2013 SuStainability report - gocms.hanleywoodexhibitions.comgocms.hanleywoodexhibitions.com/PageThemeFiles/Site1050/docs/GRB13... · Greenbuild team has always felt passionate about

EXPOGUIDEPHILADELPHIA NOV. 20–22, 2013 GREENBUILDEXPO.ORG

PRESENTED BY THE U.S. GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL, OWNED AND PRODUCED BY HANLEY WOOD

2013 SuStainabilityreport

CONTACT

Jenny Niemann Program Planner, Greenbuild Conference and Events U.S. Green Building Council2101 L Street NW, Suite 500 | Washington DC 20037 [email protected] | 202-374-3010

View online: www.greenbuildexpo.com

Message from USGBC .........................................................................................................................................4

About Greenbuild .................................................................................................................................................6

Greenbuild Sustainability Performance At A Glance .............................................................................8

Sustainability Nation ...........................................................................................................................................12

Move Toward a Zero Waste Event ..........................................................................................................13

Increase Stakeholder Education and Engagement .........................................................................23

Improve Sustainable Sourcing .................................................................................................................35

Improve Performance Tracking ...............................................................................................................46

Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions .......................................................................................................49

Positively Impact Communities ...............................................................................................................55

Catalyze the advancement of green building initiative ..................................................................59and sustainable operations within the hospitality industry

Destination Philadelphia ....................................................................................................................................62

Sustainability Partners........................................................................................................................................63

Looking Ahead ......................................................................................................................................................65

Appendices

Appendix A – Historical Performance Data Tracking ......................................................................67

Appendix B – Greenbuild Best Practices ..............................................................................................69

Appendix C – Boundary and Quantification Methods ....................................................................73

Appendix D – Greenbuild Mandatory Exhibitor Green Guidelines ..............................................75

Appendix E – Attendee Engagement Examples ................................................................................78

Table of CoNTeNTs

GREENBUILD INTERNATIoNAL CoNfERENCE & ExPo 4

Message from the U.s. Green building Council

In November 2013, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), in partnership with Hanley Wood, welcomed 23,000

attendees to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for the 12th annual Greenbuild International Conference and Expo, the

world’s largest conference and expo dedicated to green building.

for USGBC’s 20th anniversary, we were proud to hold Greenbuild in a LEED-certified building — the Pennsylvania

Convention Center’s LEED Gold expansion building. The city of Philadelphia was a fitting host, thanks to its

many sustainability initiatives, including progressive building energy and water benchmarking laws. Greenbuild

utilized Philadelphia’s excellent sustainable event infrastructure, from its centrally located convention center in the

downtown core to ample public transportation from air and rail stations.

Greenbuild 2013 featured three days of extensive educational programming and workshops. The vast exhibition

floor and ample networking events provided unrivaled opportunities to learn about the latest technological

innovations, explore new products and exchange ideas with other professionals.

In 2013, we were proud to continue to raise the bar on sustainability, and it is with great excitement that we share

with you the Greenbuild 2013 Event Sustainability Report, summarizing our goals, initiatives and performance

results.

Each year, we expand and improve our sustainability efforts, and this year, we are proud to have catalyzed the

total overhaul of waste management at the Pennsylvania Convention Center. Through our efforts, we helped the

convention center go from a 10% annual waste diversion from landfill rate to 67 % the week of Greenbuild. This

accomplishment is due to six months of work by a cross-organizational waste management planning team, the

purchase of 500 new waste bins, and composting throughout the entire Center for the first time. We are thrilled to

have helped the convention center take these important steps.

Greenbuild brings together green building experts from over 80 countries around the world, and the magic that

occurs during their time onsite is inspiring. However, one of the most important aspects of Greenbuild is what

remains in the host city after many of us have returned home.

This year, Greenbuild invested in the “Adventure Playground” at the Smith Memorial Playground and Public

Workshop near downtown Philadelphia. on a national level, we continued our student volunteer program,

scholarship program and YouthBuild partnership. Internationally, we remain committed to the orphans in Port-

au-Prince, Haiti, where we are building the first ever LEED-certified orphanage and children’s center in Haiti, the

William Jefferson Clinton Children’s Center.

We are proud of the hard work and results achieved at Greenbuild 2013 and extend thanks to our event partners

who worked hard alongside us to make it all possible. As we set our sights on 2014, we look forward to working

with the green building advocates of New orleans to host an event that leaves a lasting legacy of improved green

building practices throughout the city, from hotel energy efficiency to new organic waste collection schemes. We

look forward to seeing you there.

Sincerely,

Kimberly Lewis

Senior Vice President, Community Advancement, Conference & EventsU.S. Green Building Council

Kate Hurst

Director, Greenbuild Conference & EventsU.S. Green Building Council

SCHEDULEABOUT GreeNBUiLD


Greenbuild is the world’s largest conference and expo dedicated to green building. The green building community gathers to share ideals and mutual passion at Greenbuild, sparking a contagious buzz throughout the week.

When industry leaders, experts and frontline professionals dedicated to sustainable building in their everyday work come together, the result is a unique and palpable energy. Participants are invigorated and inspired. They find themselves equipped to return to their jobs with a renewed sense of purpose.

Greenbuild features three groundbreaking days of inspiring speakers, invaluable networking opportunities, industry showcases, LEED workshops and tours of the host city’s green buildings. Join thousands of other people who agree that green building is a good idea and good for business.

aboUT GreeNbUild

GreeNbUild aT a GlaNCe

86COUNTrieSrePreSeNTeD

564STUDeNTvOLUNTeerS

739exhiBiTOrS

1552exhiBiTOr BOOThS 164,160

SqfT. Of exhiBiT SPACe

2,849LeeD PrOfeSSiONALS

24,894CMP hOUrS eArNeD

• LeeD v4 and Performance

• Master Speaker ed Mazria

• Biophilia: Moving from Theory to reality

Top 3 most popular sessions

SCHEDULE

GreeNBUiLD SUSTAiNABiLiTy PerfOrMANCe AT A GLANCe


The Greenbuild team tracks over 200 event sustainability performance indicators each year. The key performance indicators (KPIs), presented in the table below, are measured and monitored to ensure continuous improvement and highlight areas that provide opportunity for future growth.

Because Greenbuild is hosted in a different city and venues each year, year-to-year performance comparisons are often difficult to make. However, the adage “what gets measured gets managed” rings true, in our experience. for many of our venue and vendor partners, we are working to measure metrics around event-specific impacts for the first time. While this process results in the data figures you see below, it more importantly creates opportunities for building awareness, learning and collaborative discussions about how events affect our environment and communities.

GreeNbUild sUsTaiNabiliTy PerforMaNCe aT a GlaNCe

Greenbuild Key Performance indicators 2012 2013

Water Use at Venues (gal) 396,163 525,000

Energy Use at Venues (kWh) 863,003 1,167,425

Total GHG Emissions (lb) 30,014,656 15,008,515

GHG Emissions offset (%) 100% 100%

GHG Emissions Per Attendee (lb Co2e) 1218 828

Ground Shuttle fuel Used (gal) 2,180 3,559

Total Waste Per Attendee (lb) 7.09 6.39

Landfill Waste Per Attendee (lb) 1.00 2.12

Waste Diversion at Venues (%) 86% 67%

Waste Diversion over facility Baseline (%) 36% 56%

Sustainable Signage Sourced (sq ft) 76% 86%

Materials Donated to Local organizations (lb) 12,730 13,630

food Donated (lb) 486 4,592

Local food Sourced (<100 miles, % by weight) 58.3% 67%

Regional food Sourced (<500 miles, % by weight) 74.29% 77%

Exhibitor GMEGG Participation (%) 92% 88%

Green Exhibitor Award Participants (#) 154 26

PerforMaNCe aT a GlaNCe


obJeCTives & GoalsThe USGBC has established six long-term objectives for improving the sustainability performance of Greenbuild.

We believe these objectives address the most relevant event impacts and challenges with which Greenbuild,

and our industry, are faced. In 2013, we reflected on our objectives and added a 7th objective: to catalyze the

advancement of green building initiatives and sustainable operations within the hospitality industry. Greenbuild

has the unique opportunity to leverage the USGBC mission, along with the energy and talents of our members,

to highlight the intersection of sustainable buildings and sustainable events, and raise the bar for both. The

Greenbuild team has always felt passionate about supporting advancement within the meetings and events

industry, and we are excited to begin more formally tracking and sharing our progress in this area.

1. Move Toward a Zero Waste Event

2. Increase Stakeholder Education and Engagement

3. Improve Sustainable Sourcing

4. Improve Performance Tracking

5. Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions

6. Positively Impact Communities

7. Catalyze the advancement of green building initiatives and sustainable operations within the hospitality industry

While our objectives remain constant, each year we set specific goals and targets to ensure progress within each

key focus area. Some goals, such as those related to waste reduction or sourcing of local produce, are similar

each year as we are always striving for improvement while tackling new regional challenges with new partners for

each event. other goals, such as reducing the use of vinyl materials in our show design or procuring responsibly

manufactured clothing and merchandise, are areas where our goals and efforts evolve over time. These projects

are less dependent on location and more reliant on ongoing collaboration with our vendor partners and internal

teams. Below is a selection of our most important goals in 2013.



75% waste diversion from landfill x x x x

65% improvement over facility baseline waste diversion rate x x x

Implement front-of-house organics collection in partnership with the Pennsylvania Convention Center

x x x x

Incorporate a registration material opt-out option into registration x x x

95% GMEGG survey participation through the exhibitor dashboard x x x

Source 80% local food items at the convention center x x

Maximize use of LEED-certified venues x x

Eliminate the use of vinyl materials for new show decorations x x x x

Reduce unnecessary tracked metrics where possible x

Improve the tracking of vendor partner sustainability goals x x

Implement comprehensive onsite energy conservation and shut-down plan for audio visual equipment in public spaces and meeting rooms

x x

Source 100% ENERGY STAR rated equipment for concurrent session rooms

x x x x x

Provide scholarships to students, emerging professionals, faith leaders, community developers and non-traditional professionals

x x x

Increase connections between the local USGBC Chapter, the Delaware Valley Green Building Council, and the local hospitality community

x x x

Ensure leftover food from the conference is donated to non-profit groups who help fight hunger in Philadelphia

x x

2013 Goal hiGhliGhTsoBJECTIVE

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SCHEDULE

SUSTAiNABiLiTyNATiON


The following sections of this report examine each Greenbuild sustainability objective and feature case studies

that provide an in-depth look at our 2013 efforts, achievements and challenges. It is our hope that these key

focus area overviews and informational case studies will provide a picture of what sustainability means at

Greenbuild. Additionally, in alignment with our newest objective—catalyze the advancement of green building

initiatives and sustainable operations within the hospitality industry—it is our intention to provide fellow event

organizers, venues and vendors with ideas for performance improvement and foresight into some of the

challenges they may encounter along the way.

As you read this report, you will find that many of our efforts and programs span multiple objectives. for

example, in 2013 we worked closely with our AV partners (stakeholder engagement) to identify ways to

reduce energy consumption (GHG emissions reduction) through renting ENERGY STAR certified equipment

(sustainable sourcing) from local AV partners (community impact). And we collected data on equipment

usage (tracking) to map our progress! This overlap illustrates the power of sustainability to drive win-win

results across many aspects of an event. With that said, we have done our best to assign each goal, progress

item and challenge to a single Greenbuild objective.

To focus this report on specific 2013 efforts, we have created a distinction between the progress we made

toward each objective in 2013 and best practices we try to employ across all Greenbuild events. In each section

you will find highlighted best practices, which are accompanied by a more complete list of best practices in

Appendix B.

OBjeCTive revieWS AND CASe STUDieS iNCLUDe:

1. Move Toward a Zero Waste event

• Waste Diversion at the Pennsylvania Convention Center: 0 to 60

• Strategic Reduction

2. increase Stakeholder education and engagement

• Implementing Mandatory Exhibition Practices Through GMEGG

• Event Greening Through Vendor Partnerships

3. improve Sustainable Sourcing

• Rethinking Materials at Greenbuild 2013

• Building a Sustainable Registration Program

4. improve Performance Tracking

5. reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions

• offsetting Greebuild’s Carbon footprint

6. Positively impact Communities

• Leaving a Legacy

sUsTaiNabiliTy NaTioN


Move Toward a Zero wasTe eveNT

Waste from large events is not only plentiful but also highly visible to attendees, exhibitors and anyone who’s ever walked through an expo hall during move out! Attendees eat meals on the go, thousands of exhibits are assembled and broken down, and guides and collateral are disseminated throughout the convention center—all producing materials for disposal.

Each year, we work closely with key event stakeholders to reduce the amount of materials produced for Greenbuild, reuse materials wherever possible, and create a detailed waste plan for collecting and processing reusable and recyclable materials. All along the way, we look to engage and educate Greenbuild partners and participants to create a heightened awareness around responsible waste generation and management.

2013 Goals 2013 aChieveMeNTs

75% diversion from landfill 67% diversion from landfill

65% improvement over facility baseline 56% improvement

< 6 lb total waste per attendee 6.4 lb total waste per attendee

< 1 lb landfill waste per attendee 2.1 lb landfill waste per attendee

Implement front-of-house organics collection in partnership with Pennsylvania Convention Center

New three-stream system front-of-house waste system implemented for the the first time

Work with Aramark to source 100% compostable (ASTM D6400) food service ware items

100% compostable items source

Always use china for food service events when possible.

Utilized compostable service ware at some small events due to high charges for china

Increase amount of Exhibitor Donation Program materials collected and distributed

13,360 lbs, 7% increase over 2012

Incorporate registration material opt-out option into registration

18% of attendees eligible to receive registration materials opted out


Legend: Achieved Progress Improvement Needed


2013 ProGressWith the commitment and collaboration of our venue and vendor partners, Greenbuild is proud to have achieved

record-breaking diversion figures in nearly every convention center we’ve called “home.” This success has

been the result of implementing tried and true practices across shows, working creatively to address center-

specific challenges and working to increase awareness among waste stakeholders at every opportunity.

The following are the 2013 initiatives that helped us take waste management to the next level:

PCC WASTE MANAGEMENT oVERHAUL. A significant number of “firsts” were incorporated into the waste

management plan at our key event venue—the Pennsylvania Convention Center (PCC). Greenbuild could not

have asked for more from the center’s leadership, event management and operations staff in terms of their

commitment to our goal of 75% waste diversion and proactive problem solving to get us there! for Greenbuild

2013, the PCC implemented a food donation program; expanded waste streams to include carpet recycling,

compost collection, visqueen and plastic film recycling, and C&D waste; developed an exhibitor donation

program; and helped the PCC source 100% compostable service ware for the first time. Read more about the

PCC’s impressive waste diversion efforts in the case study “Waste Diversion at the Pennsylvania Convention

Center: 0-60” on page 18.

I think as a whole a great

effort was put forth to

change the thought process

and behavioral culture of

everyone here at the PCC,

and I am personally proud

to have been a part of the

change. The challenge now

is to keep that momentum

going and make an impact

where we can.

