Array
(
    [id] => 83
    [active] => 1
    [city_id] => 31
    [city_name] => Houston 
    [contact_name] => Daniel
    [contact_surname] => Palomo
    [contact_email] => dpalomo@visithouston.com
    [organisation] => Visit Houston 
    [website] => 
    [environmental_description] => Houston, a city known as the Energy Capital of the World, is also a progressive place where environmental initiatives abound. The EPA's Green Power Partnership hailed the City of Houston as the No.1 municipal purchaser of green power in the nation and a crucial leader in the alternative energy trend – with 25% of the City of Houston's total electricity purchased from wind energy. Furthermore, Houston does not only create cleaner ways to use energy - Houston actually uses less energy. The City knows about energy efficiency: Bike Share kiosks in Downtown. Electric vehicle charging stations at the grocery store. Over 15 miles of new rail lines. Wind turbines and solar on rooftops. Solar-powered mini-offices at schools and parks. E-cycling and polystyrene foam recycling. Urban gardens surrounding office buildings. LEED-certified historic buildings. Complete Streets in urban neighborhoods. Accessible and recreation-oriented bayous.
    [social_description] => Houston is at an historic juncture. Decision-drivers for the city and the region are no longer only economic. There is an emerging recognition that the city has the building blocks to be one of the most livable, equitable and sustainable places in the nation, and lead the next revolution: the green revolution.
    [supplier_description] => Houston's Convention Facilities are part of a city-wide effort to create an environmental and social sustainability integration of energy-efficient facilities. Currently Houston is number four in the nation in the number of LEED certified buildings with 186 certified projects. That's up from #7 just a year ago. Houston is at the forefront of the electric car movement. Houston was one of the first cities to receive EV cars for a City fleet, which now includes 40 Nissan Leafs and plug-in hybrids. At Houston's major convention facilities, you can produce a more sustainable meeting or event.

The George R. Brown (GRB) Convention Center for instance is one of the top convention centers in the United States with an increased commitment to sustainability. Having long recognized the importance of green efforts, the GRB started looking for opportunities to reduce its carbon footprint in 1998 and hasn’t stopped since! The GRB regularly partners with Houston-area groups to recycle, reduce and reuse waste from events, helping ensure that the GRB’s commitment to sustainability benefits the local community. Even the facility itself is green, having earned LEED Silver certification status in 2011. The GRB is able to divert more than 42% of its waste from facility and convention events away from landfill
    [dmo_description] => Visit Houston is committed to support sustainable meetings by referring clients to the Green Building Resource Center. The Center gives them access to information on sustainability practices and recycling as well as equipment for energy conservation. Also we support meeting planners and incoming events by connecting them with local NGOs like Aramark, The Salvation Army Homeless Shelter, The Houston Food Bank or Habitat for Humanity to assure a greater sustainable impact on the local community.

