For the U.S. Green Building Council’s annual Greenbuild International Conference & Expo, throwing away recyclables or using incandescent bulbs in exhibitor booths isn’t just frowned upon—it’s against the rules. Vice president of community advancement, conferences, and events Kate Hurst said the organization runs what it believes is the only mandatory green program for exhibitors.
The exhibitor program is part of a broader sustainability initiative the show, which is owned and produced by Informa Exhibitions, follows every year. To ensure their compliance with the Greenbuild Mandatory Exhibition Green Guidelines, exhibitors have to submit paperwork documenting their green choices in everything from shipping to flooring and verify that booth elements like lights and water displays meet the group’s sustainability rules. A show-floor audit of 10 percent of exhibitors helps assure compliance, Hurst said.
“The toughest thing in general is just getting new companies to understand what we’re trying to accomplish with the guidelines,” she said. Hurst said compliance is at about 70 percent (the U.S.G.B.C. ultimately is aiming for 95 percent), and the group also has a kind of incentive program for exhibitors willing to not only meet, but also exceed, the green requirements.
“We also have a higher level we call the Green Exhibitors Award, and almost 20 percent of our exhibitors participated in that, so it’s like positive reinforcement,” Hurst said.
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