- MIKE MANTIAExecutive Chef, Aramark


GREENBUILD BEST PRACTICES

• Create a waste reduction team, including key

stakeholders from convention center, caterer,

hauling partners and CVB

• Develop an Exhibitor Donation Program in

collaboration with CVB, convention center and

general services contractor

• Prohibit speaker handouts

• Include special considerations for the exhibit

hall and concession areas in the waste plan,

expanding the standard streams used by the

Convention Center to accommodate for more

types of waste

• Reduce the size of all registration and

marketing materials


LoNG-TERM MATERIALS REDUCTIoN PLAN.A focus on reduction and reuse has always been built into the

Greenbuild planning process. In 2013, we took a longer-term

view of this challenge, beginning the creation of a multi-year,

multi-pronged strategy for material use reduction, including the

strengthening of our mobile app, reduction of materials used,

setting quantity suggestions for publication bins, and even

implemented an “opt out” option for our bags and registration

materials for the first time. More details on our longer-term

vision and plan to achieve it can be found in the Strategic

Reduction Case Study on page 23.

LoCAL RENTALS AND REPURPoSING. The Greenbuild

Keynote and Celebration, this year featuring keynote speaker

former Secretary of State, Hillary Rodham Clinton and a

musical performance by Jon Bon Jovi, is an important part of

every Greenbuild. for this special celebration, all rented tables,

chairs, lounge furniture, area rugs, linens, buffet and bar set ups

were repurposed furnishings sourced from Philadelphia-based

Maggpie Vintage Rentals. Decorations included “living walls”

created from shipping pallets collected on-site at Liacouras.

The walls featured photos of LEED-certified buildings in

Philadelphia, photos of Kohler designs, and locally-sourced

living plants and other décor repurposed into living art. After

the event, the living walls were donated to The Workshop

School where they repurposed the pallets into functional

display pieces for their classrooms.

We really appreciate you arranging

for us to pick up the pallets and

plants. We got them back to

school mid-day Friday and by the

end of the day the students had

created a great display. It was just

in time for our school open house

on Saturday. Thanks again!

- ANN CoHEN

Manager, West Philadelphia Hybrid

x Team and The Workshop School



RESPoNSIBLE E-WASTE PLANNING. Electronic waste can sometimes be an easy waste stream

to forget, but is extremely important to be mindful of due to the dangerous nature of electronic materials,

chemicals and harmful labor practices that can be associated with e-waste “dumping.” In 2013, we worked

with our AV vendors, PRG and MagicWig, to ensure they not only had a responsible company-wide, e-waste

recycling system in place, but that we managed any e-waste generated on site as well. PRG used no bulbs for

Greenbuild and all batteries (mostly from microphones) were collected and donated as part of the Exhibitor

Donation Program to the Mercy Vocational High School (note: most used batteries from live events still have

up to 80% battery life remaining, but cannot be used again by the AV vendor to reduce potential production

disruption). All projector bulbs, ballasts and batteries used by MagicWig were returned to headquarters for

proper disposal.

RESPoNSIBLY MANAGING C&D EVENT WASTELarge debris waste , sometimes referred to as construction & demolition (C&D) waste, generated during move-

in and move-out was collected and processed by Revolution Recovery, including carpet, padding, and other

large mixed waste.

Revolution Recovery is able to divert up to 78% of all materials it receives and is one of the nation’s leaders

in construction and industrial material recycling. The company founders have served on the board of the

Delaware Valley Green Building Council and have been elected as Technical Advisors to the USGBC’s Materials

and Resources Group for the LEED rating system. Learn more at www.revolutionrecovery.com.

CARPET WASTE

A significant amount of carpet is generated and disposed as a result of the meetings and events industry. over

325,000 sqft of carpet was used to produce Greenbuild 2013. What happens to that carpet? for a majority of

shows, carpet is rented from the general contractor, used, cleaned and returned to inventory. A certain amount

of “loss” is experienced with each show, as facilities are laid out differently and the carpet needs to be trimmed

to accommodate expo hall shapes, pillars, and the show layout. This loss percentage is typically 10 to 20% of

the total aisle carpet used. for Greenbuild 2013, we partnered with Shaw Carpet to use cradle-to-cradle carpet

for three years, after which the carpet is recycled and used to produce new carpet product. Due to low wear

and tear on the carpet, we decided in 2012 to extend the use of this carpet for a fourth year, using it for a final

time in Philadelphia.

After it was used for a fourth year in Philadelphia, the Greenbuild carpet was sent to a local recycling partner

participating in the Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE). This large volume of carpet is not included in

our event waste diversion rate because it would skew our waste numbers every three to four years, making

waste management performance difficult to compare year-on-year, and because it is characterized as a

durable good (like computers and furniture) which we do not include in the scope of our waste diversion

figure. Including the weight of this year’s recycled carpet in our waste diversion calculations would result in a

significantly higher waste diversion rate due to the huge amount of carpet recycled; this diversion rate would

then be a less telling indicator of this year’s waste management efforts at the convention center. The historical

tracking table on page 66 shows that the percentage of carpet returned to inventory in 2011 was 97.5% 89% in

2012; in 2013 that percentage is only 23%, due to the turnover/recycling of our aisle carpet. More information

about the importance of carpet recycling, the CARE program and national recycling partners can be found at

http://www.carpetrecovery.org.



ChalleNGes & oPPorTUNiTies

ChalleNGes oPPorTUNiTies

• Even highly-aware Greenbuild attendees

contaminate the compost stream

• Work with venues to design bins that are

engaging and fool-proof

• Student volunteer “no shows” leave recycling

stations unattended

• Work with host committee to develop creative

solutions for volunteer engagement and

retention

• Concession areas are challenging waste

management areas due to high volumes of

mixed waste

• Create tailored plans for attendee-facing and

concession prep areas, including focused

signage for lunch items.

• Exhibitor Donation Program is extremely time

intensive to plan and execute

• Work with centers to establish an ongoing

donation program with network of non-profit

partners and a standard process for material

collection, staging and pick up

• Difficult to use china for food service events

due to high costs

• Consider adding china service pricing to

venue contract

• Difficult to protect back-of-house compactors

from contamination by hundreds of vendor

staff, union staff and exhibitors

• Train these groups on the center’s

commitment and process

• Lock bays and staffing dock monitors to limit

compactor access

• Wood hauling partner and weight of wood

hauled could not be confirmed by the PCC,

resulting in an estimated wood weight

attributed to landfill, driving down the

diversion rate

• Continuing to stress the importance of venues

and haulers providing accurate downstream

waste processing information

• Publication bins are a major source of paper

waste but are not directly under the control of

the Greenbuild team

• Build off work done in 2013 to suggest

quantity limitations for publication bins; start

mandating quantity limits



Case sTUdy

waste diversion at the Pennsylvania Convention Center: 0 to 60We take responsible waste management very seriously at Greenbuild. Each year, a core waste planning team

is formed, and bi-weekly calls are scheduled to walk step-by-step through a plan to divert as much waste as

possible at the convention center. See case study “Waste Planning 101” in our 2012 Greenbuild Sustainability

Report for a review of our planning process.

In 2013, historical waste hauling data was collected and analyzed from the Pennsylvania Convention Center

(PCC) to determine that the baseline diversion rate for the facility was just under 10%. This means about 90%

of all waste generated at the PCC was going to landfill. With historically record-breaking waste diversion

success achieved at previous Greenbuild events, we set an ambitious goal of 75% diversion for Greenbuild

2013. We understood this would require a significant amount of work and preparation, but the planning team

was up for the challenge!

BiNSfor Greenbuild 2013, the PCC

implemented a 3-stream bin system,

food donation program, carpet

recycling, compost collection,

visqueen/plastic film recycling, C&D

waste collection, exhibitor donation

program and purchased 100%

compostable service ware all for the

first time. The following is a summary

of the PCC’s transformation that led

to a shift in the way waste was viewed

by PCC operations staff and a very

impressive 67% diversion rate for

Greenbuild 2013.

“front-of-house” waste bins, as we

refer to them, are bins that attendees

interact with during Greenbuild. These

bins are an important component of

the waste program because they send

a strong message to attendees that

Greenbuild and the PCC are dedicated

to responsible waste management

and help attendees learn more about

what materials belong in each stream.

functionally, they also create the

opportunity to separate materials into

3 key waste streams at the point of

disposal.

improvements:

• Bins are placed in sets containing all three streams (no stand-alone bins)

• Bins are clearly distinguished by color

• Bins are clearly labeled

• Bin signage includes text and images detailing acceptable materials/items

• Bin holes are designed to limit contamination

Case sTUdy

Before

After



WASTe iNPUTSGreenbuild, its vendors and exhibitors bring large volumes

of materials onsite. The Greenbuild team works with these

stakeholders in a number of ways to ensure these materials — from

signage to packaging — are recyclable. one of the PCC’s greatest

waste inputs is realted to single-use, disposable food serviceware

used for concessions. for Greenbuild 2013, Aramark sought out

the lowest impact products on the market, accomplishing a 100%

compostable (ASTM D6400 certified) line of food service ware

items. Additionally, meals were planned to minimize the need for “material-heavy” packaging. for example,

sandwiches could be wrapped in a compostable wax paper instead of served in a PLA (plastic-like) clamshell

container. The sourcing of these compostable items helped to increase the need for a front-of-house, 3-stream

waste station, which included composting.

BACK-Of-hOUSe PrOCeSSBack-of-house operations are those processes

managed by the PCC and other contracted staff. In this

case, United Cleaning Services helped service all waste

off the expo floor during move in and move out, as well

as at the end of each show day. These processes are

of utmost importance because if waste brought from

the front-of-house bins is not properly managed, all

attendee and volunteer efforts to carefully separate

materials are “wasted.” Also, move-in and move-

out phases of the event are periods of intense waste

generation. Extremely tight timelines put pressure on

the PCC, freeman, union staff and United Cleaning

to simply “clear” the floor. This makes waste training

and communication of Greenbuild’s “moving toward a

zero waste event” objective and commitment vital so

that waste is responsibly collected during even these

intense time periods.

improvements

• Different color bin liners are used for each stream to allow for the easy identification of contents by operations staff.

• operations staff collect only one stream at a time in their tilt bin (i.e., only collect recyclables or only collect general waste). If waste is mixed in tilt bins, it will likely never be separated again.

• Bays are locked or restricted to only specially-assigned personnel to reduce contamination.

• Dock monitors are in place to ensure only the appropriate bags go into each compactor/open top.

Core Waste Team MembersUSGBC | Greenview

Pennsylvania Convention Center (PCC) | AramarkPhiladelphia CVB | freeman | Republic Services

Wilmington organics Recycling Center

Dedicated material collection

Green, compostable bin liners used for composting



WASTe STreAMSDoing a better job of cleanly separating waste, such as recyclables and cardboard, is an important step in

incremental diversion improvement. However, to make significant improvement, facilities have to increase the

number of materials they can separate and divert. Leading up to Greenbuild, the PCC was able to divert mixed

recycling and cardboard from landfill. During Greenbuild, seven additional waste streams were created. These

additional streams accounted for 44% (over 51,000 lbs) of total diverted materials.

before (10% wasTe diversioN)

afTer (67% wasTe diversioN)

LANDfILL

CoMPoST

CARPET/PADDING

RECYCLING

VISqUEEN/PLASTIC

DoNATED fooD ExHIBIToR DoNATED PRoGRAM ITEMS

CARDBoARD

WooD*

KITCHEN oRGANICS

CoNSTRUCTIoN & DEMoLITIoN (C&D) /LARGE

DEBRIS


Landfill / Trash,33%

Compost,8%

Kitchen organics (Bio HiTech),

6%

RecycleComingle, 7%

Visqueen /Plastic, 5%

Large debris,90%, 7%

Carpet / Padding,8%

food Donation,4%

ItemDonation,

12%

Cardboard,10%


WooD*While wood was included in the pre-event waste management plan and cleanly

separated and collected onsite, the destination of the materials could not be

confirmed by the PCC or waste hauling partners due to staffing changes.

Because wood recycling could not be 100% confirmed, we conservatively

placed the weight of two open top containers (estimated to be 3 tons based

on photos taken onsite and average wood material weights from Republic

Services) into the landfill stream. This increase in landfill waste and decrease

in recycling drove the diversion rate down to 67%. While tracking downstream

waste processing details can be a significant challenge, this scenario highlights

the importance of documenting all waste hauling partners in the pre-event

waste management plan and confirming hauling plans for each stream onsite.

reSULTSGreenbuild 2013 achieved a 66% waste diversion rate,56% higher diversion than the PCC facility baseline.



STAff TrAiNiNG & eNGAGeMeNT

Having a waste management plan, the infrastructure and proper procedures in place is a critical start, but the

rubber hits the road when it comes to staff implementation. The PCC, Aramark, freeman and other key vendors

like Republic Waste Services were 100% committed to supporting Greenbuild in achieving its aggressive waste

diversion goal. This commitment was expressed through participation in a five-month planning process, and

attendance at the onsite, pre-event waste training session with over 70 participants. The effort put forth by all

parties was collaborative and inspiring and is the magic component of any waste diversion effort. In 2013, the

passion of the staff helped achieve a 67% diversion rate, 56% greater diversion than the facility baseline. No

easy feat, but done with a smile!

improvements

• Upper management support of waste diversion program

• Documentation and distribution of detailed waste plan and procedures

• Training for all PCC, Aramark and vendor staff

• Employee passion and dedication to program

Greenbuild Conference Director for USGBC, Kate Hurst, addresses PCC union workers before the Tuesday morning shift

PCC Team Clean Dock Monitor Allstars

freeman working with United Cleaning Services to responsibly manage the expo floor


A conference’s environmental footprint is often most

visibly displayed through attendee materials: the

many items show organizers create, ship to show-site,

and distribute to attendees through registration. Bags,

books, lanyards, handouts: often the SWAG (the Stuff

We All Get) starts the minute attendees walk through

the door. Greenbuild has always procured sustainably

sourced registration items, but even the greenest

item has an environmental impact: plenty of materials

and energy are used to produce and ship even the

locally produced, water-based-ink-using recycled

content tote bag. To address these environmental

impacts, Greenbuild is working strategically to reduce

the total amount of materials produced for the

show, regardless of sourcing attributes. Having laid

groundwork through disparate sustainability practices

at previous shows, we have now implemented a long-

term reduction plan on multiple fronts.

Reducing attendee materials requires coordinating

across show programs in order to maintain a quality

experience for the attendee: reductions in one amenity

often need to be offset by an enhanced offering

elsewhere. for example, a show can’t simply ditch its

printed program without providing a well-designed

and accessible digital option – attendees must be

able to access program information somewhere! To

ensure a comparable attendee experience, significant

trade-offs must be considered.

when planning attendee materials, we had to weigh

the following forces supporting the status quo:

• a diverse attendee base: not all attendees are tech-savvy smart-phone owners ready to transition to digital. And those equipped with ipads can prefer paper.

• size of education program: with over 200 opportunities for education, the myriad Greenbuild offerings are sometimes best communicated on a printed page.