We also provide useful information on sustainability on convention centers, hotels, and transportation companies which we feature on our website to help clients select among a vast array of sustainable options. That reflects Houston’s commitment to embrace stronger sustainability programs that benefit clients, suppliers and the local industry as a whole.
    [logo] => https://omni.gds.earth/storage/public_website
    [video] => evPjJYGmQuY
    [img_1] => https://omni.gds.earth/storage/public_website/destination_photos/5b3a0e745bd97.jpg
    [img_2] => 
    [img_3] => 
    [img_4] => 
    [img_5] => 
    [high_env_1] => 0
    [high_env_2] => 0
    [high_env_3] => 0
    [high_soc_1] => 0
    [high_soc_2] => 0
    [high_soc_3] => 0
    [high_sup_1] => 0
    [high_sup_2] => 
    [high_sup_3] => 0
    [high_dmo_1] => 
    [high_dmo_2] => 
    [high_dmo_3] => 
    [created_at] => 2020-12-11 06:23:41
    [updated_at] => 2021-01-08 12:02:02
    [year] => 2018
)
Array
(
    [id] => 83
    [year] => 2018
    [city_id] => 31
    [city_name] => Houston 
    [score_type] => city
    [Total] => 26.82
    [Total_rank] => 43
    [Environment] => 37.71
    [Environment_rank] => 21
    [Social] => 50.29
    [Social_rank] => 5
    [Supplier] => 16.76
    [Supplier_rank] => 18
    [DMO] => 25.14
    [DMO_rank] => 21
    [longitude] => -95.3698028
    [latitude] => 29.7604267
    [population] => 2100246
    [country] => United States of America
    [region] => North America
    [created_at] => 
    [updated_at] => 2021-03-18 00:00:15
)
Houston 2018 GDS-Index Report
2018 Performance Overview
DMO
Supplier
Social
Environmental
Performance Highlights
Summary
Environmental
Supplier
Social
Visit Houston is committed to support sustainable meetings by referring clients to the Green Building Resource Center. The Center gives them access to information on sustainability practices and recycling as well as equipment for energy conservation. Also we support meeting planners and incoming events by connecting them with local NGOs like Aramark, The Salvation Army Homeless Shelter, The Houston Food Bank or Habitat for Humanity to assure a greater sustainable impact on the local community. We also provide useful information on sustainability on convention centers, hotels, and transportation companies which we feature on our website to help clients select among a vast array of sustainable options. That reflects Houston’s commitment to embrace stronger sustainability programs that benefit clients, suppliers and the local industry as a whole.
Houston, a city known as the Energy Capital of the World, is also a progressive place where environmental initiatives abound. The EPA's Green Power Partnership hailed the City of Houston as the No.1 municipal purchaser of green power in the nation and a crucial leader in the alternative energy trend – with 25% of the City of Houston's total electricity purchased from wind energy. Furthermore, Houston does not only create cleaner ways to use energy - Houston actually uses less energy. The City knows about energy efficiency: Bike Share kiosks in Downtown. Electric vehicle charging stations at the grocery store. Over 15 miles of new rail lines. Wind turbines and solar on rooftops. Solar-powered mini-offices at schools and parks. E-cycling and polystyrene foam recycling. Urban gardens surrounding office buildings. LEED-certified historic buildings. Complete Streets in urban neighborhoods. Accessible and recreation-oriented bayous.
Houston's Convention Facilities are part of a city-wide effort to create an environmental and social sustainability integration of energy-efficient facilities. Currently Houston is number four in the nation in the number of LEED certified buildings with 186 certified projects. That's up from #7 just a year ago. Houston is at the forefront of the electric car movement. Houston was one of the first cities to receive EV cars for a City fleet, which now includes 40 Nissan Leafs and plug-in hybrids. At Houston's major convention facilities, you can produce a more sustainable meeting or event. The George R. Brown (GRB) Convention Center for instance is one of the top convention centers in the United States with an increased commitment to sustainability. Having long recognized the importance of green efforts, the GRB started looking for opportunities to reduce its carbon footprint in 1998 and hasn’t stopped since! The GRB regularly partners with Houston-area groups to recycle, reduce and reuse waste from events, helping ensure that the GRB’s commitment to sustainability benefits the local community. Even the facility itself is green, having earned LEED Silver certification status in 2011. The GRB is able to divert more than 42% of its waste from facility and convention events away from landfill
Houston is at an historic juncture. Decision-drivers for the city and the region are no longer only economic. There is an emerging recognition that the city has the building blocks to be one of the most livable, equitable and sustainable places in the nation, and lead the next revolution: the green revolution.
Summary
Visit Houston is committed to support sustainable meetings by referring clients to the Green Building Resource Center. The Center gives them access to information on sustainability practices and recycling as well as equipment for energy conservation. Also we support meeting planners and incoming events by connecting them with local NGOs like Aramark, The Salvation Army Homeless Shelter, The Houston Food Bank or Habitat for Humanity to assure a greater sustainable impact on the local community. We also provide useful information on sustainability on convention centers, hotels, and transportation companies which we feature on our website to help clients select among a vast array of sustainable options. That reflects Houston’s commitment to embrace stronger sustainability programs that benefit clients, suppliers and the local industry as a whole.
Does Visit Houston  have a Sustainability Strategy?
Does Houston have a sustainable destination certificate?
Does Visit Houston  report on its sustainability performance?
Environmental
Houston, a city known as the Energy Capital of the World, is also a progressive place where environmental initiatives abound. The EPA's Green Power Partnership hailed the City of Houston as the No.1 municipal purchaser of green power in the nation and a crucial leader in the alternative energy trend – with 25% of the City of Houston's total electricity purchased from wind energy. Furthermore, Houston does not only create cleaner ways to use energy - Houston actually uses less energy. The City knows about energy efficiency: Bike Share kiosks in Downtown. Electric vehicle charging stations at the grocery store. Over 15 miles of new rail lines. Wind turbines and solar on rooftops. Solar-powered mini-offices at schools and parks. E-cycling and polystyrene foam recycling. Urban gardens surrounding office buildings. LEED-certified historic buildings. Complete Streets in urban neighborhoods. Accessible and recreation-oriented bayous.
OF ELECTRICITY FROM RENEWABLES
OF WASTE RECYCLED
0 ha
HECTARES OF GREEN AREA PER 100 000 POPULATION
Supplier
Houston's Convention Facilities are part of a city-wide effort to create an environmental and social sustainability integration of energy-efficient facilities. Currently Houston is number four in the nation in the number of LEED certified buildings with 186 certified projects. That's up from #7 just a year ago. Houston is at the forefront of the electric car movement. Houston was one of the first cities to receive EV cars for a City fleet, which now includes 40 Nissan Leafs and plug-in hybrids. At Houston's major convention facilities, you can produce a more sustainable meeting or event. The George R. Brown (GRB) Convention Center for instance is one of the top convention centers in the United States with an increased commitment to sustainability. Having long recognized the importance of green efforts, the GRB started looking for opportunities to reduce its carbon footprint in 1998 and hasn’t stopped since! The GRB regularly partners with Houston-area groups to recycle, reduce and reuse waste from events, helping ensure that the GRB’s commitment to sustainability benefits the local community. Even the facility itself is green, having earned LEED Silver certification status in 2011. The GRB is able to divert more than 42% of its waste from facility and convention events away from landfill
OF HOTEL ROOMS SUSTAINABILITY CERTIFIED
OF VENUES SUSTAINABILITY CERTIFIED
OF PCOS/DMCS SUSTAINABILITY CERTIFIED
Social
Houston is at an historic juncture. Decision-drivers for the city and the region are no longer only economic. There is an emerging recognition that the city has the building blocks to be one of the most livable, equitable and sustainable places in the nation, and lead the next revolution: the green revolution.
0
SDG IMPLEMENTATION SCORE
0
SCORE ON SOCIAL PROGRESS INDEX
0
SCORE ON CORRUPTION PERCEPTION INDEX
Compare another
Destination

