Tradeshow Report

(November 2009)

Greenbuild International Conference and Expo: 2009 Recap

28,000: Size of audience listening to Al Gore’s keynote at Chase Field
27,000: Greenbuild attendees at the Phoenix Convention Center
1,800: Exhibitor booths displaying new products and innovations
100: Percent of greenhouse gas, sulfur dioxide and mercury emissions from event offset by donations from Milliken & Company and WindCurrent
Countless: Number of recycling receptacles on site
1 Message: Green is Good.

The annual Greenbuild Conference and Expo, a show dedicated to green building held in Phoenix this year, drew an enthusiastic and diverse crowd. Those exhibiting as well as those in attendance seemed anxious to learn more about how we can all work toward a greener planet. Every exhibit booth at the show promoted sustainable and green products, ranging from solar energy panels to high efficiency toilets to recycled glass countertops.

What was interesting to see was that, unlike other building product tradeshows, Greenbuild attracted a wide range of visitors. Not only were builders, remodelers and designers in attendance, but so were students, homeowners and people simply interested in eco-friendly practices.

Green is now the norm. Consumers expect it from companies and manufacturers as the messages of sustainability, recycling and repurposing grow.

Highlights from the show:
• Former Vice President Al Gore, widely-known for his green efforts, delivered a positive and encouraging keynote to the crowd at Chase Field.
• No one had an excuse not to recycle…carefully labeled recycling and compost bins made it easy to dispose of cans, paper, food and trash in designated receptacles. Volunteers were also on hand throughout the convention center to make sure everything that could be recycled, was.
• The actual exhibition booths themselves were recognized for being green by the U.S. Green Building Council. Many were careful to make sure that the actual display – in addition to the products within it – was eco-friendly. The importance of recycled booths will surely be a factor in future Greenbuild shows.
• Interface Founder and Chairman Ray Anderson drew quite a crowd while signing his new book, “Confessions of a Radical Industrialist.”
• When asked if people are paying for green, an overwhelming majority said it’s absolutely an important factor in purchasing decisions. A green product is marketable and holds high value for the consumer.

Some of the notable exhibitors we came across at Greenbuild:
• Parasoleil: Owner Uriah Bueller explained how his company’s copper panels are not only made from 90 percent recycled material, but they offer gorgeous designs with the shadows cast by its cutouts. They also guide designers and architects as they choose the right thickness, material and structural support of panels and screens for homes.
• Cooper Lighting: Offering lights for the home, business or commercial, the company’s LED and fluorescent lighting systems help conserve energy and lower electrical costs. They even have programs that are designed to encourage users via incentive to save energy by turning off lights when not in use.
• Bentley Prince Street: Bentley Prince Street takes pride in its corporate transparency, voluntarily reporting product metrics and energy uses while working toward a promise to eliminate any negative impact on the environment by 2020. The company introduced a new product which is the first in the carpet industry to contain Antron Bio Legacy, containing 10 percent bio-based material from castor beans.
• Vetrazzo: The original recycled glass surface company introduced its line of neutral-colored products at the show. Using 100 percent recycled glass in a resin-free cement binder, Vetrazzo makes recycled glass surfacing material that can be used for countertops, fireplaces, tables or backsplashes.

Be sure to check out K&A’s YouTube channel for video interviews with these companies and others.

We’ll also be in Las Vegas in January for the International Builders Show. If you’re going to be there as well, we’d love to meet up! Contact Steve @stevekleber on Twitter or sk@kleberandassociates.com .


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