• sponsored materials: Physical materials provide attractive sponsor opportunities for companies looking to leave a lasting impression with attendees.

The challenge every show organizer faces is to

find ways to reduce materials in light of these

considerations. we have built a multi-stage approach

to reduction using the following tools:

• Mobile app: Introducing a mobile app in 2012 allowed us to offer a digital option for attendees before the show and on-site.

• Note-Taking app: This tool gave attendees access to speaker powerpoints and the ability to take notes directly on the slides.

• Careful ordering: By more closely tracking the materials left over after each show, we’re able to place more realistic orders and reduce unwarranted waste from unused materials. We have cut the number of program books printed by 42% over the last two years.

• Content planning: We try to reduce page counts at every opportunity. Cutting just one page in 2013 saved over 7,000 pages.

• sponsor alternatives: Provide opportunities to connect with attendees through other methods beyond printed advertisements or logos on physical products. We have created sponsorship opportunities through the mobile app and carbon offsets in lieu of printed ads and recycled content pens.

• opt-out: for the first time in 2013, we let attendees opt out of show materials including the tote bag and program book. By providing attendees with the option to say no to materials, we were able to reduce quantities and track the number of attendees who placed less value on physical materials. for more information on this and the 1,300 opt-outs we received, see the Sustainable Registration case study on page 44.

Case sTUdy

strategic reductionBy jenny Niemann

Case sTUdy


we have created a four-stage plan to reduce materials over multiple shows:

1. Stage one: Printed programs only

2. Stage Two: digital availability

offer attendees digital materials to use in conjunction with traditional printed materials.

• Develop digital options to enable online access to program and show information.

• Track adoption rates to measure success of digital materials

3. Stage Three: digital options

Provide attendees the ability to opt-out of printed materials and giveaways. A minority of attendees do not

receive printed materials.

• Provide a materials opt-out option in registration

• Provide all attendees digital materials

• Provide alternative sponsorship opportunities for attendee engagement

• Track adoption and opt-out rates to inform ordering numbers and planning for future years

4. Stage four: digital Prevalence

Attendees must opt-in to receive printed materials. Most attendees utilize digital options.

• Attendees have had multiple years of digital offerings to get comfortable with a high-quality mobile app

• Attendees are still able to request printed materials and physical giveaways through an opt-in in

registration

• Track adoption and opt-in rates to inform ordering numbers and planning for future years

5. Stage five: No physical attendee materials

• Goal: no physical programs are offered

We are working each year to make progress within this plan, currently in stage three and working to improve

our digital offerings and encourage more attendees to opt-out of materials. While stage five may ultimately

prove out of reach, we are moving closer to this target each year, incrementally and strategically reducing

our impact.

Case sTUdy



iNCrease sTakeholder edUCaTioN aNd eNGaGeMeNT

Each year, tens of thousands of green building professionals from across the globe unite to learn, share and inspire with the goal of advancing the green building movement. Those who have been with us on our 12-year Greenbuild journey know we sometimes refer to the event as our “tent revival.” When attendees are onsite, we want them to see and understand the application of green building concepts that go into making Greenbuild a sustainable conference. Greenbuild is built by hundreds of individuals over a year of planning. our goal is for each Greenbuild participant – be it attendee, vendor employee, or convention center worker – to interact and understand Greenbuild’s sustainability program.

In that spirit, it takes Greenbuild staff, the destination city, our vendors, and hundreds of exhibitors to create this unique attendee experience. As part of our annual planning process, we incorporate sustainability considerations into discussions with each and every stakeholder, which naturally leads to learning, sharing and inspiration to make Greenbuild as successful (economically, environmentally and socially) as possible. We have also learned that quality engagement with our partners has the potential to empower them to generate ideas and creative solutions based on their area of expertise, which we would not otherwise uncover. We are grateful

for the dedication and efforts our partners have made to support our sustainable vision.


95% GMEGG survey participation

through the exhibitor dashboard 88% participation

90% GMEGG on-site participation in

documentation reviews 81% participation

25% participation in Green Exhibitor

Award program 3.5% participation

100% of all hotels compliant with 100%

of key sustainability practicesGreenbuild priority practices are more progressive than many properties. See summary table on page 27.

Collect sustainable practices

information from 100% of hotel partners Information collected from 100% of Greenbuild hotels

Improve onsite sustainability monitoring Daily onsite meetings and updates with consulting partner

increased issue awareness and improved real-time trouble shooting.

Improve sustainability communications

to speakers

Included sustainability guidance in speaker guidelines and speaker emails, including a new ‘tread lightly’ session in the guidelines.

Utilize the Greenbuild Host Committee

Greening Committee to engage with

Philadelphia hotels and inform them

of new Philadelphia benchmarking

regulations

The Committee made important contacts in the hospitality community through meeting with Greenbuild hotels on sustainable operations, benchmarking and Greenbuild contract compliance. Twelve hotels participated in a Portfolio Manager training to prepare for compliance with the new Philadelphia energy and water benchmarking ordinance.

Achieved Progress Improvement Needed




• Utilize a sustainable event management system, ISo 20121, as guidance for effective stakeholder engagement

• Provide sustainability information on event website about the Greenbuild sustainability program and how attendees can participate and contribute

• Require minimum sustainability practices through GMEGG; incentivize higher exhibitor sustainability performance through the Green Exhibitor Award program

• Work with vendors to create Vendor Sustainability Plans (VSPs), including greening goals, plans and metrics that will be tracked

• Work with all Greenbuild staff members to develop the Greenbuild sustainability plan; each Greenbuild staff member sets goals and is responsible for the sustainable execution of their program.

2013 ProGress

USGBC. In 2009, USGBC became one of two U.S.-based associations certified by the British Standards

Institution’s BS 8901, a standard for planning sustainable events. Certification means that every event USGBC

runs, including Greenbuild, meets the rigorous BS 8901 requirements for sustainability. In 2012, in conjunction

with the planning of the London olympic Games, ISo 20121 was published by the International organization

for Standardization, building off the British standard. In 2013, USGBC utilized ISo 20121 as a guideline for

stakeholder engagement and sustainable event process management—a constructive exercise in ensuring we

are working in accordance with international industry best practices. In addition to ensuring we work most

effectively with external stakeholders, in 2013 we made an extra effort to engage USGBC staff in the greening

efforts involved with Greenbuild.

A “Lunch and Learn” session was held, inviting all staff to the lunchroom at USGBC headquarters for an

interactive learning session about sustainability at Greenbuild. The lunch space was covered in posters with

“did you know?” facts about Greenbuild’s carbon footprint, waste streams, and material sourcing efforts.

Likewise, staff members were asked for feedback and ideas for improvement. The day was a success and

raised the level of awareness about how seriously greening is taken not only “at home,” but also at each

Greenbuild host city and venue.



Attendees. To raise awareness leading

up to Greenbuild, attendees are informed of

sustainability efforts and practices through the

Travel and Greening sections on the Greenbuild

website and pre-show newsletters. Pre-event

emails highlighted the Greenbuild hotel greening

program and encouraged attendees to support

sustainable hospitality by booking within the

Greenbuild room block.

Greenbuild presented attendees with two options

in registration to make their conference experience more sustainable: a carbon offset package and the ability

to opt-out of receiving registration materials. Providing these choices to attendees is a critical method of

involving Greenbuild attendees in our sustainability programs. We hope to encourage more attendees to

choose these options that decrease the impact of their individual conference experience.

on-site, sustainable actions were encouraged through the

sustainability pages in the Education Program and Expo

Guide, the Sustainability at Greenbuild display and the mobile

app. In 2013, sustainability continued to be woven into social

media and messaging on emails, blogs, Twitter and facebook.

In recognition of the impact of local transportation on our

environmental impact, we urged attendees to take advantage

of alternative transportation options in Philadelphia. The

Convention Center’s location in downtown Philadelphia enabled

us to highlight Philadelphia’s SEPTA public transportation

system, which provides rail options from the airport and the

Amtrak Station. Walking directions were provided in the

lobbies of our 20 walkable hotels, to encourage attendees

to walk to the Convention Center instead of taking a cab. In

partnership with Saint-Gobain, we provided free pedicab rides to attendees to replace cab transportation from

the Convention Center, and utilized 40 charter busses to shuttle attendees from the Convention Center to the

Greenbuild Keynote & Celebration Event

and back.

Speakers. Greenbuild speakers

are often influential leaders in our

community and a very important

event stakeholder group. In 2013, a

bigger effort was made to engage

with speakers, including sustainability

information in speaker guideline

documentation and pre-show email

communications.

Handouts: As part of the Greenbuild sustainability

program, handouts or other printed pieces may

not be distributed at Greenbuild education

sessions. There are no exceptions to this policy. We

advise adding a reference materials slide to your

presentation that directs the audience to additional

materials. Presenters can also upload supporting

PDF documents to be included in the Conference

Proceedings.

- Greenbuild Speaker Guidelines



exhibitors. The Greenbuild Mandatory Exhibitor Green Guidelines (GMEGG) require exhibitors to comply

with minimum sustainability practices in the areas of material use, flooring, air quality, signage and collateral,

shipping, packaging and water use. Exhibitors are required to indicate their compliance through the GMEGG

Survey in the exhibitor dashboard, where they provide information on the impact of their booth and operations

and the specific practices they utilize to comply with GMEGG. Exhibitors are also encouraged to raise the bar

and get recognized for their commitment by applying for the annual Green Exhibitor Award (GEA). In 2013, an

intensive effort was made to update the GMEGG guidelines, restructure the GEA scoring and award process,

and improve the pre-event compliance survey and onsite auditing process. While the enhanced GMEGG

guidelines won’t go into effect until Greenbuild 2014, the survey and audit changes significantly improved

the exhibitor GMEGG experience. Learn more about the efforts to meaningfully engage with our exhibitor

partners in the “Implementing Mandatory Exhibition Practices Through GMEGG” Case Study on page 31.

vendors. Collaborating with vendors to develop innovative sustainability solutions has always been

an important part of the Greenbuild planning process. In 2012, we introduced a Vendor Sustainability Plan

(VSP) document to more formally capture information about our vendor’s policies and practices. In 2013, we

divided the VSP into three sections, turning what was once a one-way communication document into a more

continuous, two-way communication mechanism.

The three sections of the improved VSP document included:

Part 1: Impact Assessment & Program Planning

Part 2: Progress Update & Training Plans

Part 3: Reporting Performance & feedback

Splitting the vendor sustainability plan into three pieces allowed us to check in with vendors on sustainability

more frequently, while asking them to more clearly define their goals and outline their successes. We learned

more about our vendor’s programs while emphasizing the importance of their goals through multiple check-

ins. We also used this opportunity to get vendor feedback on the sustainability process. The results of this new

format and process were positive, but looking forward we will work to make more time to review the vendor

submissions and have constructive dialogue, even when event deadlines are tight and challenging.



host Committee and hotels. 2013 presented a unique opportunity for Greenbuild and the local

Host Committee to engage, educate and support the Philadelphia hospitality community. In oct. 2013, energy

and water benchmarking and reporting regulations went into effect in Philadelphia. To support this green

building best practice and the Mayor’s initiative, the local Greenbuild Host Committee engaged with each

of the 25 Greenbuild contracted hotels to help them comply and benefit from the benchmarking exercise.

Connecting with some hotel properties proved difficult, but those that the Host Committee was able to work

with had very positive and constructive experiences. As in years past, hotels engagement also included the

collection of sustainability practice information and an onsite walk-through to verify implementation. The

table below summarizes implementation of 11 key hotel practices tracked by Greenbuild.

Greenbuild 2013 hotel Priority Practices# of hotels that

responded ’yes’

% of hotels that

responded ’yes’

Hotel staff are trained on all hotel environmental and sustainable

policies, programs and practices, and have the knowledge and

support to implement them.

25 100%

Hotel staff shuts off lights, television and radio when guest and

meeting rooms are vacant.25 100%

Hotel staff shuts blinds or curtains when guest and meeting rooms

are vacant.25 100%

Hotel offers and implements linen/towel reuse program. 25 100%

Hotel prominently displays reuse policy in guest rooms. 24 96%

Hotel provides clearly marked and prominently displayed recycling

receptacles in each guest room.12 48%

Hotel replaces bathroom amenities only when empty or upon guest

request.23 92%

Unfinished bathroom amenities are donated to a community service

organization or provided to staff.18 72%

Recycled content of bathroom tissue. 18 72%

Hotel will provide opt-in policy for room delivery of newspapers. No

automatic delivery of newspapers are provided.23 92%

Hotel will provide information about public transportation options to

guests.25 100%




• Timing challenges around sharing

merchandise sustainability stories with

attendees via signage or labeling

• Work closely with staff members managing

the Merchandise Booth to ensure

sustainability information is displayed

throughout the store

• following up with vendors in a timely

manner regarding plans, goals and questions

presented in their Vendor Sustainability Plan

(VSP) documents

• Ensure time is set aside for thorough review

of all documents and follow up conversations

are scheduled with vendors, as needed.

• Hotel responsiveness and willingness to

provide information.

• Consider stricter enforcement of compliance

violation fee (monetary donation to Project

Haiti orphanage)

• Low Green Exhibitor Award (GEA)

participation

• Increase communications around the award

program and improve the promotion of award

winners

• Low GMEGG Survey participation

• Improve communication strategies to non-

participating exhibitors. Analyze data to find

common characteristics of non-participants

and develop creative outreach strategies to

engage specific groups.



Greenbuild has always been recognized as an

industry leader when it comes to green meetings and

sustainability initiatives. But perhaps one of our most

unique and lesser known programs is also one of our

most expansive, and one that touches hundreds of

exhibitors and thousands of people. The Greenbuild

Mandatory Exhibition Green Guidelines (GMEGG)

is entering its 5th year as Greenbuild’s baseline

performance-tracking exhibition monitoring program,

and is the only mandatory program of its kind and

size in the industry.

The idea behind GMeGG is simple: every exhibitor on

our show floor must agree to and participate in program

from Day 1, and along with that commitment comes

the requirement to complete an online survey and the

possibility of receiving an in-person documentation

review on-site: Greenbuild staff randomly review 10%

of exhibitors to ensure compliance with the program.

The reasons why we require exhibitors to participate

in such a program are probably obvious – booths

are asked to limit or eliminate items like styrofoam,

incandescent lighting and printed brochures – but

the means by which we coordinate such an expansive

administrative program may be a little less clear.

TraCkiNG CoMPliaNCe

The majority of our exhibitors’ interaction with

GMEGG pre-show is via an online survey – available

online about five months prior to Greenbuild in the

“Exhibitor Dashboard.” The results are collected in

an exhibitor management system designed to easily

monitor responses and quickly identify exhibitors

who have yet to complete the required information.

While this sounds relatively straightforward, we

typically spend about a month of careful development

and review of the online survey to prepare it for

exhibitors. Since GMEGG is a dynamic system that

includes multiple options and pathways to fulfill the

requirements for a specific section, the survey must

be developed in a format that can adapt to the unique

needs of each exhibitor. We do this by ensuring there

are multiple answers for each GMEGG requirement.

