GREENBUILD SHOW BRINGS
GLOBAL IDEAS TO MAIN STREET
WASHINGTON — “Main Street Green: Connect to the
Conversation” will be the theme to the U.S. Green Building
Council’s Greenbuild International Conference and Expo,
Nov. 11–13, 2009, in Phoenix.
“Green buildings and homes are cropping up on main
streets across the country, boosting the quality of life for all
of their occupants and users, making this year’s conference
theme, Main Street Green, an even more relevant conversation,” said Kimberly Lewis, vice president, conferences and
events, for USGBC. “This year’s master speakers will help
elevate some of the key issues we face as a global community
to the level of the main streets where we live, work and play.”
This year’s lineup of master speakers includes Daniel
Wildcat, Haskell Environmental Research Studies Center
and the American Indian Studies Program, Haskell Indian
Nations University; Sylvia Earl, explorer-in-residence,
National Geographic Society; Peter Gleick, co-founder and
president, Pacific Institute for Studies in Development, Environment, and Security; Arthur Rubinfeld, president, Global
Development, Starbucks Coffee Co.; and Josh Bernstein,
international explorer, author, survival expert and TV host
(Discovery Channel’s Into the Unknown with Josh Bernstein).
In addition to the collection of master speakers, Greenbuild 2009 will also feature more than 100 educational
sessions, LEED and Education Provider workshops, off-site
educational sessions, a two-day residential summit and tours
of green building sites throughout Arizona. Approximately
1,700 exhibitors will showcase some of the leading technologies and products in green design, construction and
operations. Additional information about the master speakers, the conference schedule and the educational sessions is
available at www.greenbuildexpo.org.
Greenbuild convenes the industry’s largest gathering
of representatives from all sectors of the green building
movement. Three days of educational programming, workshops, the exhibit floor and networking events provide
unrivaled opportunities to learn about the latest technological innovations, explore new products and exchange
ideas with other professionals. The 2008 conference in Boston drew more than 28,000 attendees and more than 800
exhibit booths. Last year’s show can still be toured virtually
at www.greenbuild365.org.
IAPMO GREEN TECHNICAL COMMITTEE
CLOSE TO FINISHING SUPPLEMENT
DENVER — The Green Technical Committee of the International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials met
here in mid-August as the Committee closes in on its goal of
finishing the Green Plumbing and Mechanical Supplement
by early next year.
The GTC is comprised of a diverse group of experts in
green plumbing and mechanical fields. The Committee is
comprised of water and energy conservation authorities,
plumbers, contractors, engineers and code inspectors.
The Green Supplement will be a separate document from
the Uniform Plumbing and Mechanical Codes and will establish requirements for green building and water efficiency
applicable to plumbing, mechanical, and solar energy (both
hydronic and photovoltaic) systems. The Green Supplement
will serve as an adjunct to the Uniform Codes or to any
plumbing and mechanical code used in the United States.
The supplement will not be a “greener” version of the Uniform Codes, but rather, the Green Supplement will:
• Serve as a repository for provisions that ultimately will be
integrated into the Uniform Codes. The Green Supplement is a logical transitional home for green requirements
until they are fully accepted by industry and are ready to be
included into the code.
• Serve as a resource for jurisdictions that are implementing
green-building and water-efficiency programs.
• Enforcement aid for existing green ordinances.
• Model for jurisdictions implementing green ordinances.
• Serve as a resource for inspectors, plumbers, contractors,
engineers and manufacturers in designing, installing and
approving green plumbing and mechanical systems.
• Be written in voluntary language and in a format similar to
the Uniform Codes.
• Maintain IAPMO philosophy of a focused industries-specific document to minimize the need for additional
codes and standards.
• Coordinate and resolve conflicts among other green-building and water-efficiency program requirements.
Where applicable, the Green Supplement will establish
minimum sustainability provisions. Its health and safety
provisions will ensure green practices are safe and reliable. It
will address minimum performance, design, installation and
maintenance requirements.
The next Green Technical Committee meeting is slated for
Nov. 17–19, 2009, in Chicago. The target date of completion
for the Green Plumbing and Mechanical Supplement is first
quarter 2010.
