Sands' Las Vegas Headquarters Earns LEED Gold Certification for Environmental Sustainability


08/20/2024


When Sands embarked on the design of its new corporate headquarters in Las Vegas, a primary focus was to reflect the company's enduring commitment to environmental sustainability. This dedication has been validated with the U.S. Green Building Council awarding the campus LEED Gold certification for Building Design and Construction.
 
Katarina Tesarova, senior vice president and chief sustainability officer, stated, “From the outset, we aimed to develop a campus that upholds environmental sustainability and supports the well-being of our Team Members. We wanted to provide a workspace that is not only aesthetically pleasing but also healthy and aligned with our environmental stewardship values.”
 
The LEED Gold certification for Sands’ Las Vegas headquarters places it alongside the company’s other environmentally recognized properties in Macao and Singapore. The Parisian Macao earned LEED Silver certification in 2019, while Marina Bay Sands received LEED Platinum certification for its Expo and Convention Centre in 2019 and for the ArtScience Museum in 2024.
 
“LEED certification is a globally recognized symbol of sustainability achievement,” Tesarova remarked. “Receiving this certification confirms that we have created a healthy environment for our Team Members and visitors while taking effective measures to minimize our environmental footprint and preserve local habitats.”
 
The campus’s energy efficiency is among its standout sustainable features. Powered by renewable energy and featuring nearly 1,300 solar photovoltaic panels, the buildings generate sufficient power for daily use. In 2023, the campus produced 604,000 kWh of renewable energy, with over 140,000 kWh redirected to the grid.
 
Additional energy-saving measures include a high albedo rooftop to reduce cooling needs and LED lighting with occupancy sensors throughout the campus. LEDs, being the most energy-efficient lighting technology, can be up to 90% more efficient than incandescent bulbs and last up to 25 times longer.
 
Sands also incorporated input from Team Members to design parking structures with 16 electric vehicle charging stations, reflecting interest in sustainable transportation options. Food waste management is another critical component of the campus’s sustainability efforts. Building on its experience managing waste in Las Vegas’ large integrated resorts, Sands implemented a process to divert a significant portion of waste from landfills, sending food waste from the Team Member café to a pig farm for reuse.
 
“Our approach sets us apart because we apply insights from our resort operations to our office environments,” Tesarova said. “Our ability to manage food waste responsibly is just one example of how our corporate campus supports our global waste reduction goals.”
 
The Sands ECO360 team spearheaded the sustainability strategy and design for the Las Vegas campus, aligning with Sands’ commitment to minimizing environmental impact. Under the Sands ECO360 global sustainability program, the company ensures that all its developments emphasize environmentally conscious practices in building design, operations, and event management.
 
Sands was recently named one of the World’s Most Sustainable Companies of 2024 by TIME and Statista, based on a comprehensive evaluation of climate programs, emissions, energy use, and integration of sustainability into business practices.
 
Click here to know more about Sands’ environmental priorities and performance.