When an exhibitor is asked to provide information

on their shipping practices, they have the option

to indicate compliance with a number of different

sustainable practices. If they offset their emissions

due to shipping, they’ll next be asked to indicate the

pounds of carbon offset.

Since exhibitors are required to submit information on

their GMEGG-compliant practices, tracking responses

is key. The Exhibitor Dashboard administrative site

generates real-time responses from exhibitors,

allowing us to track and contact exhibitors who

haven’t completed the required documentation.

ChalleNGes

Gathering information: As with any performance-

tracking program, developing a web tool that

participants use to record their responses has always

been a challenging component of the GMEGG

process. over the last few years the online survey has

improved from a four-part web application that could

take over an hour to complete to a one-page survey

that can be completed in one sitting.

one size doesn’t fit all: While we’re always striving to

push the envelope (we edit the GMEGG criteria every

two years to keep up with trends and technologies),

our biggest challenge is creating a program that

pushes exhibitors to go further while at the same

time making the criteria attainable for the masses.

Since GMEGG is a mandatory program, it has to

be achievable: we must be careful not to alienate

companies that are new to sustainable operations,

and we certainly don’t want prospective exhibitors to

avoid Greenbuild because they’re scared of GMEGG.

GMEGG focuses on practical strategies that have a

significant impact on the sustainability of the Expo

Hall. Most sections have multiple compliance options

to ensure maximum flexibility. Exhibitors are always

Case sTUdy

implementing Mandatory exhibition Practices Through GMeGGBy joe hergert

Case sTUdy


able to comply with GMEGG requirements by reusing

materials from previous shows.

To reduce the burden on exhibiting companies

while maintaining the integrity of GMEGG, we have

shortened the survey over the years by keeping the

questions we feel have the greatest impact in the

exhibit hall and removing those questions that can be

perceived as “too easy” or those that most exhibitors

do already. for example, we removed a short answer

question that required exhibitors to share their

“corporate sustainability policy” and instead added

a section focused on staff training and engagement.

While tracking compliance is critical for ensuring

performance, focusing on actionable practices helps

us have a greater influence on show operations and

achieve our ultimate goal of changing tradeshow

practices.

Participation: Another challenge has been getting

exhibitors excited and motivated to participate in

GMEGG. Every exhibitor agrees to complete GMEGG

when they register for a booth, but many don’t fully

realize what they’re agreeing to until it actually comes

time to complete the required information. Since

2012 our team has focused heavily on strategically

communicating with exhibitors in a way that keeps

them informed of approaching deadlines while also

providing them with the necessary tools to understand

what is being asked of them. Exhibitors receive details

about GMEGG via monthly Exhibitor Bulletins, and

also receive targeted emails from Greenbuild staff

reminding them of approaching deadlines. Exhibitors

are also able to contact our exhibition managers if

they run into questions, and a LinkedIn group has

been set-up for exhibitors to provide an additional

forum to gather and distribute information. Because

GMEGG asks more from exhibitors than other

tradeshows, it can be a challenge to inform exhibitors

and receive the required materials. Communicating

through multiple platforms and providing different

avenues for customer support have been key to

ensuring exhibitors have a positive experience with

GMEGG.

CoNClUsioN

At its core GMEGG is a very unique sustainability

program that is changing the game in the tradeshow

industry. The data we’ve collected over the past

five years has helped us learn more about exhibitor

practices and plan for a more sustainable exhibit hall.

GMEGG has set a baseline for how exhibitors can

easily make their participation in tradeshows more

sustainable while at the same time challenging our

audience to constantly push the envelope and think

outside the box. With each passing year the ideas and

principles behind GMEGG become more engrained

in our exhibitors, and it is our hope that GMEGG will

continue to establish Greenbuild as the leader in

conference sustainability.

Exhibitors are also able to contact our general email account

if they run into questions, and a LinkedIn group has been

set-up for exhibitors to provide an additional forum to gather

and distribute information.

Case sTUdy


2014 iMProveMeNTsCurrently GMEGG is on a two-year improvement cycle, which allows us to

incorporate new initiatives and technologies into the program after learning

from the previous year’s implementation lessons.

• 2010: first year of GMeGG implementation

• 2012: GMeGG revised for the first time. only minor revisions were made

during this review cycle, as we were still learning from the GMEGG

process and data

• 2014: GMeGG revised for the second time. Many more significant edits are

made, pulling from three years of on-site implementation and audits.

In 2014, a special working group of 6 industry representatives was formed

to review and revise GMEGG. Edits were put forward through a working

group call, a collaborative working document, and individual review calls to

promote a transparent process and ensure all stakeholders were on board

with the proposed changes. Upon completion, the final GMEGG drafts

were then reviewed line-by-line with working group members to get buy-

in and ensure the requirements were measurable, achievable, progressive,

impactful, auditable, and understandable. The group worked to ensure the

requirements were measurable, achievable, progressive, impactful, auditable

and understandable.

Based on feedback collected from exhibitors and staff, the GMEGG working

group revised GMEGG 2014 to include the following new features:

• New Sections Addressing On-Site impacts:

- Exhibitor Responsibility

- on-Site Transportation

- Waste Management

- food and Beverage Service

• Clarification and simplification:

- Most sections were revised to clarify the intent and simplify options.

- New compliance options were added to include equivalent LEED-

referenced standards.

•increase in requirements where appropriate:

- GMEGG now has 20 clauses, from 14

- 9 questions are now “required” (up from 5)

- 11 questions contain an exhibitor-selected compliance option (up from 9)

exhiBiTOr feeDBACK

“The GMEGG process has helped Bronze Craft to further ‘Green’ our booth and has educated our staff to be more environmentally conscious. It has been a positive experience!”

- Bronze Craft Corporation

“The GMEGG process is streamlined and meaningful. I think it respects the fact that there will need to be printouts and demonstrations but it encourages us all to make sustainable choices in this marketing, and often wasteful, setting.”

- ThermaCote, Inc.

“GMEGG makes an exhibitor conscious about the way he arranges a trade show. For us one result of thinking this way is that Mosa does not distribute Press Kits anymore but only give a reminder to our online Press Center: less paper, less flash drives or CD’s, less shipping. Thanks for making us aware.”

- Mosa Royal

“The GMEGG process is a great way to make sure exhibitors of Greenbuild are ‘walking the walk’ and ‘talking the talk’ - a nice checks and balances.”- Renewable Choice Energy, Inc.

“GMEGG reminds us that we are accountable for our actions.”

- VELUX America Inc.

GMeGG 2014 Working Group Members

jeff ChASe, Vice President, Sustainability, freeman

NOreeN BUrKe, Show Manager, Corcoran Exhibitions

STeve BrAUNeiS, LEED Reviewer, GBCI

DeAN DiPieTrO, operations Manager, GBCI

eriN KANTe, Corporate Event Planner, Bradley Corporation

MiCheLLe rUSSO, Director, Green Content & Research Communications, McGraw-Hill Construction



The Greenbuild team works to ensure that all aspects of the Greenbuild event and experience embody the

values and best practices of green building. While the objectives and goals set for Greenbuild are typically

fueled by this pursuit, the implementation and creative solutions developed to achieve them are often the

product of collaborative work with our vendor partners.

Below is snapshot of how we worked with our vendor partners in 2013 to make progress against our

objectives and to continue striving to address sustainability in every component of Greenbuild’s execution.

Each vendor partnership leads to a variety of sustainability projects that help us to address multiple

objectives with each vendor.

PeNNsylvaNia CoNveNTioN CeNTer

PT Energy, water, waste, best practices tracking

ZW Waste management plan development and implementation

SS PT Green cleaning tracking

GHG Lighting & elevator usage conservation strategies

SE Pre-show waste management training sessions

COM Exhibitor donation program

IND Replacement of entire front-of-house waste collection infrastructure

araMark (CaTerer)

SS Local and organic food and beverage sourcing

ZW SS Compostable service-ware sourcing

ZW Kitchen and concession area: enhanced waste infrastructure and training

freeMaN

SS Materials sourcing & sustainable design

COM Youthbuild partnership

ZW COM Exhibitor Donation Program

ZW Expo hall waste management

PT freight, fuel, carpet and graphics tracking

GHG Elimination of lighting in registration build-outs

Case sTUdy

event Greening Through vendor Partnerships

GreeNbUild obJeCTives key:ZW = Move Toward a Zero Waste Event

SE = Increase Stakeholder Education and Engagement SS = Improve Sustainable Sourcing

PT = Improve Performance Tracking

GHG = Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions

COM = Positively Impact Communities IND = Catalyze the advancement of green building

initiatives and sustainable operations within the hospitality industry

Case sTUdy


eveNToloGie

ZW COM Sustainable decorations and donations

SS COM Local food and beverage sourcing for Keynote & Celebration

liaCoUras CeNTer

PT Energy, water, waste, best practices tracking

ZW Waste management plan development and implementation

SS Local food and beverage sourcing

ZW SS Compostable service ware sourcing

ZW Zero waste stadium plan

hoTels

SE Providing green accommodation experience

PT Best practices data collection

PT Carbon footprint data

IND Sustainability contract language

GreeNview

ZW Waste plan management

SE Stakeholder engagement tools

SE Hotel engagement

PT Event impact tracking tools

PT Carbon footprint calculations

SE IND Report production

TerraPass

GHG Carbon offsetting

COM Local carbon offset project in Lebanon, Pennsylvania

SE Carbon offset option in registration available for attendees

exPerieNT

SS Local food and beverage sourcing

ZW SS Compostable service ware sourcing

SS Sustainable food service practices

SS Paperless event guide created through iPad use







Case sTUdy


CadMiUM

Sustainable conference recordings take-home material solution

CoMPUsysTeMs

GHG ENERGY STAR rated equipment

ZW SS Plastic-free name badge solution

SE SS Registration material opt-out in registration

PrG aNd MaGiCwiG

GHG ENERGY STAR rated equipment

ZW E-waste management

GHG Power down energy savings plan implementation

COM GHG Local equipment rental

TMs

GHG Carbon offsetting of shuttle emissions







Case sTUdy



iMProve sUsTaiNable soUrCiNG

from printed guides and banners to carpet, food and beverage, and merchandise, each item that makes up Greenbuild is carefully sourced, taking health, the environment and the impact on those who made it into consideration.


Source 80% local food items at the

convention center 41% local food items sourced

Source 50% organic food items at the

convention center 26% organic food items sourced

Source all domestically grown,

organic cotton t-shirts for Greenbuild

merchandise store and volunteer shirts

Due to limitations in supply, we were unable to source 100% of t-shirts from organic cotton. While some shirts were made from organic cotton, we prioritized regional sourcing: 100% of cotton was grown in North Carolina.

Ensure 100% of non-clothing, specialty

merchandise store items have at least

one sustainability feature

our specialty items, cufflinks and glass water bottles, were manufactured in the USA or made from repurposed materials

Maximize use of LEED-certified venues

for auxiliary events

Three major venues were LEED Certified spaces: In addition to the LEED-Certified Pennsylvania Convention Center, the Platinum and Gold Event was held at the Certified Barnes foundation; the Cultivation Event took place at the HUB Cira Center, the first LEED-Certified meeting space. Philadelphia’s two LEED-Certified hotels were also part of the room block: the Hotel Palomar and the Hotel Monaco.

Source recyclable, non-vinyl badge

stock material A paper-based badge was sourced to replace plastic

badges

Eliminate the use of vinyl materials for

new show decorations

Ecoboard used in majority of build-outs and PVC panel usage eliminated. Vinyl remained in select designs for education labs, registration build-outs and tabletop covers.

Create materials inventory to account

for all show decorations materials

All existing build-outs were catalogued in the Greenbuild materials inventory to track existing products and make more informed decisions about new designs.




Source domestically manufactured

tote bags made from 100% recycled

materials

Bag manufactured in USA, transported partly by rail and made from recycled PET plastic bottles

Reduce quantity of registration mailers

printed34% reduction (40,000 in 2013; 60,202 in 2012)

Reduce quantity of marketing postcards

printed72% reduction (100,000 in 2013; 359,040 in 2012)



• Incorporate LEED-certified hotels into hotel room block

• Print show materials on 100% post-consumer, recycled content

• Rent or request AV vendors use only ENERGY STAR certified (or equivalent) equipment

• Print all signage on ecoboard (100% recyclable, cardboard-based substrate)



2013 ProGress

enhanced Materials Planning and selection. Greenbuild 2013 took materials use and planning to the next level.

In the past, we have always reviewed show design elements proposed by our general contractor partners to

ensure materials like vinyl or polystyrene were reduced or eliminated. This reactive process, however, creates

complications when designs are made and timelines are tight. To address this in 2013, we worked with freeman

to establish an acceptable materials list, which was created building off the materials evaluation criteria we

established in 2012—focusing on feedstock, reuse, recyclability, and human health. We also focused more on

the end-of-life disposal plan for each material. Vinyl was not included on our acceptable materials list, which

was a big challenge to navigate given the prevalence of vinyl use in the events industry.

This list of acceptable materials was provided to the freeman design team at the onset of the design process, ensuring

no surprises and all proposals were in alignment with Greenbuild material priorities. We were able to eliminate

vinyl from all designs and standard build-outs. Later in the year as new programs were developed and designs

were changed, we could not find non-vinyl solutions for two new items: education lab clear walls and matching

registration signage that would match previously produced acrylic signs. We also were unable to find a cost and

labor effective alternative to vinyl, booth tabletop covers. overall 2013 was a huge step forward for a healthier,

more responsible event. See the Rethinking Materials at Greenbuild 2013 case study for more details on page 43.

Carefully sourced Merchandise. Each and every year, Greenbuild goes to great lengths to ensure the items

we place our logo on represent the Greenbuild mission

(see “Putting Your Logo on Merchandise That Represents

Your Values” case study in our 2012 report). We work

from the onset of our merchandise program to collect

sourcing information and make procurement decisions

with sustainability in mind. In 2013, sourcing conference

bags made from recycled water bottles—collected in

Mississippi and manufactured in North Carolina—was a big

win for supporting recyclables commodity markets and

the domestic economy. Likewise, many of the clothing

items in the Merchandise Store were also made of recycled

PET plastic, while all t-shirts were made from cotton

grown in North Carolina. We purchased as much organic

cotton as possible from our vendor partner, TS Designs,

but supply was limited. This year we were also happy to

introduce a special USGBC cufflink item made in the US.

registration Materials opt-out Program: for the first

time, Greenbuild attendees were asked if they would like

to opt-out of receiving registration materials on-site. By

opting out, attendees agreed to not receive a tote bag or

the printed Education and Expo Hall Guides. This helped us

to reduce the quantity of materials ordered and shipped to

Greenbuild, and provided an additional way for attendees

to take a positive step in greening their Greenbuild experience. In this first year, 1,356 attendees opted out

of receiving a bag and printed materials on-site. See our case study, “Building a Sustainable Registration

Program” for more details.

sustainable onsite Trouble-shootingWindow stick-ons were used to decorate

the exterior of the Pennsylvania

Convention Center and advertise

Greenbuild. Within a few days after

placement, the sustainably sourced

window stick-ons started to prematurely

peel. A quick alternative was needed, and

initially the only viable solution proposed

was vinyl stickers. In response, instead

of creating additional vinyl decals,

freeman came up with an alternative

solution: the content was printed on the

Greenbuild-approved ecoboard material

and fastened it to the inside of the

convention center windows. This solution

met Greenbuild’s aesthetics standards

and was a great sustainable solution to a

tough onsite issue that hadn’t previously

been explored during our initial planning.



sustainable sponsorship bus wraps: Sometimes

a balancing act is required to improve sustainability

and create sponsorship opportunities. In 2013,

Greenbuild was able to sponsor several of its bus

shuttle routes, and wrap busses with sponsored

messaging without compromising our mission

to source sustainable materials. The bus wrap

material used with the help of Transportation

Management Services (TMS) was Avery GP 3401.

