Green gathering: more than 20,000 attendees are expected at Greenbuild 2007 in Chicago.[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Green is the color on people's minds. Whether discussed in documentaries in movie theaters or as a talking point amongst 2008's presidential hopefuls, climate change, global warming global warming, the gradual increase of the temperature of the earth's lower atmosphere as a result of the increase in greenhouse gases since the Industrial Revolution. and the environmentally friendly Environmentally friendly, also referred to as nature friendly, is a term used to refer to goods and services considered to inflict minimal harm on the environment.[1] practices that can be used to combat them are hot topics. The popularity of sustainable thinking is evident in many industries, particularly construction. This summer, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC USGBC United States Green Building Council ) welcomed its 10,000th member, and the organization's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council, provides a suite of standards for environmentally sustainable construction. (LEED) rating system for green building certification continues to grow. Reflecting the rising interest in the green building movement, the USGBC's Greenbuild International Conference and Expo has also grown to record proportions. The event's organizers expect approximately 20,000 attendees at the 2007 event this November in Chicago, the biggest Greenbuild yet, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. Ashley Katz, communications coordinator for the USGBC. Greenbuild has grown since its inaugural event in 2002, which hosted 4,189 attendees. Last year's event in Denver saw a total registered attendance of more than 13,000, and the event's organizers see more growth in the future. GREEN DEMAND The 2007 Greenbuild Expo will be Nov. 7-9 at McCormick Place McCormick Place is an enormous exposition complex located in Chicago, Illinois. West in Chicago, which will be the largest hall in GreenBuild history, according to Katz. Many factors are contributing to the growing interest in green building and to the growth of the Greenbuild event itself, she says. "Green building has increased in popularity," she says. "Energy prices are going up, there's increased awareness in global warming and climate change--these are all contributing." The issue of global warming is a particularly strong driver of green construction practices, Katz adds, and concern over the climate encourages forums like Greenbuild as places to discuss how to address environmental issues. "With global warming, buildings are a big chunk of the problem, but they're also part of the solution," she says. "LEED is an immediate, measurable solution to mitigate climate change." Furthermore, it's not just contractors and builders who are getting involved. "A lot of people are jumping on the bandwagon," Katz says. "Architects, people in real estate--there are a lot of people interested in learning as much as they can." This year's event features more than 100 educational sessions, speakers and full- and half-day workshops, as well an exhibit hall showcasing 850 exhibitor companies with the latest product and service offerings for the green building industry. CLASSES IN SESSION Greenbuild's organizers have attempted to develop educational programming that will appeal to the variety of professionals who are interested in learning more about green building. Paul Hawken Paul Hawken (b. 8 February 1946) is an environmentalist, entrepreneur, journalist, and best-selling author. At age 20, he dedicated his life to changing the relationship between business and the environment, and between human and living systems in order to create a more just and , environmentalist environmentalist a person with an interest and knowledge about the interaction of humans and animals with the environment. , entrepreneur and author, will deliver a keynote presentation on Thursday, Aug. 8. He runs ecological businesses and consults with governments and corporations on industrial ecology industrial ecology Discipline that traces the flow of energy and materials from their natural resources through manufacture, the use of products, and their final recycling or disposal. Research in industrial ecology began in the early 1990s. and environmental policy. Hawken's books include, The Ecology of Commerce and Natural Capitalism Natural capitalism is a set of trends and economic reforms designed to reward energy and material efficiency, and to remove professional standards and accounting conventions that prevent such efficiencies. , which was co-authored by Amory Lovins. His most recent book is Blessed Unrest." How the Largest Social Movement in the World Came into Being, and Why No One Saw it Coming. A panel of major city mayors will discuss sustainable cities and green communities on Friday, Nov. 9. They will discuss how they are using sustainability to deliver immediate and measurable improvements in their cities' economies, environment and quality of life. [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] Other speakers include: Maria Atkinson, global head of sustainability for Lend Lease and former CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. of the Green Building Council of Australia; Jaime Lerner Jaime Lerner (born December 17, 1937) was governor of the state of Paraná, in southern Brazil. He is renowned as an architect and urban planner, having been mayor of Curitiba, capital of Paraná, three times (1971–75, 1979–84 and 1989–92). , principal, Instituo Jaime Lerner, a renowned architect from Brazil; Thom Mayne Thom Mayne (b. January 19, 1944 in Waterbury, Connecticut) is a widely recognized Los Angeles based architect. Educated at USC and the Harvard University Graduate School of Design, Mayne helped found the Southern California Institute of Architecture (SCI-ARC) in 1972. , founder and principal of the design firm Morphosis morphosis /mor·pho·sis/ (mor-fo´sis) the process of formation of a part or organ.morphot´ic mor·pho·sis n. pl. ; Sadhu A. Johnston, commissioner of the City of Chicago Department of Environment; Prem