the Events Industry Council’s Foundations Certificate for Sustainability and Social Impact.

The MBCC campus is also home to two public green spaces spanning a total of nine acres, replacing a former surface asphalt parking lot with native landscaping and over 1,300 new trees. The six-acre Pride Park features a lawn and public plaza for special events, while the three-acre Collins Canal Park was designed for resiliency, planting mangroves and restoring the native habitat. Both parks feature public art as part of the MBCC’s $10 million collection curated by the Art in Public Places program. 

Over at Rum Room, the chefs have cultivated a 200-square-foot herb and vegetable garden to support a farm-to-table ethos and more sustainable kitchen practices.

The Sustainable Buildings Program Preserves The Environment

As part of Miami’s commitment to green building standards, Miami-Dade County introduced the Sustainable Buildings Program to protect the environment, improve quality of life and promote sustainable development. Overseen by the Miami-Dade County Office of Resilience, this program promotes environmentally friendly building design and construction practices by integrating materials and methods that enhance environmental quality, economic vitality and social benefits.

LEED-Certified, Florida Green Lodging And Green Key Global Hotels

One of the best ways to make a positive impact when meeting in Miami is by checking into an environmentally conscious hotel to plan your event. Hotels are becoming more sustainable by lowering their carbon footprint through conservation initiatives with several certification bodies to help guests make an informed decision.

LEED is the international benchmark in energy efficient building, design and construction set by the US Green Building Council. In Miami, all new developments must meet LEED certification standards. These standards address everything from energy and water use to materials selection, managing waste and indoor environmental quality through a series of categories, ranging from Certified to Silver, Gold and Platinum. LEED certified hotels in Miami include 1 Hotel South Beach, Cadillac Hotel & Beach Club, Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton Miami Brickell/Downtown and The Miami Beach EDITION.

Created by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to equip travelers with resources when it comes to finding a green hotel, Florida Green Lodging rates properties in five areas of sustainable practices with a four-tiered Palm designation. Factors include communication and education, waste reduction, reuse and recycling, water conservation, energy efficiency and indoor air quality. Miami’s Florida Green Lodging Hotels include the Hyatt Regency Coral Gables, The Palms Hotel & Spa, the Four Seasons Miami and several more.

One of the newest certification programs is Green Key Global. Created by the American Hotel & Lodging Association, its members are committed to sustainability by lowering CO2 emissions through decreased utility consumption and waste, while also partnering with green vendors. Miami’s Green Key Global hotels include Acqualina, Circa 39, Sole Miami and more.

Go Green On Public Transit

Miami’s network of public transportation allows visitors to join ongoing sustainability efforts by lowering their carbon footprint when it comes to getting around. This includes Downtown Miami’s free Metromover elevated rail, free trolleys in Miami Beach, Coral Gables, Doral, Miami Gardens and beyond, as well as Metrorail and Metrobus options connecting the city. You’ll also find CitiBike stations across Greater Miami & Miami Beach – a wonderful recreational sightseeing experience to take in while committing to staying green.