The product is manufactured using a PVC-free,

phthalate-free polyolefin, solvent-free emulsion

acrylic adhesive and a kraft (wood-free) paper

liner. The film contains no monomeric plasticizers

and eliminates any halogen-related disposal

concerns. In addition to the eco-friendly material,

an eco-friendly ink, Eco-Sol MAx cartridges, was

used for all banners.

sustainable f&b: Ensuring our attendees

have access to healthy meals, supporting local

economies and reducing greenhouse gas

emissions related to food transportation are

major priorities for every Greenbuild event. 2013

was no exception and an impressive 67% of all

food and beverage items procured for Greenbuild

were grown or distributed from within 100

miles of downtown Philadelphia. Seventy-seven

percent of all f&B sourced was from within 500

miles of the city and on average each pound of

food procured for Greenbuild traveled 461 miles.

That’s roughly the distance between New York

City and Richmond, VA.

The Aramark team, under the direction of

Executive Chef Mike Mantia, faced challenges

related to market competition for local foods.

Many local farms had already promised produce

to other food service establishments. Additionally,

farms with the capacity to meet the quantity

demands of an operation as large as of that at

the PCC are typically located in more remote,

rural locations—inherently adding distance and

extra transportation during the procurement

process. With that said, the Aramark team did an

impressive job and managed to source 41% local

products in addition to organic products that

made up 26% of total food weight.

recycled Content drives Closed loop Markets Recycling is a best practice many event organizers and venues emphasize and implement, but what about purchasing items made from recycled content? This is a critical step in “closing the loop” and ensuring there is a healthy market for recyclable commodities.

To support this market and reduce our use of virgin materials, Greenbuild 2013 featured many items made from recycled materials including:

Conference Bags: Made in North Carolina out of 100% recycled PET plastic water bottles (collected in Mississippi)

education Program and expo Guide: Printed on 100% recycled content paper, certified by the forest Stewardship Council (fSC) with vegetable-based inks

Lanyards: Made of 100% recycled PET

Greenbuild hoodies: Made of 100% recycled PET bottles

ecoboard Signage/Buildout Panels: Cardboard signage substrate made from up to 20% recycled content and fiber-sourcing certified by Sustainable forestry Initiative (SfI)

Banners: Made from 10-20% scrap from Celtic fabric process. All banner material can be returned to the vendors for storage until there is a venue for recycling

Greenbuild works closely with our general services contractor, freeman, to ensure materials used to decorate the show also support recycling industries:

Aisle Carpet: Nylon fibers made from 25% recycled post-consumer content

Booth Carpet: Polypropylene fibers made from 45% post-industrial content

Carpet Padding: Made from 95% recycled cellular foam materials

visqueen (Plastic film): Polyethylene sheeting made from 50% to 70% of post-industrial recycled material

Shrinkwrap: Polyethylene film made from 70% recycled content

Drape: Polyester made from 48% recycled content

Aluminum extrusions: Made from 75% recycled content (50% post industrial and 25% post consumer)

Wooden Countertops: Made from 100% post-industrial recycled wood fibers

PvC Panels/Sheets: Made from 10-15% recycled content

White Table Top vinyl: Made 20-40% recycled content



While the Keynote and Celebration held at the Liacouras Center

was not as successful at procuring certified organic produce

(only 8% of total weight), the catering team achieved an

outstanding 90% locally sourced food and beverage items (94%

regional). The Greenbuild team and Celebration management

vendor, Eventologie, worked closely with the Liacouras catering

group to establish ties with local food purveyors. The celebration

featured grass-fed beef sourced from local Philly Cow Share

(http://www.phillycowshare.com). At both the convention center

and Liacouras Center, all wine served was domestic and all beer

was local, including brands such as Dogfish Head (Milton, DE),

Sly fox (Phoenixville, PA), Tröegs (Hershey, PA) and Yuengling

(Pottsville, PA).

VenueTotal Weight

(lbs)

Total food

Miles (by lb)

Local (by %

of Weight)

Regional (by

% of Weight)

organic (by

% of weight)Avg Miles Per

PCC 28,102 24,864,479 41% 58% 26% 885

Liacouras 30,476 2,133,397 90% 94% 8% 70

ALL 58,578 26,997,876 67% 77% 17% 461

fOr GreeNBUiLD 2013, Aramark

sourced 100% compostable food

and beverage service ware for

all concessions and food events.

everything from coffee stirring

sticks, utensils (and their wrappers!),

sandwich wraps, and coffee cup

lids were ASTM D6400 certified

compostable. This careful sourcing

made a critical difference in our

waste management efforts, enabling

clear and consistent messaging in

the front-of-house: if it came from

the PCC, it was compostable!

The Liacouras Center’s catering department had not previously sourced from

local Philadelphia farms, green market resources or CSA’s. on my final site visit,

I was proud and excited to hear the catering manager exclaim that she had had

such a positive experience working with local farmers and groups like Philly Cow

Share that moving forward, they would be committed to continuing the sourcing

approach they had learned while planning for Greenbuild 2013.

– April Milliken Trigg, Eventologie,

Greenbuild event planning partner for the

Greenbuild Keynote and Celebration





• New material for paper badges tore easily and led to many attendees losing their badges

• Continue to search for a recyclable, non-adhesive paper material that is strong enough to withstand significant wear and tear

• Difficult to completely eliminate vinyl use. Vinyl used for clear plexiglass walls in the Expo Hall Education Labs, booth tabletop covers and new acrylic panels in registration

• Work with freeman earlier in the year to tackle the materials that were not addressed in 2013, searching beyond the meeting industry for solutions

• Caterers, depending on region and time of year, struggle with procuring local food within 100 miles of the host city

• Work on menu selections earlier in the year to revise menus based on procurement constraints and contract with local suppliers before produce is promised to other local outfits

• Some attendees who opted out of registration materials requested bags or printed programs onsite

• Remind attendees of their opt-out selection in multiple locations and print limited number of registration materials (and track distribution) onsite

• The use of compostable materials was necessary for many food service functions due to costs associated with china use and inability to serve china in the expo hall, creating significant amounts of waste

• Work with the facility to prioritize china service and negotiate lower rates for the use of china

• The spiral binding in the education program guide makes it difficult to recycle and adds a potentially unnecessary material to the book

• Explore more sustainable printing options for the education guide that would eliminate the need to separate the two parts before disposal. Consider combining the expo and education guides.



Sourcing show decoration materials offers an array of sustainability challenges to any show organizer trying to

manage all materials from 20x20 build-outs to podium signs. our sustainability program has always included

a thorough review of show decoration materials, a longstanding ban on foamcore, and recycled content and

recyclability priorities. The Greenbuild team chose to prioritize materials in 2013 by focusing on both the design

process and our use of vinyl. Considering the amount of vinyl typically used at conferences, from banners to

build-outs, vinyl is a persistent challenge for the tradeshow industry. After reviewing the possibilities and

budget implications with our general service contractor, freeman, we opted to strive for the following show

decoration and materials goals:

• Catalog all signs and build-outs used at Greenbuild to create a Materials Inventory

• Collect sustainability and sourcing information for all new show materials

• Eliminate vinyl from use in new materials

• Require complete information on material and disposal plans during the design phase of show décor

• Track disposal/reuse plan and quantities for all small signage

Each of these goals improved upon our previous best practices in show decorations. Ground work set through

work on these issues in previous years made some issues easier to tackle. our most important move was

considering our goals and starting the planning process early in the year, prior to the design phase.

ProCess ChaNGe

in order to achieve these goals, we needed to change the Greenbuild show decoration planning process:

Before

1. The Greenbuild look of show was proposed, using materials from the previous show. The designers proposed

beautiful designs; we loved them!

2. After designs were approved, products were sourced to build the show. Material proposals were supported

with detailed material specification information in a materials tracking spreadsheet.

3. The sustainability team reviewed material specification information, highlight any problem materials, and

help look for alternative materials. Sometimes we found alternatives, sometimes we were unable to.

The problem: We were trying to source better materials after the designs had been approved. We were

swimming upstream.

Case sTUdy

rethinking Materials at Greenbuild 2013: Material inventory, vinyl and Challenges By Erin Knight and Jenny Niemann

Case sTUdy


The New sysTeM

We took a cue from the LEED rating system, and looked to use integrated design we needed to consider

material sourcing and disposal streams from the design phase, to avoid pitting beautiful designs against

sustainable sourcing considerations.

1. Before the design phase began, we held a sustainability meeting with our freeman partners to set goals

and confirm priorities. In order to eliminate vinyl, we had to address it early on. Greenbuild introduced a

sustainable materials criteria to the freeman team to clarify our goals. We agreed that we would avoid

introducing any new build-outs that had any acrylic, PVC or other vinyl elements: by clarifying our priorities

before designs had even begun, we exponentially increased our chances of success.

2. our freeman leads relayed our goals to their designers. The designers designed only decorations and build-

outs that could be made without these materials.

3. freeman sent a proposed materials list to Greenbuild staff for review and approval prior to designs being

proposed. All designs that were sent to the Greenbuild team were required to list all materials that would be

incorporated. Each material listed must have been incorporated into the approved materials list.

4. When the designs were delivered, all new designs for planned build-outs were introduced without curved

or see-through panels. All larger banners, which were typically created from vinyl because of its durability,

were instead created using EcoCeltic cloth, a replacement material that had been researched, proofed and

approved.

5. By rearranging where we incorporated sustainability considerations into the design process, we designed

for sustainability, instead of integrating sustainability into existing designs. We ended up with a more

streamlined process and sustainable designs we could be confident in.

aChieveMeNTs

By rearranging where we incorporated sustainability considerations into the design process, we designed for

sustainability, instead of integrating sustainability into existing designs. We ended up with designs we could be

confident in their sustainability features. We were able to meet all of the goals we set with the freeman team

with the exception of eliminating use in new materials.

early Design: all new designs for planned build-outs were introduced without curved PVC panels or see-

through acrylic panels.

Banner solutions: All banners, which were typically created from vinyl because of its durability, were instead

created using EcoCeltic cloth, a replacement whose sourcing had been researched and approved, as well as

proofed.

Improved materials inventory and materials tracking: for the show materials, we began with a first draft of

a materials list from freeman in April. for the next several months, we worked through multiple iterations of

this list, in order to determine what materials we would use, what could only be designated for reuse and what

would be eliminated. While some items were eliminated, or were designated “do not use” as they had been

previously, the material we saw had the most potential for elimination was the use of different types of vinyl.

ChalleNGes

There were several challenges we faced when optimizing materials.

Case sTUdy


Existing build-outs: we struggled with the idea of whether it was better to create a brand new material, or

use an existing material that wasn’t considered sustainable. Several factors were considered during decision-

making. There are obvious budget implications to creating any new material. We also considered that previously

created vinyl was already in existence, and should be reused instead of recycled: (previously existing vinyl at

the show is recyclable). Ultimately, we opted to reuse existing vinyl instead of creating a large amount of new

materials.

Look of show continuity: there were a few instances onsite where we had a redesign to an existing show look

that required creating new vinyl in order to maintain continuity. our inventory contained acrylic signs used in

registration area, which were planned for reuse. Renaming some registration areas in 2014 necessitated the

creation of new signs; to match the look of existing signs and avoid creating the entire stock of registration

signs, these signs were created out of acrylic.

UNable To fiNd reasoNable alTerNaTive

• We introduced several Education Labs at Greenbuild 2013. These labs were originally proposed with

transparent walls as a key feature. We explored a few alternate options to acrylic but none were cost-effective,

so we made the decision to produce these designs using acrylic panels that are part of freeman’s standard

inventory: we were happy to avoid the creation of new material through freeman’s rotating inventory, a great

source for reusable structures that will be used many times in their lifecycle. We will look to avoid the acrylic

walls in the future if possible.

• one potential area for a large impact was finding a reasonable alternative for the ubiquitous vinyl tabletop

covers. These tabletop covers are used by exhibit booths and multiple other locations throughout the show.

They are neither reusable nor recyclable in all cities, creating a large amount of waste and an easy target.

After months of research, freeman’s procurement team proposed five alternatives. After careful review, we

found a flaw in each alternative, whether in appearance, durability or high financial cost. We decided the

vinyl tabletops were the most reasonable solution in terms of cost, look and labor considerations. We are

continuing to search for a practical alternative to vinyl tabletops, and hope to find an innovation solution

within the industry.

lessoNs learNed

• Curved panels: most show build-outs are made of reusable aluminum structural supports and either cardboard

or PVC panels. The Greenbuild team asked for all build-outs to be made using only eco-board. What we

didn’t know: curved build-outs and their panels could only be made using PVC. freeman informed us of this

limitation, and we agreed to remove curved structures from the show. The designers then incorporated this

specification into their plans and all Greenbuild build-outs were straight structures using PVC. once we knew

about the material limitation, we were able to adapt and design to it.

• Priority lessons: Through sustainability planning conversations with freeman, we learned the importance of

communicating our priorities. Because of Greenbuild’s historical focus on waste management, freeman had

prioritized recyclability for our banners. This necessitated an important conversation about vinyl reduction

among the team: because the vinyl banners previously used are easier to recycle than fabric banners,

Greenbuild was now putting vinyl reduction ahead of recyclability. It was critical for all parties to recognize

this priority so we come move forward together.

Case sTUdy


resUlTs

While our goal was initially to eliminate new

vinyl materials from the show, we were very

proud of our successes on our materials

inventory, revisiting the design process, and

reducing the use of vinyl at Greenbuild 2013.

Most importantly, we prioritized sustainability

during all decision-making regarding materials,

involving all stakeholders, considering multiple

alternatives, and weighing the materials, reuse

and financial implications. We were proud to

partner with the freeman procurement team

and learned a lot from their exhaustive search

to find alternatives. We hope to continue to

work with freeman and other partners to

find viable alternatives, introduce them at

our shows and then work with our partner

vendors to spread innovations to their other

clients. This is an important step in influencing

the industry to seek out more sustainable and

healthy alternatives, until they’re no longer the

alternatives but the norm.


