We attended the largest international event in the sector, held this November in Boston, to learn about new trends, share experiences with other professionals, and get inspired by the presentations of great international leaders.
Greenbuild International Conference & Expo is the annual global sustainable building event organised by the GBCI (Green Building Council International). Since its birth in 2002, it has continued to grow and innovate to become the most important event for all professionals in the sector. A sector that moves a volume of 300 billion dollars worldwide.
This edition has been held in Boston, one of the most advanced American cities in this regard, and the capital of Massachusetts, a state that happens to have the most LEED certified buildings. Additionally, Greenbuild coincides in dates and location with ABX, an architecture event organised by the Boston Society of Architects (BSA).
So, by combining the two events in the fabulous Boston Convention and Exhibition Center, perfect for the occasion due to its large dimensions (more than 500,000m2), we have been able to spend an entire week enjoying the best activities and conferences in the sustainable building industry.
The space was divided into 11 pavilions according to their theme: Net Zero Energy (NZEB), Technology, Health and Well-being, Smart Buildings and Connected Homes, Zero Waste, Water, etc... Where all kinds of activities related to each field were carried out.
The event can be divided into two main parts: exhibition and training:
Exhibition
In the hall of the convention centre is where the latest innovations from some 500 exhibiting companies could be found. A large part of them are of international scope.
Overview of the Greenbuild 2017 exhibition space at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center
The innovation of some of the products stood out, although there is no vast difference between American and European technology. The most striking thing was the spectacular staging of some of the stands, with very innovative marketing techniques, which were often also put into practice in other activities.
Training
More than 200 organised activities, including: conferences, plenary presentations, workshops, debates, and spectacular tours throughout the state, where you could visit buildings of MIT or the best Schools. They are very different and numerous types of activities, so it is truly impossible to attend them all. The ideal is to focus on two or three topics that particularly interest us and then acquire the information in digital format about the rest, so we can examine it more calmly at home.
We highlighted the great usefulness of the thematic discussions, which included practical experiences on the different topics. The conferences also used to be very interesting, with top professionals in the sector, as well as public figures such as former President Bill Clinton.
"Schools for health" conference, analysing the impact of buildings on student health and achievement
Some of the spaces where these activities took place were very innovative, almost always seeking a reaction from the attendees. For example, some activities took place in a glass-enclosed outdoor space that gave the sensation of being outdoors in contact with nature; or in a room with very diverse seating (armchairs, Pilates balls, stools, etc.) to encourage participation.
In addition, this year's edition was marked by the growing interest in the WELL certification. The IWBI organised various activities, and much more attention was paid to aspects such as the health and comfort of the users compared to previous editions.
The next event will take place for the first time in Europe, organised by the GBCI Europe, specifically in the city of Berlin. Do not forget that in the case of LEED, there are more than 5,200 certified buildings on the continent, as well as 2,500 LEED APs. We will see each other there soon.
