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Greenbuild Conference Continues the Revolution
Momentum of Conference and Expo Continues – Virtually
The U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) annual Greenbuild conference welcomed nearly 30,000 attendees this past year at its show in Boston, Mass., the most robust crowd in the show’s seven year history. Greenbuild is the world's largest conference and expo dedicated to green building, and convenes the building industry for three days of outstanding educational sessions, renowned speakers, green building tours, seminars and networking events.
This year’s show offered a slate of educational offerings, covering a diverse array of current topics, from green jobs, green building technologies, to biodiversity and social equity. Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Nobel Peace Laureate and revered advocate against poverty and human rights abuses, kicked off the show as the opening keynote speaker as he touched upon the importance of human welfare in the green building equation. To watch all of the plenary and master speaker sessions from Greenbuild, including Tutu’s remarks, visit USGBC's interactive green building learning portal, www.Greenbuild365.org.
“This year’s Greenbuild was a great success, and we are grateful for such growth and good fellowship, especially during a time of economic uncertainty,” said Kimberly Lewis, Vice President, Conference & Events, USGBC. “Not only did the show prove that the green building is alive and well, but is also thriving.”
Greenbuild 2008 showcased the newest innovations in green building on the largest show floor in Greenbuild history, with more than 800 exhibitors - 68% more than last year’s show in Chicago. Other unique offerings at the show included nearly 20 green building tours of Boston and New England, USGBC member day, and the first-ever residentially focused Green Homebuilders Day featuring Kevin O’Connor, host of This Old House.
Dovetailing with Greenbuild was the release of USGBC’s first ever Annual Report, celebrating the organizations’ 15 year anniversary. 15 Years, 15 Stories, a collection of short video vignettes compiled in conjunction with the release of the report, features USGBC founding members and leaders, tracking the green building movement from its infancy, and is available online at www.usgbc.org/about
LEED 2009, the long-awaited update to the internationally recognized LEED green building certification program, passed member ballot during the conference and will be introduced in spring 2009 as the next major evolution of the existing LEED rating systems for commercial buildings. LEED for Neighborhood Development opened up for public comment during the show and will be open until January 5, 2009.
Also celebrated at this year’s show were the 2008 recipients of the seventh annual Leadership Awards, which recognize companies and individuals who signify a strong commitment to the green building industry. A collection of video footage of the recipients of the 2008 Leadership Awards is also available online at www.Greenbuild365.org.
Other recently added content from Greenbuild 2008 available on Greenbuild365 includes:
•
“LEED 2009 Lift Off” Session: a walk-through of the changes being made to LEED, the
latest evolution of the LEED green building certification system
• Master Speaker Session with Van Jones, President and Founder of Green For All
• Closing Plenary Session with Panelists E.O. Wilson and Janine Benyus
About USGBC
The U.S. Green Building Council is a nonprofit membership organization with a vision of a
sustainable built environment within a generation. Its membership includes corporations,
builders, universities, government agencies and other nonprofit organizations. Since USGBC’s
founding in 1993, the Council has grown to more than 18,000 member companies and
organizations, a comprehensive family of LEED® green building certification systems, an
expansive educational offering, the industry’s popular Greenbuild International Conference and
Expo (www.greenbuildexpo.org) and a network of 78 local chapters, affiliates, and organizing
groups. For more information, visit www.usgbc.org.
About Greenbuild
The U.S. Green Building Council’s Greenbuild International Conference & Expo convenes the
industry’s largest gathering of representatives from all sectors of the green building movement.
Three days of extensive educational programming, workshops, a vast exhibition floor and
ample networking events provide unrivaled opportunities to learn about the latest technological
innovations, explore new products, and exchange ideas with other professionals. Greenbuild
2009 will be held on Nov. 11-13, 2009 in Phoenix, Arizona. This past year’s conference in
Boston drew nearly 30,000 attendees and featured more than 800 exhibit booths. Visit
www.greenbuildexpo.org for more information. To view last year’s Greenbuild show, go to
www.greenbuild365.org.
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