The registration process is one of the more visible

components of Greenbuild: every attendee goes

through registration upon arrival at the show. Each

year, we look to find new ways to make the process as

sustainable as possible. There are a few areas where

the conference is consistently sustainable every year:

• The actual process of registering is completely

paperless. The system is not set up to allow for

forms to be faxed or mailed in.

• No registration materials are sent through the mail.

Conference bag opt-in

During the registration process attendees who

qualified for the conference bag were asked to opt in

to receive one. The conference bag is the only material

the conference distributes onsite from registration

and includes the education program and expo guide,

both of which are printed with 100% recycled content

paper, sustainability forested paper; sustainable inks.

The bag itself is made of 100% recycled plastic bottles

which were collected in Mississippi and wholly made in

the United States. To minimize waste no unnecessary

information is provided in the bag. This year a book

was also provided in the bag.

By asking in advance if an attendee wanted a bag, it

was the hope there would be more accuracy when

ordering the bag materials. The unexpected challenge

with this was the date for ordering the specialized

paper and the conference bag was earlier in the

planning process than anticipated. This required some

guess work in determining how many attendees who

registered after the date the materials were ordered

would opt-in to receive a bag. Having no history

on these numbers, the method used to determine

this used was to create a trend based on the opt-in

numbers at the time. This strategy did prove successful

as the number of materials left over at the close of the

conference was significantly lower than in the past.

registration badge

A major goal for registration at Greenbuild 2013 was

to no longer use badge holders for the conference

credentials. While the show was successful in

achieving this goal, the badge stock material that was

used was not able to be recycled, and had to go into

the general waste stream. The goal for Greenbuild

2013 was to improve on the materials used and to

be able to source badge stock that could go into the

recycle stream at the show. This goal was able to be

achieved; however, the paper stock that was sourced

was not durable enough to withstand even one day’s

use before it ripped. In addition to the implications

around using even more paper to replace the ripped

badges, this also created some logistical trouble

in the registration area as attendees were often

returning to registration to request a new badge. The

revised goal for Greenbuild 2014 is to find a better

middle ground between unrecyclable stock and stock

made of durable materials that are able to go into the

recycling stream.

other sustainability registration highlights

• The lanyards provided to all attendees with the

name badges were made of 100% recycled content

• The actual build outs for the registration required

no electricity. In past they had been constructed

with lights in them

• Less laptop computers were used in the onsite

registration process, decreasing energy use

Case sTUdy

building a sustainable registration ProgramBy Jessica Pinkston

Case sTUdy


iMProve PerforMaNCe TraCkiNG

To quantify our performance and monitor improvement overtime, we track hundreds of sustainability indicators for Greenbuild each year around venue energy and water use, freight weight and fuel, printed graphics, material use, food and beverage and waste diversion. Greenbuild sustainability KPIs are listed in the table on page 8.

In 2013, we continued to reduce and refine tracked metrics, focusing on those that help guide planning decisions, show the results of our yearly goals, and are used to calculate carbon emissions. This year we made great strides in the area of materials tracking and also strengthened our event carbon footprint calculation, which is an evolving science without an industry standard to reference.


Reduce unnecessary tracked metrics

where possible Details below

Simplify tracked metrics where possible Details below

Improve the tracking of exhibitor

sustainability performance Improved the functionality and convenience of GMEGG Survey

Improve the tracking of vendor partner

sustainability goals Emphasized vendor goals through improved Vendor Sustainability Plan documents

Improve report data collection process Began outlining report content in early fall


• Work with venue to track waste generation and diversion, water consumption, and energy consumption that can be attributed to the event

• Track % of ENERGY STAR certified equipment used by AV provider

• Communicate tracking needs well in advance of event to allow for discussion and problem solving around limitations




2013 ProGress

Materials inventory. All show decoration materials currently in the Greenbuild inventory and provided through

the General Services Contractor were documented. This inventory helped us to better understand the extent

of Greenbuild show materials and how each item was used. As a result of reviewing the inventory, we could

evaluate our options for reuse and reinforce the prioritization of non-themed build-outs during the design

phase. This process also shed light on the materials in our inventory that contained vinyl, and fueled the

decision to keep existing vinyl pieces while limiting the production of new materials containing vinyl. Better

understanding of our existing materials inventory played an important role in design and production decisions

for new materials this year. for each material, the following pieces of information were tracked:

• Item

• Material specifications

• % recycled content

• Disposal stream capability

• Disposal stream in practice

• onsite disposal plan

• Third-party certifications

• Method of reuse

• other environmental benefits

• Cost impact

simplified Tracking. Tracking event-specific impact data is difficult because it falls outside of the routine

for many venues, caterers, and vendors. Another challenge is the lack of standard industry measurement

boundaries and calculation methodologies. Each year, Greenbuild reviews its tracking mechanisms and

reporting indicators to ensure we are simplifying the process as much as possible and limiting the indicators

we track to those that help us monitor performance or guide decision making. As a “first mover” and leading

organization in this space, we also try to make our boundaries and calculations as transparent as possible.

In 2013, we tweaked and improved almost every tracking sheet tool we use covering energy consumption,

waste diversion, AV equipment sourcing, f&B sourcing, and more. In 2014, we will further evolve our tracking

tools for continuous improvement. for reported indicators, we evaluated our historical tracking table (see page

30) and decided to remove out-of-date or vague indicators such as Hotels With Linen Reuse Program (%) or

Total food Miles, as examples. We also added indicators that provided additional context. for example, we

have historically reported our Total Waste Diversion (%) for each Greenbuild, but in 2013 added the indicator

Center Waste Diversion over Baseline (%), as this figure really shows the results of our 5-month-long planning

process and revamping of the convention center’s waste infrastructure and collection process. other newly

added or modified metrics include Hotels Within Walking Distance (1 mile), AV - ENERGY STAR (% of Laptops,

Projectors, Monitors), LEED-Certified facility Partners (#).

Calculating hotel Carbon emissions. In 2012, we identified that lodging (attendee, vendor and Greenbuild

staff) accounted for 73% of on-site GHG emissions. We work carefully to collect sustainability best practices

information from each hotel and in 2012 began requesting carbon footprint data using the Hotel Carbon

Measurement Initiative (HCMI) industry standard calculation. Awareness and uptake of this standard is still

building within the industry. While we worked with properties and provided them with a calculation tool,

developed by Greenview, we still experienced challenges getting responses from all properties. To fill those

gaps we utilized the newly released Hotel Sustainability Benchmarking (HSB) Study working paper published

by the Cornell University School of Hotel Administration.

what’s the Carbon footprint of a hotel room Night?

Even organizers can utilize the newly published Hotel Sustainability

Benchmarking (HSB) Study working paper, by the Cornell University

School of Hotel Administration, to find out what the average carbon

footprint of a hotel room night is in major cities across the US. View

the paper for free by registering here: http://www.hotelschool.cornell.

edu/industry/centers/cref/publications/working/2014.html





• Tracking material specifications and sustainable attributes for merchandise items

• Improve internal tracking sheet and process for collecting this information and using it for attendee engagement

• Difficult to gather data and stories from whole year each winter when our sights are set on the next event

• Develop year-round reporting process, building our story over time and using the reporting process as another tracking tool to ensure progress is being made toward goals

• for tracking, the convention center can receive more attention than other special event venues

• Prioritize the communication of tracking goals earlier in the year to ensure special event venues understand all requirements

• Need to focus on improving green cleaning product procurement data collection

• opportunities to select key initiatives and work very closely with venues and partners to create long-term change

• few industry standards exist on the boundary and methodology of calculating the carbon footprint of an event

• Work with freeman to develop a way to better estimate exhibitor freight, which represents a significant portion of the event carbon footprint

• Making direct comparisons from one center or city to another is extremely difficult

• Use tracking process as means to increase awareness and enhance tracking capabilities at each center

• Accurately measuring waste diversion is complicated when multiple haulers and streams are involved and changes to the waste plan are made onsite.

• Create emphasis on pre-event measurement plan to avoid time-consuming work post-event

• Many hotels did not provide carbon footprint data using the HCMI calculation.

• Provide more outreach pre-show to help hotel contracts understand the request and calculation process




redUCe GreeNhoUseGas eMissioNsCity-wide conferences and exhibitions produce significant greenhouse gas emissions, from high energy use at the convention center and special event venues to big carbon footprints associated with thousands of attendee flights. The Greenbuild team works to reduce the amount of energy used by venue and hotel properties, shuttle and ground transportation, and AV equipment. Then, we offset 100% our emissions through the purchase of

Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) and carbon offsets to mitigate the impact of unavoidable emissions.


Implement comprehensive onsite

energy conservation and shut-down

plan for laptops and screens in public

spaces and all meeting room audio

visual equipment

Pre-show shut-down plans developed and implemented onsite by USGBC technology team and AV provider, PRG.

Eliminate lighting elements in

registration build out designHowever, we experienced lighting issues in registration due to inadequate space lighting.

Utilize shuttle busses that utilize either

efficient automotive technology or

alternative fuels

Collect information from exhibitors on

booth shipping distances and offsets.Improved GMEGG Survey and additional questions on shipping.

Source 100% ENERGY STAR rated

equipment for concurrent session

rooms

All laptops and projectors sourced by PRG were ENERGY-STAR rated.


• offset 100% of show emissions

• Maximize the number of hotels within walking distance of convention center

• Communicate walking directions to the Convention Center to attendees in lobbies of all hotels within walking distance

• Partner with a transportation management company that offsets shuttle-related carbon emissions

• Encourage exhibitors through GMEGG to consolidate shipments and use a transport provider who is EPA SmartWay registered

Previously, Greenbuild registration counters were illuminated

by built-in lighting fixtures; too often, these counters were

overlooked during nightly shut downs. We decided to solve

this operational complexity by eliminating the lighting entirely;

the lighting and resultant energy use wasn’t necessary to

achieve the desired look of show.

Eliminating lighting from registration counters not only

reduced our energy consumption, but reduced costs and

planning hassles around additional electrical drops and

set-up coordination. The resulting simplified registration

buildouts further decreased our material use for an all around

sustainability and bottom-line win.

– Kate Hurst, Director, Greenbuild Conference and Events

Beginning Jan 1, 2014, the Pennsylvania Convention Center will be powered by 25% renewable energy,

including wind power.



2013 ProGress In 2013, we worked closely with our AV partners to reduce GHG emissions by prioritizing local equipment

rentals, sourcing energy efficient equipment, and ensuring power-down best practices were executed onsite.

local av. In 2013, PRG provided AV in all standard education breakout rooms, special set rooms, and master

series sessions. To meet their equipment needs, they were able to locally source 93% of all sub rentals that

they did not have available though their regional Chicago warehouse. The only items not sourced locally were

specialty items not available in Philadelphia. MagicWig also had local rental success when producing the

Greenbuild Keynote and Celebration: all audio equipment was rented locally and delivered in one consolidated

truck shipment. All projectors and screens were also locally rented from a single vendor to reduce transportation

emissions.

Set design also stayed local: all scenic elements used by MagicWig in the plenary stage design, including

background sets, drape, truss and rigging, stage and marley floor, and podiums, were chosen because they

were available from local companies as part of their existing stock. one of the Greenbuild special sets was

designed around the use of a dance floor rented from the PCC to avoid shipping similar materials from an

outside vendor.

eNerGy sTar allstars. In 2013, we made sourcing energy-efficient AV equipment a priority, and our vendor partners

were extremely committed to helping us meet the challenge. As a result, 100% of laptops and monitors provided

by PRG were ENERGY STAR rated. Due to one projector not being rated, 60% (by wattage) of all PRG-provided

projectors, monitors and laptops were ENERGY STAR rated items. Similarly, all laptops used by CompuSystems

for registration were ENERGY STAR rated. PRG’s efforts extended beyond just Greenbuild, as the company moved

forward with strategic capital investments and using energy efficiency as a procurement guide.

Due to the specialized nature of the equipment MagicWig provided for the Keynote and Celebration event,

ENERGY STAR rated equipment was not an option. However, efficient LED lighting was used whenever

possible during the Keynote and Celebration and for all pre-event interview setups. Additionally, the latest

and most energy efficient digital mixers available on the market were used at Greenbuild and for all MagicWig

productions. Understanding this distinction between standard AV equipment like “projectors, monitors and

laptops” and other “specialized AV equipment” helped refine our tracking for 2013 and going forward.

As per the results shown in the table below, 37% (by wattage) of all tracked Av equipment was energy-

efficient and 7% was eNerGy STAr rated.

veNDOr CATeGOryToTal

waTTaGe

eNerGy

effiCieNT

(waTTaGe)

eNerGy

sTar

(waTTaGe)

eNerGy

effiCieNT

(%)

eNerGy

sTar (%)

Magic wigProjectors, Monitors, Laptops - - - 0% 0%

Specialized AV Equipment 273,546 69,696 - 25% 0%

Sub-Total 273,546 69,696 - 25% 0%

PrGProjectors, Monitors, Laptops 36,821 36,821 22,271 100% 60%


Sub-Total 52,041 52,041 22,271 100% 43%

all vendors

Total

Projectors, Monitors, Laptops 36,821 36,821 22,271 100% 60%


all equipment Total 325,587 121,737 22,271 37% 7%



Power-down Plan. Building off progress in 2012, fully powering down Greenbuild required participation by

USGBC staff, AV providers and our registration partner. As their part of the plan, PRG set automatic timers on

all laptops in the Cyber Café’s and for the Video Wall to shut down each night at 7PM and restart at 6AM. All

projectors and laptops were turned off and removed each night from each meeting room to reduce electricity

consumption. To ensure the plan was executed onsite, PRG team leads walked the rooms to make sure all

mixers were powered off as well.

To support the plan, USGBC technology leads implemented a nightly shutdown of all computer kiosks

and screens in the Greenbuild public spaces. We improved on our existing energy conservation practices

by documenting our shutdown plan and ensuring all parties were aware of their responsibilities. A planning

meeting, with internal stakeholders, helped us better understand AV use at Greenbuild and ensure that all

necessary shutdowns occurred. A small amount of pre-show planning made onsite implementation easier and

more effective.



• Greenbuild had to source hotels that were not in walking distance of the Convention Center, as some downtown hotels would not agree to the Greenbuild sustainability contract language

• When selecting hotels located further away from the Convention Center, prioritize hotels that are accessible via public transportation or are clustered with other hotels in the block, to reduce miles travelled by hotel shuttle busses

• Availability of shuttle busses that utilize either efficient automotive technology or alternative fuels

• Encourage and collaborate with transportation vendors and CVB partners to research sustainable alternatives to spur improvement within the destination city

• Attendee travel can sometimes distract the conversation from variables that can be reduced and controlled

• focus on venue and hotel emissions and attendee travel within the host city

• The venue lighting in the Great Hall was not adequate for registration during evening hours

• Make sure venue lighting is considered during future registration planning discussions

• Electricity use by exhibitors remains high, and many displays and lights are left on while the hall is closed.

• Increase pre-show and on-site communication to exhibitors regarding energy use and daily shut downs.



