Dallas–Informa Exhibitions U.S., Construction and Real Estate and the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) have released the 2015 Greenbuild Sustainability Report, highlighting valuable metrics and key benchmarks regarding the impact on energy use and waste management at the 2015 Greenbuild International Conference and Expo, held last fall in Washington, D.C.
The report details the sustainability programs implemented in 2015 through a review of all objectives, goals and best practices. Case studies provide detailed overviews of sustainability strategies and initiatives including attendee and stakeholder engagement, attendee wellness, waste diversion calculation and more. The report can be accessed online at greenbuildexpo.com.
“Sustainability is the heart and soul of Greenbuild and we are committed to leading the industry in environmentally responsible management in the planning, operations and execution of Greenbuild,” said Lindsay Roberts, Greenbuild show director, Informa.
The report shares the progress of seven sustainability objectives at Greenbuild, including the following highlights:
– Waste Management: Informa Exhibitions, USGBC, Aramark, Centerplate/NBSE, Freeman and local haulers worked together to optimize waste management strategies resulting in an overall 84% diversion rate. This was a 52% increase over the convention center’s baseline diversion rate.
– Stakeholder Engagement: New in 2015 was an interactive greening wall that allowed attendees to learn more about specific sustainability initiatives. The Greenbuild team engages its vendors in a three-phase sustainability planning process in the year leading up to the show in order to set and meet conference sustainability goals.
– Sustainable Sourcing: 33% of the food served at the convention center was sourced locally (within 100 miles) and 70% of the food was sourced regionally (within 500 miles).
– Performance Tracking: USGBC and Informa collected post show sustainability reports from vendors and partners and improved information collection in attendee registration to more accurately calculate our carbon footprint.
– Greenhouse Gas Emissions: For the second year, Greenbuild showcased the “Net Zero Zone”—a 3,200 square foot pavilion powered by solar panels, installed on-site at the Washington Convention Center.
– Community Impact: The 2015 Greenbuild Legacy Project, led by USGBC-NCR and the Greenbuild Host Committee, was an Urban Food Studio at the Capital Area Food Bank (CAFB). The CAFB provides food assistance to one out of every 12 individuals living in Virginia, Maryland and D.C., distributing 42 million pounds of food per year. The multi-purpose studio will provide an all-season space for cooking, gardening and workshops. The structure uses recycled materials and features a water collection system and solar harvesting.
– Hospitality Industry: This year, Greenbuild hosted a “Greenbuild Behind the Scenes: Sustainable Event Tour” to showcase the show’s sustainability efforts to hospitality professionals.
This year’s conference takes place at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, Oct. 5-7.