Uniting people the right way
When the Baird Center’s $456 million expansion opened in May 2024, the importance placed on sustainability was on full display. From the start of the expansion process, the Wisconsin Center District’s (WCD) vision for Milwaukee’s iconic downtown convention and exhibit center was to design and build a venue that showed the world that a large gathering space for live events, no matter its location, could be built in a long-term environmentally responsible way. Now spanning 1.3 million square feet, the convention center sets a new standard for green practices in the meetings and events industry.
It’s this commitment that earned Baird Center LEED® Gold certification in its first year of operation and the WCD the 2025 Energy Efficiency Excellence Award from Focus on Energy.
“Sustainability isn’t just good business. It’s a responsibility we take seriously here at Baird Center and engrained in everything we do,” Wisconsin Center District President and CEO Marty Brooks said. “In the hospitality and events industry, we welcome people from around the world, and with that comes a duty to reduce our environmental impact and lead by example. It’s not only the smart thing to do for our future; it’s simply the right thing to do.”
Tackling food waste
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, one-third of the food produced in the United States is never eaten, creating a significant carbon footprint. As a location where large amounts of food are served, food waste reduction was a critical initiative for the new venue. In its first year, Baird Center generated 11.5 tons of food waste — but 78% (over nine tons) was diverted from landfills by utilizing its in-house ORCA Food Waste Digester, a partnership with a local composting organization and donating unserved prepared foods to community charitable organizations and staff.
These efforts reduced landfill contributions to just 2.5 tons, keeping the equivalent of 18,127 pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere — the same as 771 gallons of gas being burned. As an example, one recent gathering had meals for 6,500 guests leading to about 100 pounds of uneaten food going into the ORCA digester each hour throughout the day and massively reducing its carbon emissions.
Baird Center works closely with Levy Restaurants, the center’s exclusive caterer, to track food waste with the Waste Not 2.0 app and utilizes sustainable practices like designing menus with a lower environmental impact which dramatically lessons the food waste from events.
“When you want to be sustainable on a scale like this, it makes all the difference in the world because we are bringing in so much food,” said Baird Center executive chef Ryne Harwick. “Every pound of food we can divert from a landfill makes a significant difference.”
Protecting water resources
Milwaukee’s identity as a “Fresh Coast” city is central to Baird Center’s water conservation efforts. Protecting Lake Michigan and our other water sources is essential for the long-term health of our community. That is why Baird Center installed a 320,000-gallon underground StormTrap® system, which helps prevent sewer overflows during heavy rain, safeguarding the lake and local rivers.
This is crucial for city infrastructure, as was made clear during historic rainfall that hit southeastern Wisconsin in August.
Additionally, water refill stations throughout the facility have already saved more than 65,000 plastic bottles in the first 15 months. New Drop Water refill stations are also being added, offering guests flavored and carbonated water options.
Solar power and energy efficiency
To help offset the energy needed to operate year-round, a rooftop solar array now produces over 122 megawatt-hours annually — the equivalent of planting nearly 1,500 trees. Baird Center has also installed energy-efficient LED lighting with occupancy sensors and LowE glass windows that improve climate control while maximizing natural light and dramatically reducing energy consumption
“We run 24/7, and the energy savings are significant,” said Wisconsin Center District general manager Brian Rutkowski. “Natural light from our LowE glass makes the space feel open and welcoming, all while reducing energy consumption. It’s also a huge hit with guests.”
Looking ahead
While Baird Center has implemented a myriad of sustainable initiatives, the work is not yet done. Milwaukee’s premier convention center wants to be a leader in the hospitality and event industries, and that is why it plans to continue adapting to the needs of
“The second you think you’ve got it all figured out, you’re already falling behind,” Rutkowski said. “We’ve come a long way, but there’s more opportunity out there — and we’re excited to pursue it.”