Top reasons to plan your next event in a city that shares your green values
Tempe is an innovative destination. From its unmistakable desert waterway and its high-rise skyline to the trailblazing initiatives championed by Arizona State University and the ambitious goals set by city leadership, this Arizona destination continues to set itself apart.
In Tempe, evolution is a constant. As such, so are the comprehensive environmental goals, strong municipal and community-wide climate action plans. Additional initiatives — in such areas as renewable energy, water conservation and multimodal transportation — have also contributed to Tempe’s identity as a sustainable destination.
“Tempe has always been a leader in innovation and implementing new ideas,” said Michael Martin, Tempe Tourism President & CEO. “From our hospitality partners and leadership at the city level to the efforts being made across the ASU Tempe campus and our local businesses, we’re proud of the strides Tempe is making as a sustainable community and we look forward to ensuring that these efforts continue to align with your meeting needs.”
Top Honors
In 2024, the City of Tempe earned a top international environmental certification for its conservation efforts, making it one of only five cities in Arizona with such a status. The certification, called Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), is “the world’s most widely used green building program,” according to the U.S. Green Building Council, an international nonprofit that awards cities the certification after evaluating them in eight key conservation categories.
The categories include transportation and land use, water efficiency, energy and greenhouse gas emissions — the scores of which get combined to determine what LEED certification tier, if any, a city receives. Tempe’s efforts, from the recent adoption of its environmentally-friendly building codes to its renewable energy efforts, secured it a score of 61 out of 110 on that test. That made Tempe the only city in Arizona with an LEED Gold certification, the second-highest tier out of the nonprofit’s four-tier scoring system.
Additionally, the City of Tempe’s Energy Team has set ambitious goals, aiming for 100% renewable energy for municipal operations by 2035 and achieving carbon neutrality in both community and municipal operations by 2050. For more information on sustainability in Tempe, visit the City of Tempe’s Sustainability & Resilience Division’s website.
Local Businesses
Your attendees will find it easy to navigate local businesses that share their commitment to green initiatives, thanks to the Tempe Chamber of Commerce’s Tempe Green Forward badge program — the newest addition to the chamber’s innovation and sustainability initiatives.
As one of the first and only chambers in the United States with a dedicated Sustainability Pledge program, the Tempe Chamber of Commerce educates and engages businesses on implementing sustainable practices. The Sustainability Pledge helped lay the foundation for our community’s commitment to environmental responsibility. Tempe Green Forward, the chamber’s follow-up initiative, offers broader recognition, deeper engagement, and more ways for sharing initiatives and impact with patrons and the rest of the world.
One such example spotlighted by the Tempe Green Forward program: By partnering with CIRT, Four Peaks Brewing Co. became the first U.S. beverage company to offer location-based recycling info on every can and bottle — helping divert millions of pounds from landfills. The brewing facility has also implemented solar power, further reducing its environmental impact. For more information on location-specific recycling, visit cirt.tech.
Additionally, Drink Me! Tea Room is a certified green business and recipient of the City of Tempe’s 2022 Sustainability and Resilience Award, committed to using organic, plant-based ingredients and reducing energy, water, and waste.
New to NOVUS Place, Blue Sushi Sake Grill sets itself apart with its commitment to preserving the environment and serving feel-good sushi made with sustainable seafood. Not only are they the largest sushi group running a sustainably sourced seafood program in partnership with the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch, but they also offer one of the broadest vegan sushi menus in the country.
A first in the U.S., Culdesac Tempe is a car-free neighborhood that effortlessly blends sustainable lifestyle practices — including public transportation access, micro-mobility offerings, recycling and reuse programs, and composting services — with its residential community, onsite retailers and guests through its roster of events.
Sustainability in the Sonoran Desert is also essential to the operations at the Desert Botanical Garden. From water conservation and sensor technology in the soil to Saguaro initiatives and pollinator conservation, the garden is at the forefront of innovation when it comes to land stewardship. To explore more, visit the garden’s Research & Conservation website.
Green Transportation
Not only does Downtown Tempe welcome your attendees to explore a compact and walkable destination where transportation is entirely optional, the city is home to a multimodal transportation system that supports sustainable, accessible, and low-carbon means of travel.
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
“America’s Friendliest Airport” is embarking upon an ambitious plan to reach net carbon zero emissions by 2040 — a decade ahead of global and industry goals. The plan is outlined in a recent report called A Roadmap to Net Carbon Zero. Additionally, the airport’s sustainability & resiliency focus areas include air & climate, energy, land stewardship, waste, and water. For more on the airport’s initiatives, visit its sustainability website.
