3 Casinos That Use Renewable Energy
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The Las Vegas Strip is a colorful electric display at all hours of the day and night. Its energy consumption is staggering. But a few companies are taking steps to reduce their carbon footprints.
The Top Three Casino Operators That Plan on Going Green
Recently, casinos in the Las Vegas Strip reported total revenue of $3.6 billion. With such an astronomical number of tourism and entertainment dollars, it’s no wonder that the largest casino organizations are working on projects to become more energy efficient.
Three huge names in Las Vegas are leading the way by establishing advanced energy goals. Setting the bar, they are at the forefront of what will no doubt be the Strip’s future of alternate-resource management.
MGM Resorts International
Encompassing such huge names as The Mirage and Bellagio, MGM Resorts International owns 13 properties on the Las Vegas Strip. Each of them is a part of the MGM-Invenergy Solar Project, boasting over 335,000 solar panels.
MGM Resorts International has lowered its grid energy consumption by over 16% in 10 years. In the coming decade, it anticipates a greater drop. A 30% decrease is expected by 2030, with a predicted emissions reduction of 50%.
In 2016, thanks to a partnership with NRG Energy, the Mandalay Bay Convention Center completed a massive solar project. This effort became America’s largest rooftop array of panels and accounts for 25% of the Resort and Casino’s electricity consumption. The design is 28 acres in size and features 26,000 solar units.
Detailed assessments determined that lighting and HVAC were the hotbeds of casino energy consumption. Therefore, several upgrades were made over a decade-long process. Central plants that drive HVAC operations were modernized. Fans, compressors, and pumps were replaced with variable-speed options. Finally, over one million lights were converted to LED.
Las Vegas Sands Corporation
The Las Vegas Sands Corporation is the largest casino enterprise in the world. Owning such icons as The Venetian and Palazzo, the Sands has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Better Buildings Challenge for its renewable resource upgrades.
While The Palazzo is currently being improved, The Venetian has undergone a 100% changeover to current industry standards for energy efficiency in its 3,000 rooms. Upgrades include LED conversions, low-flow fixtures, energy-efficient appliances, and LEED-standard materials.
- Earth-friendly water feature
A recycled water filtration system takes care of irrigation at Las Vegas Sands Corporation’s Strip sites. Facilitating nano-filtration, 12 million gallons of water each year are used for horticulture, keeping it entirely off the grid.
Wynn Resorts Limited
The parent company of The Wynn and Encore on the Las Vegas Strip, Wynn Resorts Limited, has taken many steps to go green over the past few years.
The Wynn Solar Field, a 160-acre facility that’s dedicated to solar energy, began full-time operations in 2018. Since its inception, the field has reduced Wynn Resorts Limited’s grid energy consumption by upwards of 75%. No other casino in Las Vegas comes close to such a high percentage.
Wynn Resorts Limited has received several recognitions and awards for its energy-efficient measures. These accolades include Four Green Globes, which is the highest honor bestowed from the Green Building Initiative. In order to earn the Four Green Globes, Wynn had to prove merit in several categories: water conservation, HVAC, emissions and pollution regulation, as well as energy efficiency.
Conclusion
These three casino operators are taking charge of their environmental impact. They have dedicated themselves to going above and beyond to ensure that they continue to limit their carbon footprints, setting the tone for other establishments to do the same in the coming years.