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offsetting Greenbuild’s Carbon footprintGreenbuild is a carbon neutral event. This means we work to reduce the amount of energy used to produce

the event and offset 100% of the remaining emissions.

Going Carbon Neutral

Carbon neutrality or a net zero carbon footprint refers to the action of balancing the carbon footprint associated with an activity with an equivalent value of emissions reduced elsewhere. In layman’s terms this means you can offset the emissions related to your event by preventing emissions that would otherwise happen somewhere else. for example, your CEo might have no choice but to fly to your annual conference to give the keynote speech. So she flies, and to neutralize the emissions associated with her flight you purchase carbon offsets that go to support the development of a wind farm project in Scotland. Now the people of Scotland have access to renewable wind power to heat their homes, which can reduce the burning of fossil fuels and their associated carbon emissions.

It is important to recognize that claiming a carbon neutral event is subjective as the boundaries for each event can be defined differently based on stakeholder and organizational interests.

Carbon footprinting and offsetting can seem like a complicated exercise, but there are many tools and providers in the market to support you, and offsetting is a significant and credible way to mitigate the environmental impacts of your event.

here’s how Greenbuild went carbon-neutral in 2013:

1. reduce Carbon emitted

To go carbon neutral, savvy event organizers first work to reduce

the total carbon emissions wherever possible. Greenbuild reduces

its event carbon footprint in a number of ways, including:

• Choosing destination cities that have low impact or sustainable transport options2 between the convention center area and the airport

• Selecting hotel partners in close proximity to the convention center, enabling attendees to walk to the center. Walking route directions are provided in each hotel lobby and a “shoe check” service is available. Shuttle busses are only used for non-walkable hotels (defined as located greater than 1 mile from the center) and are minimized for the tours program.

• Utilizing LEED-certified venues, such as the Pennsylvania Convention Center, which are practicing energy conservation techniques and purchasing renewable energy (which is already carbon-free!)

• Partnering with suppliers with carbon offsetting programs in place, such as our transportation partner, TMS, who offsets emissions related to shuttle fuel use for Greenbuild.

• Promoting lower-impact transportation options to attendees when they travel to and within the destination city by providing information on public transportation systems and walking routes.

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What’s a Carbon footprint?

A carbon footprint measures the total greenhouse gas emissions caused directly and indirectly by a person, organization, event or product.

A carbon footprint is measured in tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCo2e). The carbon dioxide equivalent (Co2e) allows the different greenhouse gases to be compared on a like-for-like basis relative to one unit of Co2. Co2e is calculated by multiplying the emissions of each of the six greenhouse gases by its 100 year global warming potential (GWP).

A carbon footprint considers all six of the Kyoto Protocol greenhouse gases: Carbon dioxide (Co2), Methane (CH4), Nitrous oxide (N2o), Hydrofluorocarbons (HfCs), Perfluorocarbons (PfCs) and Sulphur hexafluoride (Sf6). 1

1 Source: Carbon Trust2 Examples include public transportation (subway, tram) and/or alternative fuel or fuel-efficient public bus options.


2. Measure your footprint

There are some components of producing events

that create a significant amount of carbon emissions

that unfortunately cannot be avoided. Primarily these

emissions are derived from participant travel and

exhibitor and vendor freight.

As an event organizer, the exercise of measuring your

carbon footprint can be very simple, with the help of

third-party calculators and websites (e.g., Terrapass’s

event and conference carbon calculator) or rather

complicated depending on the boundary of your

measurement and desired accuracy.

Greenbuild collects electricity and fuel data from the

convention center, hotel partners, and vendors, as

well as attendee travel data through the registration

system. Each activity, such as the shipping of show

management decorations or heating the convention

center, is tracked. The fuel type and usage for each

of these activities is then converted into a carbon-

dioxide gas equivalent and added to the carbon

footprint of the event. Several Greenbuild vendors,

exhibitors and attendees already offset their carbon

emissions through purchasing offsets—welcome

support of our carbon neutral effort!

To measure the carbon footprint of the event,

boundaries must be defined for what activities will

and will not be included in your measurements. our

daily activities contribute to GHG emissions in some

form or another. Simply breathing or building a fire in

your home releases carbon into the atmosphere, so

deciding where to draw the line around your footprint

can get tricky. Some activities may generate little

carbon, but are time consuming to calculate. Including

such activities in your footprint boundary might not

be effective and efficient. As an event organizer, you

are busy! Keep it simple when getting started!

Currently, there is not an accepted industry standard

of measurement for event carbon footprints. We

work to calculate our carbon footprint as accurately

as possible and disclose our methodology, which can

be found in Appendix C.

3. Select Offsets

After measuring your event emissions, the next step

is to offset your carbon emissions, by first selecting

the type of offset to purchase, and then the types of

projects to support.

Offset Types

Not all offsets are created equal. An important

consideration when choosing projects is how you can

leave a positive legacy in the region in which your

event produces a localized footprint.

for example, Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs)

represent specific units of energy produced through

renewable energy sources and can aid in the reduction

of carbon emissions through indirect carbon offsets.

Purchasing RECs supports renewable energy

producers and helps drive demand for alternatives

to fossil fuels. Investing in renewable energy projects

also drives demand for renewable energy, however,

the added benefit of RECs is that the purchaser,

the event venue for example, can access the energy

directly from the grid. often times the buyer can even

select RECs based on the location of the renewable

generator. In this way, RECs can be one of the more

localized ways to offset carbon emissions.

Offset Projects

offsetting is most commonly achieved through

financial support of projects that reduce the

emissions of greenhouse gases in the short or long

term. Carbon offsetting projects can range in scope,

size and complexity but generally fall into broad the

categories of renewable energy, methane abatement,

energy efficiency, ozone depleting substance (oDS)

gas destruction, and forestry conservation and

reforestation3. More experienced offsetters may

be selective in the projects they support to create

alignment with their organization’s core values or

other sustainability initiatives.

3 for more information see the State of Voluntary Carbon Markets 2013: http://www.forest-trends.org/documents/files/doc_3898.pdf

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what is a Carbon offset? A carbon offset refers to an activity that neutralizes or reduces the emission of carbon dioxide. The resulting

reduced emissions from that activity offset the emissions created by activities related to event production.


A combination of reCs and carbon offsets were purchased to offset Greenbuild 2013 emissions:

• Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) were purchased from nationwide 100% wind sources.

• Greater Lebanon Refuse Authority | Lebanon, Pennsylvania

This project mitigates climate change by reducing the amount of greenhouse gases (methane) that

would otherwise be released from the landfill. The methane is captured and destroyed by combustion

in generators or in an enclosed flare. Greenbuild specifically chose this offset project due to its close

location to the conference.

• LP Gill Landfill | Jackson, Nebraska

The LP Gill Landfill is a family owned and operated landfill. This landfill-gas-capture project captures

methane and sells the biogas to the ethanol plant next door. The plant is then able to reduce its need

for natural gas. Additionally, the project reduces emissions of volatile organic compounds from the

landfill and prevents odor in surrounding areas.

4. Purchase Offsets

So how do you actually purchase an offset? As mentioned above, there are ways to work with your venue

partner so that they are purchasing renewable energy that does not require offsetting or purchasing RECs.

The simplest way for an event organizer to offset, however, is by working with a carbon offset partner and

investing in a portfolio of certified carbon reduction projects that are managed by the company.

Greenbuild works with Terrapass, the Greenbuild Carbon Neutral Sponsor, to assist in the investment and

purchasing of carbon offset projects. Launched in 2004, TerraPass Inc. works with developers of greenhouse

gas reduction projects and renewable energy to bring to market verified carbon credits and RECs. All of

TerraPass’ projects are Verified by the Climate Action Reserve (CAR) or the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS).

Additionally, a number of TerraPass offsets are Green-e Climate certified, and all RECS are Green-e Energy

certified.

5. Celebrate your Achievement

Thoughtful carbon management and offsetting strategies are an effective way for event organizers to mitigate

the environmental impacts of their events. The work involved in establishing a carbon neutral event is no small

feat: it takes time, budget, dedication and a basic understanding of the complex nature of carbon emissions.

Greenbuild chooses to be a carbon neutral event not only to align with our organizational values, but because

achieving carbon neutrality provides an opportunity to build awareness about our impacts, encourage this

best practice within the industry, and help our venue and vendor partners understand how they can contribute

and support our efforts.

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PosiTively iMPaCTiNG CoMMUNiTiesGreenbuild is carefully planned and designed each year to provide attendees with an educational and inspiring onsite experience. The event may only last days, but attendees continue to benefit from the connections and ideas generated at Greenbuild long after they’ve returned home. Likewise, we want to ensure that a lasting impact is made on our volunteers, exhibitors, vendors, venues, hotels and the host city as a whole. Each year, Greenbuild aims to leave each destination community stronger than when we arrived, and a more sustainable event destination for other leading meetings and events. Through careful sourcing, we also look to support the

local communities that play an important role in making Greenbuild possible.


Sponsor one or more legacy projects to

leave a social and environmental impact

in the local community

Youth-built “Adventure Playground” at Smith’s historic facility in East fairmount Park.

Provide scholarships to students,

emerging professionals, faith leaders,

community developers and non-

traditional professionals

Scholarships were awarded to 50 individuals from under-represented groups who demonstrated the drive to push the USGBC vision forward in their community.

Increase connections between the local

USGBC Chapter, the Delaware Valley

Green Building Council, and the local

hospitality community

The Greening Committee of the DVGBC Host Committee reached out to the Philadelphia hotel community to provide green building resources and support complying with Philadelphia’s new energy and water benchmarking ordinance.

Ensure leftover food from the

conference is donated to non-profit

groups who help fight hunger in

Philadelphia

Catalyzed the implementation of a food donation program by Aramark at the Pennsylvania Convention Center (where it was not a standard practice) and the Liacouras Center


• Provide reusable items to local, non-profit groups through an Exhibitor Donation Program and the donation of show management materials

• Select and complete a local legacy project in partnership with the Host Committee to leave a legacy of positive social and environmental change




2013 ProGress

supporting the local hospitality Community. The Delaware Valley Green Building Council (DVGBC) Greening

Committee engaged with Greenbuild hotels to help the hospitality community evaluate and improve their

sustainability performance. The Committee’s primary focus was to provide resources related to Philadelphia’s

new Utility Benchmarking ordinance and assist hotels with the law’s mandatory compliance, which went

into effect in the fall of 2013. The Committee reached out to all Greenbuild hotels in an attempt to provide

assistance in implementing sustainable operations practices by reviewing current practices, identifying gaps

and areas for improvement. This exercise helped hotels to comply with both Greenbuild sustainability contract

language compliance and the benchmarking ordinance. The committee hoped that by providing this expertise

and assistance, it could also connect the hotel operations staff to the local green building community. DVGBC

hosted a workshop to train hotel staff on the benchmarking requirements, helping 12 participating hotels set up

their buildings in the ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager system and report their data to the City of Philadelphia.

DVGBC hosted a workshop to train hotel staff on Philadelphia’s new Utility Benchmarking Ordinance requirements, helping 12 participating hotels set up their buildings in the ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager system and report their data to the City of Philadelphia.

fostering local relationships. Throughout the planning process, Greenbuild and its vendors worked closely

with the PCC and the Liacouras Center to find Philadelphia-based suppliers that could support sustainable

venue operations during Greenbuild and beyond. At the Liacouras Center, the catering team was exposed to

new local vendors, such as Philly Cow Share, and indicated a desire to continue and expand relationships with

local food purveyors. At the PCC, as a result of extensive waste management pre-planning, the PCC was able to

connect with local businesses that could divert and make use of leftover show materials. Revolution Recovery

took all carpet, carpet padding, and bulk debris waste to their facility, where they are able to recover up to

78% of materials from landfill. In addition, a new plastics recycling company, Shwrapit, accepted typically non-

recyclable plastic films and domestically processed them into useful plastic resin. The Exhibit Hall donation

program led to new connections with local organizations that could help expand the life of usable materials:

Habitat for Humantiy was a new recipient of goods from the PCC. The donation program also helped strengthen

the PCC’s existing relationship with the Mercy Vocational High School, by initiating the donation of materials

for classroom use.

Nurturing the Community. When it comes to food and beverage we work hard with our catering partners

to ensure all single-use service ware is compostable and that we’re sourcing as many local ingredients as

possible. While both these practices impact local economies and communities, it is very important to us that

any salvageable food from Greenbuild goes to those in need. for the Keynote and Celebration at Liacouras

Center, we worked with Philabundance (http://www.philabundance.org/) to distribute unused food to their

network of Philadelphia shelters. At the Convention Center, Aramark partnered with the Philadelphia Veterans

Multi Service Center (http://www.pvmsec.org). Almost 5,000 lbs of food were donated by the PCC as a result

of the Greenbuild event and it is our hope that both catering organizations will continue this sustainable event

best practice going forward.



smith Memorial Playground. The Smith Memorial Playground and Public Workshop partnered on the 2013

Greenbuild Legacy Project to create a youth-built “Adventure Playground” at Smith’s historic facility in East

fairmount Park. Working together, the two organizations convened hundreds of youth from the Philadelphia

area to design and build a new “Adventure Playground” in an underused space on Smith’s 6.5-acre site. See

the case study “Leaving a Legacy” on page 60 for more details.

Creating access to the built Community.Each year, we strive to make the Greenbuild experience accessible to the broader community, ensuring that Greenbuild creates a welcoming environment for all and that those in need of financial assistance are provided opportunities and access.

for students and professionals under 25 years of age, we manage a full volunteer program offering over 500 participants full access to Greenbuild in return for eight hours of volunteer work. for the fourth year, Greenbuild and freeman worked to recruit volunteers from YouthBuild, a national non-profit assisting young men and women pursuing their high school diploma or GED who also wish to gain skills in the building and construction industries. In 2013, about 50 volunteers participated in the program.

The USGBC Greenbuild Scholarship Program provides all-inclusive trips to Greenbuild to individuals entering into the green building industry. In 2013, scholarships were awarded to 50 individuals from under-represented groups, who demonstrated the drive to push the USGBC vision forward in their community. Greenbuild is the ideal setting for those new to the green building industry to learn from green building experts, discover innovative technologies and companies that are transforming the industry, and to form worthwhile relationships within the green building movement.

Greenbuild also provides attendees who work for non-profit organizations discounted access to the Expo Hall and the Affordable Housing Summit.

Last, but certainly not least, the Second Annual Women in Green Power Breakfast was a wonderful success, saluting the women in our industry who have emerged as great sustainability leaders and their legacy in shaping the green economy. It provided the opportunity for women in the green building industry to connect with new leaders in the movement and create relationships that encourage, inspire, mentor and motivate. The theme and focus for the breakfast this year was a discussion around human health, and the role that woman play in human health and the built environment. To ensure women from across the industry have access to these critical conversations, 122 free passes were provided to emerging community members.



