GreenBuild Expo or West Coast Green

By: Jon Dougal
Date: November 21, 2009

There are basically three conferences, shows, or expos, that are a “must” each year. USGBC’s GreenBuildExpo, West Coast Green (largest US residential conference & show) and Cleantech (green energy technologies) conferences to gain almost all the connections and exposure you could ever want; educate yourself on all the details and nuances of sustainability for planners, architects, educators and engineers; and, introduce your product or service to the Green - cognoscenti.

The biggest--GreenBuild--has had its growing pains. Now managed by a professional expo company, it new expo leaves the USGBC to concentrate on important things like the next LEED interation. All the shows are now borrowing from the others to make their showcase a little above the crowd…much like the ISO 14000 protocol demand for continuous improvements.

However, for us old-timers who’ve been attending GreenBuildExpo “Summits” for all of 11 years, a little soul has been lost from the GreenBuildExpo grand prix. It’s hard to explain, maybe just I miss running into old friends. It’s hard to spot your old players in the huge crowds. That’s not so bad and the size of this year’s show probably precludes the soulful experience. The bottom line is the show has become the “be there” show whether you’re green or not. If you wanna play in the construction world you have to exhibit here.

Fully 28,000+ attendees and 1800+ exhibitors lined up in gleeful expectations of marketing and learning. Since the Greenbuild show has become such a huge success and the USGBC had to turn it over to professionals who may know nothing about green – what can we expect?

Sponsors pony-up to host extensive internet connections for checking email and registration, impressive patio & garden-themed and rest areas – because one definitely needs some place to collapse for a few minutes. The longest wait seemed to be for the free neck and back rubs. Filtered water was everywhere free with a biodegradable cup.

The opening night reception was a winner with scrumptious tapas and cold beer for networking. There was an undeniable esprit d’accord when greeting old friends (so much so it was hard to tell who had gone out of business this incredible last year—can’t find ‘em, ya may not miss ‘em).)

One of the big insider stories of the night: Former chairman of both the USGBC, the World GBC, as well as a founder of the Canada Green Building Council, Kevin Hydes, announced his Integral Group engineering firm acquired Peter Rumsey’s par excellence Oakland engineering firm, Rumsey Engineers.

Armstrong Flooring made its first appearance at the show, not relying on the mainstay of the flooring business –the “Surfaces” expo in Las Vegas every February. Shaw Carpet even made the exhibit floor their floor with the carpeting and the signage.

Youthful volunteers strategically situated next to recycling bins to help the unaware to make their deposits in the appropriate receptacle. These students gained show admission and the opportunity to learn and get enamored with ‘Green.”

It would be impossible to actually check out every booth and vender on the exhibit floor. Encompassing two giant floors of the Phoenix Convention Center, an attendee would have had to use a compass, roller skates or a Segway to view and learn from all 1800 venders. Why USGBC mandates the show break down Thursday night instead of noon Friday remains a mystery to attendees and exhibitors alike.

Climate change Nobel Laureate Al Gore addressed an open-air, star-lit crowd in Chase Field Arena, a thrill to many and a disappointment to those who’d read his Newsweek cover story the week before and were thirsting for something more meaty from his new book, Our Choice.

There were 324 registered media reporters.

The geographic location in the Southwest, a center of devastating drought, was a missed opportunity. With many water conservation-oriented companies displaying their solutions to water shortages, a theme of water conservation would have been a welcome addition to the over used “green” theme.

Rumored to be in Chicago in 2010, next year’s show is already sold out and is not accepting any new exhibitors. That seems to be a travesty; it limits exposure to new products. Maybe this creates an opportunity for some enterprising promoters to host another trade show across or down the street from GreenBuildExpo to showcase the newest and best of next era revolutionary products?

From green leases (www.squarefootage.net) to www.aia.org’s COTE’s top 10 awards, the seminars were non-stop. Seems the best show investment: the purchase of the show’s seminar and master speaker CD.

What didn’t get sufficient attention when it could have—at Tuesday’s USGBC chapter meetings--was the announcement by the America Institute of Architects 2030 Commitment…it’s call to arms by its Young Architects division to begin quantifying the output of architectural and engineering firms toward addressing global scorching (Amory Lovin’s term): http://www.aia.org/about/initiatives/AIAB079458.

If my commentary is filled with more negative notes than positive, I’m convinced you’ll read all the glowing reports all over the place. The reality of almost 30,000 people, 160,00 LEED APs and double the number of exhibitors since last year is the most eloquent testament to USGBC, it’s dedicated workforce and the growth of what Paul Hawken says is the most important non-profit organization in the world. (*Nov 19th, Sustainable Industries Magazine forum, San Francisco).