As some of the largest gathering places in North America, convention center facilities can boast more than one million square feet of contiguous space for products to be displayed, ideas to be shared and connections to be made, resulting in billions of dollars of economic impact for local communities. The construction of these projects presents similar opportunities, and as stewards of the community, we leverage our resources and partnerships to drive value to the local economy.

In initiating a large convention center project, PCL creates inclusive contracting plans that maximize participation from small and disadvantaged businesses including minority-owned, women-owned and veteran-owned entities. We partner with our design team and subconsultants, leveraging our combined resources and relationships to identify local needs related to education and long-term economic viability. Through these efforts, we support local leaders in providing young adults with tutoring, mentorships, scholarships and internships that put them on track for permanent job placement, as well as providing support and assistance to marginalized individuals within the community. 

While hosting hundreds of events, each consisting of thousands of guests, convention center operators stick to a rigid event schedule and rely on their construction partners to deliver projects on time and without interrupting the show schedule. During construction of the West Building of the Orange County Convention Center, the team discovered that new tile flooring could not be installed as planned while remaining level with existing terrazzo. While discussing this concern with the owner, the team was asked to provide a solution and complete the space months before originally scheduled to accommodate an upcoming exhibit. We altered the thickness of concrete topping beneath the new tile to compensate for the height difference between the terrazzo and tile, achieving level flooring throughout the concourse. We implemented an accelerated work plan and turned over the renovated concourse in time for the exhibition. 

Convention center facilities are designed and constructed to preserve their long-term value with sustainable components that increase efficiency and decrease operating costs. At the Shaw Centre, located in the heart of Canada’s capital, we ensured the LEED Gold certification of the facility with renewable energy efficiencies, material/resource conservation, superior site planning and enhanced indoor air quality. A major recycling initiative included the disassembly, inspection, re-fabrication and installation of steel trusses for a savings of $960,000. Additionally, the team diverted 96.7% of landfill waste on the project.

On the Vancouver Convention Centre preservation of local marine habitats during construction was critical as two-thirds of the facility was built over the ocean and is  supported by 900 piles. The facility achieved LEED Platinum certification and boasts one of the largest green roofs in the world; six acres featuring more than 400,000 indigenous plants and grasses.

As advocates for the local community, our teams seek to maximize the impact convention center facilities have on the local economy. Through collaboration and inclusiveness, we leverage our resources and those of our partners to stimulate economic development and community building while delivering best-in-class construction services to our convention center clients.