Valley Metro Rail
Valley Metro Rail is a 28-mile system that connects the cities of Phoenix, Tempe and Mesa. Trains stop at stations every 15 to 20 minutes, and Tempe is home to 9 stations. Connection from the Valley Metro Rail to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is available via the PHX Sky Train (located at the 44th St/Washington station), which is just 4 stops west of the Mill Ave/3rd St station in Downtown Tempe. To plan your trip, track your train in real time and pay fares digitally, download the Valley Metro app.
Tempe Streetcar
The Tempe Streetcar makes 14 stops along a three-mile route on Mill and Ash avenues — from Rio Salado Parkway and Marina Heights to Dorsey Lane and Apache Boulevard — connecting riders to hotels, major business centers and regional events and destinations. The streetcar travels as a single car and can hold up to 125 people. Each car is wheelchair accessible and bicycles are welcome on board. To plan your trip and pay fares digitally, download the Valley Metro app.
Autonomous Rideshare
While all varieties of taxi and rideshare options are available in Tempe, it’s worth noting that the Valley of the Sun was an early adopter of Waymo’s self-driving technology, becoming the first city to offer a fully driverless ride-hailing service to the general public (2020). If a trip around town in a teched-out, fully-electric Jaguar I-PACE is on your bucket list, download the Waymo app and make it happen in Tempe.
Cyclists Welcome
In 2019, the League of American Bicyclists designated Tempe a Gold-Level Bicycle-Friendly Community Award winner. Tempe was recognized for its safe and extensive network of bike paths as well as its efforts to encourage biking for both transportation and recreation. For a 40-square-mile city, it’s amazing that there are 217 miles of Tempe bike paths, from Sonoran Desert trails to bike lanes on city streets. For details about these bike paths, videos about bike safety and more, visit the City of Tempe website: tempe.gov/bike.
For more information on getting around Tempe, visit our Transportation Guide.
Sustainable Stays
From guest rooms to meeting spaces, and everywhere in between, Tempe properties are champions for sustainability across Tempe.
Canopy by Hilton Tempe Downtown
Travel with Purpose measured by Light Stay is Canopy by Hilton Tempe Downtown’s strategy to drive positive impact and deliver lasting value where we live, work and stay. Additionally, Hilton has set annual goals to reduce its footprint in the following ways:
- Reduce energy use by 3% through energy efficient lighting, equipment, energy management systems in guest rooms and meeting spaces, and training team members on conserving energy.
- Reduce water use by 3% by converting to water-efficient showerheads and training team members on conserving water.
- Reduce waste by 3% by implementing on-site recycling, championing a soap recycling program, introducing plastic reduction initiatives and training team members on reducing waste.
For more information on Hilton’s is our strategy, visit its Travel with Purpose website.
Tempe Mission Palms Hotel & Conference Center
Caring for the planet is a natural extension of Hyatt’s purpose, and sustainability measures are organized by climate change & water, waste & circularity, and responsible sourcing.
At Tempe Mission Palms, property-wide sustainability efforts have yielded Green Key Global’s eco-rating program with 3 Keys certification in recognition of accomplishments in environmental management and corporate social responsibility. Green Key Global is the leading standard for excellence in the field of environmental responsibility and sustainable operation within the tourism industry.
The events philosophy, Together by Hyatt, is comprised of four pillars — including Be More Impactful — is dedicated to the wellbeing of people and planet with emphasis on sustainability practices in events. As such, groups have the option to request an Environmental Impact Report from Hyatt for their program.
For more information on sustainability initiatives for Hyatt, visit its Global World of Care website.
The Westin Tempe
Under Marriott International‘s Serve 360, The Westin adheres to the brand’s comprehensive initiative focused on environmental stewardship through various programs. This includes efforts to reduce energy and water usage, minimize waste, lower carbon emissions, and implement responsible sourcing, with individual hotels often participating in local conservation and community outreach. The program also aims to meet guest expectations for more responsible travel and business practices.
As such, The Westin Tempe has championed the following initiatives:
- Water conservation: water use tracking as well as towel and linen reuse program
- Energy efficiency: conservation, energy efficient HVAC and lighting and carbon-free sourcing
- Sustainable sourcing: responsible purchasing program, eco-certified suppliers and organic vegan and vegetarian offerings
For more on Marriott International’s sustainability initiatives, visit the Serve 360 website.