About the Global Destination Sustainability Movement

The Global Destination Sustainability Movement (GDSM) brings together the sustainability pioneers of the business and leisure tourism world, working with destinations to co-create their tourism and events strategies, benchmark and improve their sustainability performance and transform value chains in order to catalyse regeneration.

Our purpose is to engage, inspire and enable the business events and tourism industry to become more sustainable and regenerative.

 

Our Methodology

In 2022 the GDS-Index used 70 indicators that evaluate destinations sustainability performance across four key areas. If you are interested, you can read our benchmarking methodology in detail here.

Environmental
Performance

Climate, Energy and Emissions​

Circularity and Waste​

Water​

Air Quality​

Transportation​

Biodiversity​

Social
Performance

SDG Alignment ​

Corruption​

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion​

Health, Safety and Wellness​

Accessibility ​

Resident Engagement​

Supplier
Performance

Hotels​

Airport​

Agencies (PCOs & DMCs)​

Restaurants​

Venues​

Academia​

Destination
Management
Performance

Destination Strategy​

Governance and Reporting​

Policy and Certification​

Capacity Building​

Measurement, Impact and Reporting​

Marketing and Communications​

Diversity, Equality and Inclusion​

Ownership

The GDS­M is not owned by any one organisation. It is operated as a multi-­stakeholder partnership founded and endorsed by IMEX, MCI, the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) and City Destinations Alliance (CityDNA). Gubi Consulting and Guy Bigwood are responsible for the management of the Secretariat.

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