From the Editor
Greenbuild is one of those rare trade shows where the excitement and energy practically radiate throughout the convention center. (Of course, NFMT is another!) Green building professionals are passionate about what they do, and sincerely believe they’re changing the world. Last week, more than 28,000 builders, architects, engineers and facility executives gathered in Phoenix to attend hundreds of educational sessions and browse the more than 1,000 exhibits.

In conversations with both attendees and exhibitors, several themes emerged from this year’s show. First, with the new construction market flat, making existing buildings more sustainable is the new top priority for many organizations. Many exhibitors were touting how facility executives can use their products in renovations or retrofits to contribute to LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations & Maintenance certification.

Secondly, everyone is stoked for smart grid. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act allocated billions of dollars for modernizing our antiquated and disparate energy grid systems. And exhibitors were showing many products that can optimize the advantages smart grid will bring. Innovations in everything from demand-response programs to energy metering will offer facility executives the ability to manage buildings in ways limited only by their own creativity. The next few years will be exciting!

Finally, everyone is anxious to see what happens on Capitol Hill with the Waxman-Markey bill and its proposed cap and trade system. To refresh your memory, the bill passed the House in June by a narrow, mostly partisan vote. The Senate is kicking around the bill now, but experts fear a Republican filibuster may block it. At any rate, most exhibitors were anxious for Congress to pass the bill and for President Obama to sign it. Only then will we all know the specific carbon reduction goals and reporting requirements.

Did you go to Greenbuild this year?  What were your impressions of the show? 

Cheers,

Greg Zimmerman, editor  

Green Strategies
Five Building Strategies to Achieve LEED-EB Certification
This article helps facility executives answer five key questions regarding how to make existing facilities more environmentally responsible.

In the News
Green Building To Support Nearly 8 Million Jobs
A U.S. Green Building Council study found that green building will support 7.9 million jobs and add $554 billion to the United States economy over the next four years.

Green Toolkit
Smart Grid: An Introduction
This Department of Energy site offers resource and guidance to help facility executives understand smart grid. 

 LEED-EB: O&M Update