AIHA Connect 2026 Advance Program

Sustainability

In-Person Events and Activities

Sustainable Initiatives at AIHA Connect 2026 You want – and expect – a more environmentally friendly and responsible conference. Here are some of the green, sustainable initiatives you’ll find at the conference: ; Digital Advance Program and Final Program ; Digital presentations and handouts (if authorized by the speaker) ; Digital signage outside meeting rooms and for directions ; Badges made from recycled materials, which can also be recycled ; Recycle stations for paper, cans and bottles, and other items ; Recycle stations for badges post-Connect ; Water refill stations The New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center is an award-winning leader in practicing green initiatives, including: • The Convention Center has been awarded a Gold-level LEED certification, making it the largest LEED-certified project in Louisiana and the first convention center in the world to be awarded initial certification under LEED v4.1 O+M. • The Convention Center expanded its recycling programs — diverting 378.4 tons of waste from landfills in 2024 — and reduced energy use by 11% and water use by 16% since 2019, following major equipment and lighting upgrades and other improvements. It also boasts recycling for attendees in the front of the house and dedicated collection areas for cardboard, metal, pallets, and plastic. • The Convention Center replaced 1.9 million square feet of traditional roofing with a new, energy- efficient “cool roof” system to help divert heat away from the building and neighborhood. • The Convention Center, in partnership with food service provider Centerplate/Sodexo, regularly donates food to local organizations, including substance abuse treatment facility, Bethel Colony. They also assist exhibitors in donating thousands of pounds of food to Second Harvest Food Bank each year. • The 87 water bottle filling stations the Convention Center installed have already saved the equivalent of more than 300,000 plastic water bottles from landfills.

The Nexus Lounge Home to the Students and Early Career Professionals Track Monday, June 1 through Wednesday, June 3 | Times noted in Program The Nexus Lounge is designed as a hub for students and early career professionals to network, exchange ideas, and access opportunities that fuel their ambitions. NEW in 2026! The Nexus Lounge will host the Students and Early Career Professionals Track, offering content developed for and by students and early career professionals to support their academic and professional goals. You’ll learn from industry and conference icons, volunteer group leaders, as well as students as they present their research.

Technical Tours Attendance is limited on these educational tours, so sign up early to reserve your spot. An additional registration fee and some requirements apply. Wednesday, June 3 | 8:00 a.m.-Noon TT-W01: PBF Energy - Chalmette Refining, LLC

AIHA Connect 2026