• The Legacy Project has a low on-site presence at Greenbuild; attendee awareness of the project may be low

• Increase awareness of the Legacy Project through more targeted communication and reinforcing the connections to other Greenbuild programs and groups

• The Greening Committee was unable to engage with some hotels on benchmarking and sustainability practices

• Attempt to engage hotels through multiple avenues and contacts, while improving communication of the goals of the Committee



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leaving a legacy

Each year, Greenbuild partners with the USGBC Host Chapter to sponsor a legacy project that leaves a positive,

permanent mark on the community that hosts our week-long gathering. Legacy projects are carefully selected

to address identified needs within the community while promoting sustainability.

Smith Memorial Playground and Public Workshop partnered on the 2013 Greenbuild Legacy Project to create

a youth-built “Adventure Playground” at Smith’s historic facility in East fairmount Park. Visited by a diverse

audience of over 180,000 people per year, this project will challenge commonly held conceptions of risk, play,

sustainability education and the role that young adults play in the design of their cities.

The project unites Public Workshop’s visionary work and experience leading youth to rethink possibility through

design challenges with Smith’s long tradition of advocating for and providing opportunities for physical and

imaginative play for children 10 and younger. Working together, the two organizations convened hundreds of

youth from the Philadelphia area to design and build a new “Adventure Playground” in an underused space

on Smith’s 6.5-acre site. The youth-led collaboration resulted in a series of interactive outdoor maker spaces

and structures that provide opportunities for sustainable, creative play. The spaces will include “loose parts”

for children to be able to continuously build and re-imagine their own adventure through material and site

exploration. Work on the project began in early 2013 to build community buy in; participating youth worked

through the summer to explore, dream, design and build the project. The grand opening and dedication of the

new installation occurred on Sunday, November 17th, just prior to Greenbuild.

The Delaware Valley Green Building Council’s Legacy Project Committee selected this project from a pool of

30 applications to receive over $16,000 in funding from Greenbuild. The project at Smith Memorial Playground

met several goals of the committee including the ability to visibly reflect and relate to sustainability, offer

an educational aspect, serve as a model for future projects, and serve low-income groups. The outdoor play

spaces at Smith are open to the public from Tuesdays-Sundays April through September and Saturdays-

Sundays october through December.

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BACKGrOUND

As a leader of the global green building movement,

USGBC has considerable influence across many

industries—schools, commercial spaces, residential

homes, university campuses, and more. However,

Greenbuild creates a special opportunity for the

USGBC Conference & Events department to closely

collaborate with convention centers, hotels and

special event venues to live and breathe the principles

of green building operations. our goal is to take

advantage of this opportunity and work alongside

the hospitality community in each destination city

to implement long-term sustainable event practices

and improved green building operations. We strive to

catalyze incremental performance improvement for

Greenbuild, the local hospitality community and the

entire meeting and event industry.

2013 PrOGreSS

Annual report. The annual Greenbuild Event

Sustainability Report discusses our key efforts for the

year and discloses our achievements and challenges,

helping us to review and improve our sustainability

performance year over year. We hope the story of our

journey combined with detailed case studies will serve

as a learning tool for the event industry, helping other

planners facing the same sustainability challenges

or those just starting to build their sustainability

programs.

Supporting the Green Meeting industry Council. The

USGBC has been an organizational member of the

Green Meeting Industry Council (GMIC) since 2007. In

2011, the USGBC played a leading role in the formation

of an official Greater Washington Area Chapter, with

our Senior Vice President, Community Advancement,

Conference & Events serving as the first President of

the new chapter.

industry Tours. In addition to the 32 educational

green building tours we offer attendees, in 2013 we

also provided back-of-house tours to the YouthBuild

volunteers through freeman and invited local

members from the GMIC Mid-Atlantic Chapter as well

as members of the local MPI and PCMA chapters to

get an exclusive peak into the sustainable workings

of the Greenbuild show. fifteen people attended the

tour, including meeting planners, convention center

sustainability managers, and members of the media.

The tour was an hour and a half long and highlighted

the design, materials, exhibitor engagement, donation

plan and waste management plan executed for

Greenbuild.

Phasing Out vinyl. one of our major focuses in

2013 was around eliminating the use of vinyl (found

commonly in the ubiquitous “polyvinyl chloride” or

“PVC”) in our show decorations and build-outs. While

PVC is made from vinyl chloride, which the EPA has

classified as a Group A, human carcinogen4, this

material is very hard for trade shows to avoid! The

meeting and event industry has relied on vinyl for

many years, from foamcore panels being the default

signage substrate, to vinyl banners, to PVC build-

out panels used to create the registration booths

and decorations of our shows. We hope that our

collaboration with freeman and creative substitution

for vinyl for Greenbuild 2013 will serve as a model

or other shows and incentivize vendors to consider

alternative materials when sourcing their products.

for more details on our sourcing process, see the

Rethinking Materials Case Study on page 43.

–GMIC, Greenbuild tour participant


CaTalyZe The advaNCeMeNT of GreeN bUildiNG iNiTiaTives aNd sUsTaiNable oPeraTioNs wiThiN The hosPiTaliTy iNdUsTry

This was the most interesting thing I’ve done in a long time. I just learned so much and have so many great ideas for how I can improve the meetings I’m planning.


ChalleNGes & oPPorTUNiTiesWe know as well as anyone that leading change away from the status quo can be hard work, but it’s the kind

of work that reaps the sweetest rewards. We will continue to dedicate time, energy and resources into not only

working to make Greenbuild a more sustainable event, but to mutually learn from our event partners in a way

that creates long-term, positive change.

Change That Lasts. An issue we face each year is the varying permanence of sustainability measures

implemented for Greenbuild. our venue and vendor partners work incredibly hard to change their current

operating practices to meet the sustainability requirements of Greenbuild. However, these practices are not

always planned for the long term; sometimes improvements are only implemented for our show. We want

the changes made for Greenbuild to be permanent, in order to maximize the benefits of the hard work of the

local change agents. The benefits of long-term practice adoption will be realized long after Greenbuild: the

changes a venue or vendor makes will benefit all future clients and hopefully catalyze further sustainability

advances. To encourage the adoption of long-term solutions, Greenbuild will focus on reinforcing the benefits

of permanent solutions, encouraging long-term implementation planning and practical programs that can

be implemented on a continual basis. This effort can be supported by other planners and clients asking for

permanent sustainability programs.

A Strong Status quo. Some of our challenges arise from a lack of alternatives in the market. As detailed in

the Rethinking Materials Case Study, we ended up using vinyl in show decorations on a handful of select

designs, due to time and financial constraints and the lack of alternatives. However, the most widespread and

challenging use of vinyl at Greenbuild was in our booth tabletops: the one-time use plastic sheets used to

cover booths are prevalent across the industry. Through extensive research with the freeman team, we found

there are there are few alternatives. None of the alternatives considered were practical for financial, labor, or

aesthetic reasons. These one-time use covers create a significant amount of waste when discarded – at most

tradeshows across the country. While in some cases the tabletop material is recyclable by local recycling

companies, the material use and use of vinyl still causes a significant environmental impact. We hope that the

industry will recognize the demand for practical alternatives to single-use vinyl tabletops.

Looking forward, we plan to continue to push forward the adoption of green building practices by working

with our partners in the hospitality industry, which has made great strides in the last decade with more

and more convention centers, venues, and hotels achieving LEED Certification. We intend to help more

industry players adopt the sustainability best practices of the LEED rating system, from incorporating

human health decisions into materials procurement to considering energy and disposal factors in audio

visual equipment decisions. We hope that through our sustainability programs, we encourage both

our partners and the greater industry to dig deeper into their environmental impacts and go further to

develop sustainability solutions that creatively address the unique challenges of the hospitality industry.

4 EPA Hazard Summary on Vinyl Choloride: http://www.epa.gov/ttn/atw/hlthef/vinylchl.html#ref1


SCHEDULE

DeSTiNATiON PhiLADeLPhiA


desTiNaTioN PhiladelPhia

Sustainable meetings take shape in sustainability-focused destinations. The most significant impacts of

meetings and events can be greatly reduced if the host city has the infrastructure and programs in place

to support sustainability initiatives set out by event organizers. Philadelphia offers a solid sustainable event

foundation, with the following programs and practices:

• The Philadelphia Convention Center is the largest contiguous exhibit space in the Northeast United States.

The recent expansion and renovation to the Pennsylvania Convention Center West Building in 2011 achieved

LEED Gold certification.

• As part of the Philadelphia Greenworks program to help reduce rising energy consumption, Philadelphia

increased the number of LEED certified buildings from just 15 in 2008 to 61 in 2012.

• The outstanding walkability of downtown Philadelphia provides almost 20,000 hotel rooms within 15 min of

the PCC as well as being located amongst some of the Nation’s most historic monuments, landmarks and

museums including Liberty Bell Center, Independence Hall and the National Constitution Center.

• In 2011, the most recent year for which data is available, approximately 49 % of Philadelphia’s solid waste was

recycled, and another 28 % was used to produce energy.

• Philadelphia’s Mayor’s office of Sustainability and the Mayor’s office of Civic Engagement launched Waste

Watchers, a volunteer program that partners with public events such as races, concerts, parades, and festivals

to help them send less waste to landfills.

• Public transportation options include direct rail transit from Philadelphia International Airport to the PCC

within 35 minutes, direct rail service from the Amtrak station to the PCC, and a public bus fleet with a one-

third make-up of hybrid-electric buses.

• Committed to providing fresh, local and affordable food, Philadelphia has 283 local farmers markets, gardens

and farms. over 40% of these markets accept Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payments.

• Philadelphia created LEED legislation for City Buildings to help achieve city wide sustainability goals. As of

2012, five city-owned LEED projects were in design stages and four were under construction.

learn more about the City of Philadelphia’s sustainability planand progress in the Greenworks Philadelphia 2013 Progress report

http://www.phila.gov/green/Pdfs/Greenworks2013Progressreport_web.pdf


ParTNers

We thank our partners for their commitment to helping us make Greenbuild the most sustainable event in the world.

SCHEDULELOOKiNG AheAD


lookiNG ahead

We always have the same overarching goal—to make Greenbuild as sustainable of an event as possible. However,

each year we approach that goal in a destination city with different challenges and opportunities than the last,

while challenging ourselves and our vendors to continuously improve performance at the same time.

To achieve positive results at Greenbuild 2014 and encourage long-term, positive change among our partners,

we will tackle the following challenges in the coming year:

• Reinforce the connections between Greenbuild sustainability programs and best practices in green building.

• Continue to search for more sustainable materials for show decorations, tabletops and attendee giveaways.

• Increase engagement of sponsors in sustainability practices.

• Improve the resources provided to exhibitors to encourage more sustainable practices on the expo hall.

Promote examples of tradeshow sustainability and provide green booth resources for exhibitors. focus on

on-site implementation and simple but impactful actions.

• Use Vendor Sustainability Plans (VSPs) to drive deeper conversations with vendors by creating a more

formal review and discussion process after the completion of each part of the VSP.

• Increase understanding of vendor shipping practices and on-site freight handling operations, to identify

potential areas of improvement.

• Educate vendors on prioritizing sub-vendors based on sustainable practices.

• Improve the communication of hotel priorities and catalyze more changes in hotel room operations prior

to the show.

• focus on the legacy of sustainability programs left in each venue that we visit, emphasizing the importance

of the continuation of sustainability practices that are implemented for Greenbuild.

• Seek out more creative ways to involve attendees in Greenbuild sustainability programs, and emphasize the

connections among sustainable operations and behaviors at the conference and at home.

• Increase the ways that we tell our sustainability story onsite, including labeling sustainable features of

merchandise items, labeling food items with information about their local and organic attributes, and

calling attention to venue green building practices being utilized.

• Increase the promotion of the sustainability report and track metrics on frequency of use.

SCHEDULE

APPeNDiCeS


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historical Performance Data Tracking

event sustainability data 2011 2012 2013

Attendees (#) 23,000 24,660 23,600

Energy use at venues (kWh) 880,615 863,554 1,167,425

Renewable Energy use at venues (%) - 74% 0%

Water use at venues (gal) 120,133 396,163 58,033,870

Total GHG emissions (lbs) 19,350,692 30,014,656 15,008,515

GHG emissions per atendee (lbs) 841 1,217 635.95

Total Emissions offset(%) 100% 100% 100%

Landfill materials (lbs) 7,522 24,717 38,457

Recycled materials (lbs) 90,434 105,988 42,179

Composted materials (lbs) 8,021 30,962 17,018

Waste-to-Energy (lbs) 36,215 -

Donated materials (lbs) 19,671 13,288 13,630

Donated food (lbs) 4,592

Landfilled Waste per attendee (lbs) 1.90 1.00 1.63

Total Waste (lbs) 161,863 174,956 115,875

Total Waste per attendee (lbs) 7.0 7.09 4.91

Waste diversion at venues (%) 95.34% 85.87% 67%

Center Waste Diversion over Baseline (%) 57%

freight (fuel use gal) 73,480 116,155 26,698

freight (# of shipments/weight tons) 367 / 686 80 / 505 132/334,502

Carpet (sqft used/returned to inventory) 263,230/97.5% 349,640 / 89% 325,163 / 23%

Signage - produced (sqft) 23,920 38,744 26,655

Signage - returned to inventory (%) 55% 7.2% 14.0%

Signage - recycled (%) 45% 61% 75%

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Paper Used (sheets) 2,740,610 1,116,992

Ground shuttles fuel use (gal) 0 2,180 3,559

food Miles Per Pound (#) 102 314 461

Procurement 2011 2012 2013

organic food (%) 42% 62% 17%

Local food (<100 miles) (%) 90% 55% 67%

Regional food (<500 miles) (%) 96% 74% 77%

Sustainable shuttles sourced (%) 100% 100% 100%

Sustainable signage sourced (%) 77% 76% 86%

Paper specifications (recycled content) (%) 100% 100% 100%

Carpet specifications (recycled content) (%) 25% 25% 25%

AV - ENERGY STAR (Laptops, Projectors, Monitors)

60%

AV - Energy Efficient (All Equipment) 29%

LEED-certified facility partners (#) 6

Hotels - Walking Distance (1 mi) (%) 100% 100% 80%

Hotels - Digital Thermostat (%) 100% 100% 96%

Hotels - Amenity Donation (%) 100% 88% 72%

Hotels - In-room Recycling (%) 48%

Hotels - Kitchen Composting (%) 90% 100% 0%

Hotels - No Auto Newspaper Delivery (%) 90% 100% 92%

Hotels - Green Cleaning Programs (%) 100% 67% 40%

Hotels - Recycled Bathroom Papers (%) 90% 100% 76%

Exhibitors - GMEGG participation (%) 91% 93% 88%

Exhibitors - GMEGG compliance (%) 67% 68%

Exhibitors - Green Award Participants (#) 26

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aPPeNdix b

Greenbuild Best Practicesover more than 10 years, USGBC has been working to incorporate sustainability into the Greenbuild conference and raise the bar on our planning team’s performance as well as that of our partners. The following are best practices we look to implement at each and every show.

Move Toward a Zero Waste event

• Engage waste partners at least 4 months in advance of event

• Creation of waste reduction team, including key stakeholders from center, caterer, hauling partners and CVB

• Bi-weekly waste team planning calls

• