Pranav Jampani ‘Gratified’ to Help Lead Sands ECO360 Global Sustainability Program

Name: Pranav Jampani
Title: Director of Sustainability
Company: Las Vegas Sands Corp.
Years with company: Three years
Primary responsibilities: “I oversee the sustainability program for our Las Vegas operations. We have some of the world’s largest green buildings with over 9,000 employees. I manage development, management and implementation of policies and programs.”
Company’s most significant sustainability-related accomplishment: “It’s difficult to pick one. Last year Las Vegas Sands was ranked as one of the greenest large companies in the world in the 2016 Newsweek Green Rankings. Las Vegas Sands was the highest ranked hospitality company in the world. In addition, in Las Vegas, we have earned more than 15 green accolades and reduced carbon emissions by over 20 percent since 2010.”
Company’s most significant sustainability-related challenge moving forward: “Our biggest challenge is how we can keep moving the sustainability movement going forward and finding new technologies to keep us moving forward. Also, how we educate, excite and motivate our almost 10,000 employees here in Las Vegas.”

LAS VEGAS—As Director of Sustainability at Las Vegas Sands Corp., Pranav Jampani is part of an all-star team of leaders and responsible for leading the Sands ECO360 Global Sustainability program. Sands ECO360 encompasses four pillars: Green Buildings, Environmentally Responsible Operations, Green Meetings, and Stakeholder Engagement. The square footage under Jampani’s watch is significant—millions of square feet that includes the Sands Expo and Convention Center, The Venetian, and The Palazzo.

“I am in charge of developing and implementing efficiency, resource conservation and renewable energy projects,” Jampani says. “I also manage waste management efforts and employee engagement programs. Almost every month we have sustainability events and training programs for employees. I manage the green meetings program for high-profile Fortune 500 companies and also work with local stakeholders to advance sustainability.”

Las Vegas Sands is currently renovating the entire Palazzo tower. Last year it renovated The Venetian. The Venetian now has 100 percent LED lighting and the Palazzo will soon have the same. Throughout the Sands complex, almost all low-hanging fruit has been implemented, Jampani says. “We are trying to explore next-generation sustainability technologies. On a daily basis, we proactively try to reduce our environmental impact. Our goal is to align with science-based targets.”

Targets adopted by companies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are considered “science-based” if they are in line with the level of decarbonization required to keep global temperature increase below 2 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial temperatures, as described in the Fifth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC AR5).

 Central Chiller Plant Upgraded

Over the last five years Jampani says Las Vegas Sands has invested in not only lighting but also HVAC upgrades, metering, variable frequency drives, and chiller and boiler optimization. Within the last two years the central chiller plant was improved with hardware and software upgrades and new controls and instrumentation. “We still have opportunities with exterior lighting,” Jampani says.

A total of 680 solar photovoltaic panels have been installed on top of the Team Member parking garage, which generates 116 kW (DC) of electricity. At The Palazzo, Las Vegas Sands has one of the largest rooftop solar-thermal systems in the United States to provide hot water for swimming pools, spas, and a portion of the hotel tower. “We are looking at a solar PV system for the Sands Expo roof,” Jampani says.

New warewashers and flush valves are being considered. “We already have low-flow plumbing fixtures,” Jampani says. “We converted all showerheads from 1.6 gallons per minute models to 1.28.”

The nano-filtration system at The Palazzo saves 12 million gallons of potable water each year, keeping the property off the municipal water grid for irrigation purposes. “We are looking to expand that system,” Jampani says.

Sands Expo Recycling Rate at 80 Percent

In the area of waste minimization, Las Vegas Sands is also making progress. The recycling rate at the Sands Expo and Convention Center is 80 percent; at The Venetian and The Palazzo it is 57 percent. In 2014 and 2015 Las Vegas Sands implemented 100 waste minimization projects. Waste audits are conducted frequently to identify potential opportunities and improve dock efficiency. Food waste is sent to a local pig farm. Las Vegas Sands offers a profit-sharing program to motivate recycling dock employees to increase the diversion rate. Retired linens and towels are donated to a nonprofit that makes rags out of them. Las Vegas Sands then buys those rags back from the nonprofit.

“This year we launched several food donation programs to reduce food waste and fight hunger in the community,” Jampani says. To further reduce waste to landfill, Jampani says Las Vegas Sands is looking at waste to energy and food waste tracking.

Jampani says Las Vegas Sands has a robust sustainable procurement policy. “We have our own standards,” he says. “It makes it easier for our team because procurement is managed by our Chief Procurement and Sustainability Officer. Our guidelines provide solutions for suppliers.” Supplier roundtables are held to gather improvement ideas.

Certified Energy Manager

Jampani is a Certified Energy Manager with more than eight years of experience in sustainable construction and facilities operations. Prior to joining Las Vegas Sands, he provided engineering and management consulting for electric and gas utilities and government agencies in more than 10 states across the United States for planning, designing, implementing and evaluating statewide energy efficiency and sustainability programs.

Jampani has a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from Birla Institute of Technology & Science, India and a Master’s degree in Environmental Engineering from North Carolina State University. He recently won the BITS Alumni Global 30 under 30 Leadership Award and the Nevada Hotel Lodging & Association Sustainability Leader Award. He was also selected to participate in the Leadership Las Vegas program, a premier executive development program in Southern Nevada, and Harvard Sustainability Executive Leadership program.

When asked what he enjoys most about his work, Jampani says, “I am gratified by being part of an effort to run these properties as efficiently as possible. I have the pleasure to work with some very talented team members. I get to work on projects that nobody else does. I love that I am able to positively influence a lot of people’s lives.”

In regard to how well the lodging industry in Las Vegas is faring as it relates to sustainability, Jampani says, “There is a long way to go. There is still a lot of opportunity to advance sustainability to other hoteliers. In the long term it is my hope that sustainability becomes ‘business as usual.’”