Annual Greenbuild Event Returns to Chicago This Fall

Whether just learning about green building or an expert, you will want to attend this year's Greenbuild International Conference and Expo. It will be held November 17 to 19 at McCormick Place West in Chicago. I would not be surprised at all if at least 25,000 to 30,000 people attend this year. I was fortunate to attend Greenbuild twice before--in Chicago and Boston. It is definitely a challenge fighting the crowds but well worth the effort. This year's event will feature speakers including Shaun Donovan, who previously headed New York City's Department of Housing Prevention and Development and who served as the Clinton administration's Deputy Assistant Secretary for Multifamily Housing, and Paul Hawken, who has founded several successful companies, including Erewhon Trading Company, America's first natural foods company.

Additional speakers will include Arlene Blum, founder and executive director, Green Science Policy Institute, Martha N. Johnson, Administrator, U.S. General Services Administration, and Kevin and Hannah Salwen, co-authors of "The Power of Half."

Greenbuild attendees will have an opportunity to take part in many educational sessions and participate in numerous tours as well. Workshops will range from "LEED 101: Green Building Basics and LEED," to "Practical Strategies for Calculating & Reducing Your Carbon Footprint." The trade show will feature more than 800 exhibitors (more than the International Hotel, Motel + Restaurant Show). Exhibitors will include companies from Bentley Prince Street to Excel Dryer to Osram Sylvania--some of the same companies you might expect to see at lodging industry trade shows.

For some odd reason, Greenbuild always seems to fall immediately after the International Hotel, Motel + Restaurant Show, which is scheduled for November 13 to 16 in New York City. This year I am going to try to attend both. Are you planning to attend either event? If so, I would love to hear from you. Leave a comment here or e-mail me at editor@greenlodgingnews.com.