C. Jain, president and founder of Spectral Services Consultants and chairman of the India Green Building Council; and Joseph J. Romm Dr. Joseph J. Romm was born on June 27 1960 in Middletown, New York. Romm is an author, blogger, lecturer, and scientist, who has concentrated on problems related to global warming, energy efficiency, green energy technologies and green transportation technologies. , senior fellow for the Center of American Progress and executive director and founter of the Center for Energy and Climate Solutions. In addition to the educational sessions, workshops, exhibit hall and networking opportunities, GreenBuild 2007 is also offering attendees a chance to see sustainable building practices in action with tours of more than 40 of Chicago's green buildings. FIRST-HAND KNOWLEDGE As one of the first city governments to adopt LEED criteria, Chicago is an ideal host for Greenbuild, Katz says. "They're very progressive when it comes to their building techniques," she says of the Windy City. In fact, Katz says that the West Building of McCormick Place where the event is being held is a LEED project itself. "We're excited about that--excited to be in a building that's walking the talk." Tour sites currently scheduled include: the ABN AMRO Plaza 'ABN AMRO Plaza is an office building located in the West Loop area of Chicago, Illinois, United States. ABN AMRO, parent company of Chicago financial institution LaSalle Bank owns and operates the building. , the Chicago Public Library Logan Square Branch, City Hall, Millennium Park and the Loyola Information Commons at Northwestern University. More information, including the most up-to-date event schedule and instructions on registration, is available at www.greenbuildexpo.org. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Former President Clinton to Speak at Greenbuild The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has announced that former President Bill Clinton will deliver the keynote speech at the opening plenary session of Greenbuild, a conference and exposition dedicated to green building, to be held Nov. 7-9, 2007, in Chicago. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "This is an unprecedented opportunity for our green building community to hear from one of the greatest philanthropic and environmental leaders of this century," says USGBC President and CEO Rick Fedrizzi. "The William J. Clinton Foundation is facilitating a series of global action plans that are addressing some of the most intractable problems of our times--AIDS, economic sustainability as a way to eradicate poverty, the elimination of childhood obesity childhood obesity Public health Overweight in a child, an average BMI of ≥ 85% for age and sex; ≥ 95% for age and sex is very obese. See Body-mass index, Obesity. Cf Adult obesity. . Reducing C02 emissions that lead to climate change is another key area of focus, and it's being addressed by the Clinton Climate Change Initiative, with green building as a cornerstone of that effort." More information on the 2007 event is available at www.greenbuildexpo.org. Learning Curve Greenbuild, the U.S. Green Building Council's (US-GBC) annual conference, has a number of workshops and educational opportunities planned for the 2007 event. This year's Greenbuild Conference will explore the theme of "Accelerating Green Communities," through a variety of educational sessions, full- and half-day LEED workshops, speaker special events and tours. Workshops include: * LEED for General Contractors/Construction Managers: For general contractors and construction managers interested in understanding their role in LEED projects, with a focus on technical requirements, including strategies for project documentation and cost tracking. * Energy Modeling for LEED for New Construction Projects-Half Day: For LEED users interested in the applications of the LEED for New Construction energy modeling protocol and the use of ASHRAE ASHRAE American Society of Heating, Refrigerating & Air Conditioning Engineers Standard 90.1. Educational Sessions include: * Learning from our Buildings: A New Protocol for Performance Evaluation Performance evaluation The assessment of a manager's results, which involves, first, determining whether the money manager added value by outperforming the established benchmark (performance measurement) and, second, determining how the money manager achieved the calculated return of Occupied Buildings * LEED for Schools: Findings on the Health and Environmental Benefits * ASHRAE's Advanced Energy Design Guides and LEED * Indoor Air Quality Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) deals with the content of interior air that could affect health and comfort of building occupants. The IAQ may be compromised by microbial contaminants (mold, bacteria), chemicals (such as carbon monoxide, radon), allergens, or any mass or energy stressor : Answers to Many Questions * Demystifying Health and Productivity Benefits of HVAC (Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning) In the home or small office with a handful of computers, HVAC is more for human comfort than the machines. In large datacenters, a humidity-free room with a steady, cool temperature is essential for the trouble-free Design Alternatives * Taking a Comprehensive Approach to Water Management * Creating and Implementing Sustainable Development Policies in Local Governments and Green Communities: Approaches to Sustainability * Existing Buildings: They're Everywhere--How to Profit from a New Market That is Old * Green Lighting: Getting Beyond Just CFLs * LEED Building Performance Metrics: Energy, Environment and Occupants * Open Space Conservation and Green Affordable Housing This year, the exhibit hall will be the largest in Greenbuild history, according to the event's organizers, and will feature more than 850 exhibit booths showcasing the latest products, technologies and services. Greenbuild 2007 will be Nov. 7-9 at McCormick Place West in Chicago, More information on the event is available at www.greenbuildexpo.com. More information about the USGBC is available at www.usgbc.org. |
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