UDG Principal Don Buenger Received an Award for Innovative Architectural Design of Smokefree Casinos from the American …

Atlanta, GA (PRWEB) December 20, 2013

Donald C. Buenger, AIA, LEED AP, Principal with Urban Design Group (UDG), recently spoke about design considerations for creating smokefree casinos at a workshop sponsored by the American Nonsmokers Rights (ANR) Foundation. The ANRs Workshop for Safe and Healthy Smokefree Casino Jobs was held in Cincinnati, Ohio from December 16-18 at the Westin Cincinnati and the Horseshoe Cincinnati Casino. Buenger was also presented with an award from the ANR Foundation for his firms work.

Buenger, and his firm UDG, were architects for the recently-completed Hollywood Casino Toledo that features an indoor smokefree environment and incorporates creatively integrated smoking areas and porches into the property. Buenger presented a session titled, Ohio Smokefree Casinos from Design and Operations Perspectives on Wednesday, December 18.

Smokefree casino workplaces are now a reality in more cities, states, and in tribal properties, said Cynthia Hallett, Executive Director of the American Nonsmokers' Rights Foundation. This workshop was another opportunity for networking, knowledge exchange, and to discuss best practices for successful smokefree casino implementation. Attendees included public health officials and advocates, health voluntary agency representatives and workers.

At the workshop, ANR Foundation and partners highlighted the positive steps many gaming operators have taken to address the issue of secondhand smoke. There are now more than 500 smokefree casinos and other gambling facilities in the US, and many more internationally - from Canada and much of the Americas to Europe and New Zealand.

Today, 82% of the U.S. population are nonsmokers, and people are much more aware of the serious health hazards of secondhand smoke in the workplace and are demanding smokefree entertainment venues, including casinos. Twenty US states include casinos and other gambling venues in smokefree workplace laws. Smokefree casinos also meet industry goals to be green, sustainable, and to be a good community partner as well as a responsible employer.

There are many lessons learned, and best practices for making smokefree indoor air largely a non-issue for gaming operations, said Hallett. For example, architectural design firms are now taking a more thoughtful approach to planning for outdoor smoking areas conveniently located near gaming floors as Don explained during his presentation.

More casino operators now realize that strong smokefree laws are in the best interest of their company and shareholders. Smokefree laws help create parity and normalcy on this issue throughout a region. For example, the quicker that neighboring states adopt similarly strong laws, the sooner the industry will not have to deal with indoor smoking as a variable.

"Smokefree indoor air helps ensure a safe work environment for the employees in this growing job sector," said Hallett. "Gaming job creation should not come at the expense of sickening the people and communities those jobs are supposed to be helping."

The issue of smoke-filled casinos is pressing because workplace exposure to secondhand smoke remains a top preventable cause of chronic disease, healthcare costs, and premature death. 20 US states, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands now include state-regulated gambling jobsites in smokefree workplace laws. A growing number of sovereign American Indian Tribes and Nations are also addressing the issue with smokefree and commercial tobacco free policies.

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UDG Principal Don Buenger Received an Award for Innovative Architectural Design of Smokefree Casinos from the American ...