With ambitious sustainability targets and a tight timeline, the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center (NOENMCC) recently undertook an extensive interior renovation, covering more than 384,090 square feet of exhibit space. NOENMCC had already established a strong commitment to sustainability and was determined to build on it. The center had received a LEED Gold certification, making it the largest LEED project in Louisiana and the largest convention center awarded LEED 4.1—the next-generation standard for green building practices. Its existing benchmark of sustainability requirements further intensified the focus on reducing waste, diverting materials from landfills and enhancing energy efficiency wherever possible.

To drive this transformation, Armstrong helped with the deconstruction of the old materials and then supplied two types of high-recycled content ceiling panels with up to 87% recycled content and a grid with up to 30%.

The Facility Maintenance and Renovation policy required a minimum of 50% diversion of project waste. Armstrong provided an end-of-use solution with our Ceilings Recycling Program, which diverts used ceiling tiles from landfills to give them new life in future Armstrong products. Armstrong collaborated with facility managers, coordinated transportation and leveraged nearby facilities to ultimately surpass NOENMCC’s 50% diversion target with an estimated 95% of the materials diverted by the end of the first phase of this project. As phase 2 begins in 2024, Armstrong is poised to receive and recycle an additional 300,000 square feet of ceilings—the equivalent of more than five football fields.

This project is a strong example of successful collaboration between all project stakeholders, including defined waste management plans by NOENMCC, adherence to these requirements by the contractor, and a recycling solution for ceiling tiles by Armstrong. By working together, we can drive positive change that is beneficial to all stakeholders and to our environment.