Editorial Board   Guest Author

Mr. Trefzer

Tim Trefzer

Head of Environmental Sustainability, Georgia World Congress Center Authority

Tim Trefzer is head of environmental sustainability and corporate social responsibility for the Georgia World Congress Center Authority. He oversees efforts to improve internal operations, reduce the impacts of hosted events, and advance the Authority's benefit to the community through strategic partnerships. 

As a LEED Accredited Professional, Mr. Trefzer administered the GWCC's LEED Silver certification in 2014 and LEED Gold recertification in 2017 which made it the largest LEED certified convention center in the world. In 2017 he also guided the Savannah International Trade and Convention Center to LEED Gold certification. Mr. Trefzer also supported the LEED Platinum certification efforts of Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

He is intimately engrained in sports and sustainability, working with the Atlanta Football Host Committee for the College Football Playoff and Super Bowl. He chaired the NCAA Men's Final Four sustainability committee in 2013, garnering the moniker “greenest Final Four in history.” Since 2015, Mr. Trefzer has consulted with the College Football Playoff and Super Bowl, managing various aspects of the sustainability efforts placed around these mega sporting events. For the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship and Super Bowl LIII in Atlanta, Mr. Trefzer  is sustainability chair for the Atlanta Football Host Committee and Atlanta Super Bowl LIII Host Committee. 

Mr. Trefzer serves as faculty associate for Arizona State University and Georgia State University where he teaches courses in the Global Context of Sustainability and Sustainable Operations in Hospitality. He has degrees from Florida State University and Arizona State University.

Please visit http://www.gwcca.org for more information.

Mr. Trefzer can be contacted at 404-223-4011 or ttrefzer@gwcca.org

Coming up in May 2019...

Eco-Friendly Practices: Corporate Social Responsibility

The hotel industry has undertaken a long-term effort to build more responsible and socially conscious businesses. What began with small efforts to reduce waste - such as paperless checkouts and refillable soap dispensers - has evolved into an international movement toward implementing sustainable development practices. In addition to establishing themselves as good corporate citizens, adopting eco-friendly practices is sound business for hotels. According to a recent report from Deloitte, 95% of business travelers believe the hotel industry should be undertaking “green” initiatives, and Millennials are twice as likely to support brands with strong management of environmental and social issues. Given these conclusions, hotels are continuing to innovate in the areas of environmental sustainability. For example, one leading hotel chain has designed special elevators that collect kinetic energy from the moving lift and in the process, they have reduced their energy consumption by 50%  over conventional elevators. Also, they installed an advanced air conditioning system which employs a magnetic mechanical system that makes them more energy efficient. Other hotels are installing Intelligent Building Systems which monitor and control temperatures in rooms, common areas and swimming pools, as well as ventilation and cold water systems. Some hotels are installing Electric Vehicle charging stations, planting rooftop gardens, implementing stringent recycling programs, and insisting on the use of biodegradable materials. Another trend is the creation of Green Teams within a hotel's operation that are tasked to implement earth-friendly practices and manage budgets for green projects. Some hotels have even gone so far as to curtail or eliminate room service, believing that keeping the kitchen open 24/7 isn't terribly sustainable. The May issue of the Hotel Business Review will document what some hotels are doing to integrate sustainable practices into their operations and how they are benefiting from them.

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