Four predictions for Greenbuild
We share our predictions for the green building design conference in its 20th year.
What do Paul Hawken, Deepak Chopra, and Amal Clooney have in common?
You guessed it. They all have given keynotes at Greenbuild.
Hosted by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), this year’s Greenbuild Conference will have Jane Fonda as one of the keynotes. The well-known AEC industry gathering aims to present the latest thought leadership around green building theory and techniques. You might recognize USGBC as the founder of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification program. The easily recognizable certification is a “critical part of addressing the climate crisis, meeting ESG goals, enhancing resilience, and supporting more equitable communities.”
Buuuuut, back to Jane Fonda. Are you curious what she has to do with the environment? I was, too.
Turns out, she's quite the environmental champion.
For the past three years, Jane created and actively leads Fire Drill Fridays, a national movement with Greenpeace USA to protest government inaction on climate change. Her book, “What Can I Do? My Path from Climate Despair to Action” talks about her personal experience and offers insight for communities to work on the climate crisis.
As in years past, the conference not only has panels, roundtables, luncheons, educational tracks, speed networking, a book club, run clubs, tours of local projects (including our Presidio Tunnels project: Urban Ecology with a View: Walking through the Revitalization of a Historic Presidio Park, but an exhibitor hall and tradeshow as well.
Some of our PAE thought leaders have been invited to speak at Greenbuild in years past and we have attended for more than a decade. Karina Hershberg will present with Clark Brockman, SERA Architects, Joshua Radoff, University of Colorado, and Z Smith, Eskew+Dumez+Ripple on "Moving from "Net Zero Energy" to "Grid Adaptive" Wednesday at 1:30 pm.
This November, several of us will venture to San Francisco to check it out; here are our four predictions for our time there:
“I’m predicting I will make some key new connections of like-minded individuals interested in helping to solve the earth’s energy and water challenges. Whether that connection be a sustainable-minded developer, architect, or builder, it will lead to designing and building a Living Building in San Francisco.”
Julie Satterwhite, Chief Marketing Officer
“I’m excited to learn what other AEC folks are thinking about and doing to help address the climate crisis. I’m also just so excited to connect with people once more in person! I hope to come away from Greenbuild with a renewed hope for our planet and a few new friends.”
McKenzie Richardson, Marketing Manager, Associate
“I hope to learn about a new technology, process, or service that will directly impact our industry by the end of 2023. I predict that I will bring the traditional souvenir of a head cold home, but more importantly, I predict that the conference will discuss a lot about life during and post-COVID from the architectural design of spaces to the geeky details of engineering within the context of net-zero goals and sustainability for the built environment.”
Sarah D. Fischer, Marketing Communications Manager
“I’m excited to meet other professionals working to improve the sustainability and equity of the built environment. I hope to learn more about how younger engineers can direct their career to drive the changes promoted at the conference. I predict that I’ll learn more about how extending our reach beyond a single building can improve the well-being of a city’s occupants.”