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Cutting energy use and waste saves money, and a well lit booth without clutter looks better on the show floor. These are the places I'd start.
Switch to LED lighting, within the show's rules
LED fixtures use far less power than old incandescent and halogen lights. The U.S. Department of Energy says LEDs use up to 90% less energy and last up to 25 times longer than incandescent bulbs, and they stay cool to the touch [1]. That means less heat in your booth and fewer burned out lamps at the show.
Brighter, more efficient fixtures can also mean you need fewer of them, especially in an island exhibit. Fewer fixtures means fewer cords, less visual clutter and less to install and take down.
Before you switch, check these items.
- Read the exhibitor manual. Every show and venue has its own electrical rules. Look for approved fixture types, the voltage provided and anything the official electrical contractor has to install for you.
- Use fixtures that meet code. Electrical contractors can inspect your equipment and refuse to connect anything that doesn't comply with the National Electrical Code or local codes [2].
- Add up your load. Show power is ordered by peak load, and you need a separate outlet for each location where you want power [3]. Check the wattage on each fixture's label and total it up before you order.
- Ask about overhead work. Hanging lights or running power overhead usually means ordering electrical labor, not just an outlet [3].
Link fixtures only the way the maker allows
Some LED fixtures are built to connect to each other in a run. How many you can link depends on that fixture's rated load and the manufacturer's instructions, not on a single number that works for every light. And the show's rules still apply on top of that. Venues such as the Oregon Convention Center ban plugging one power strip or multi outlet device into another, which is what most people mean by daisy chaining [2]. If you aren't sure, ask the official electrical contractor before the show, not on move in day.
Lower wattage saves money only if it changes your order
Show electrical is often sold in tiers, like 500, 1,000 or 2,000 watts per outlet, with a 500 watt minimum per location [3][4]. If switching to LED drops your booth from needing a 1,000 watt outlet to a 500 watt outlet, you pay the lower rate. If your new load still falls in the same tier, your power bill doesn't change.
Labor, overhead rigging and other service charges can stay the same no matter what lights you use. So plan the switch for the energy and heat savings, and treat any cost savings as a bonus you have to earn by ordering the right tier, by the advance deadline.
Stay close and walk to the show
You'll probably still fly to the show city. But if you book a hotel within walking distance of the convention center, you'll spend less on taxis and rideshares and put fewer cars on the road.
Ship lighter with a custom modular exhibit
Modular systems are built to come apart and be reused, and many pack smaller and lighter than a comparable custom build. Ask your builder for the shipping weight and crate count before you buy. Less weight means lower freight costs, and it lowers your material handling bill at the show, since material handling is charged by weight, often per hundred pounds with a minimum per shipment [5].
You can also reduce the risk of surprise charges after the show. Put the correct piece count and weight on your shipping paperwork, send certified weight tickets when the contractor requires them, and meet the warehouse and show site deadlines [5]. Shipments can be reweighed [6], and freight that arrives after the deadline or off target costs more [5]. My exhibitor logistics 101 guide walks through material handling.
Use less
Print fewer brochures, or skip print entirely and send digital materials after the show. Bring fewer giveaways, or none. Freeman's sustainability guide says printed materials are "often thrown out" and suggests you "opt out of giveaways" or pick reusable items [7].
I'd rather get the prospect's contact information at the booth and send them something after the show. That way you're not shipping boxes of material that may end up in the trash.
Rent instead of buying
Renting an exhibit, carpet and A/V equipment means those pieces get used again and again by other exhibitors instead of sitting in a warehouse between shows [7]. And since you don't own the rental, you don't pay to store it.
If you have a question, ask me.
Sources
All checked Oct. 12, 2026.
- U.S. Department of Energy, Consumer Guide to Energy-Efficient Lighting: https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2021-08/ES-EE%20Lighting_080921.pdf
- Edlen Electrical Exhibition Services, Oregon Convention Center Terms of Service (code compliance, right to refuse connection, no connecting one multi outlet device into another): https://www.oregoncc.org/sites/default/files/documents/occ-terms-of-service.pdf
- Edlen Electrical Exhibition Services, Transworld 2026 electrical kit, America's Center, St. Louis (power ordered by peak amperage, 500 watt minimum per location, separate outlet per location, labor for distribution and overhead work): https://twtradeshow.com/pdf2026/2026_STL_Edlen-Kit.pdf
- Edlen Electrical Exhibition Services at Tampa Convention Center, 2026 rates (500, 1,000 and 2,000 watt tiers): https://www.tampa.gov/sites/default/files/document/2025/edlen-electrical-exhibition-at-tcc-show-organizers-2026_0.pdf
- Freeman, Material Handling Information, The 2026 NAMM Show (price per CWT, 200 lb minimum, certified weight tickets, after deadline and off target charges): https://www.freemanco.com/documents/mh-cwt-cc?branchId=128&city=Anaheim-CA&documentName=Material+Handling+Information&showId=537932&venueId=100000586
- Freeman, Frequently Asked Questions (shipments reweighed on certified scales): https://www.freemanco.com/documents/faqs?showId=541901
- Freeman, A Sustainable Approach to Exhibiting (PDF): https://www.freeman.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2024/10/A-Sustainable-Approach-to-Exhibiting_Freeman_Final.pdf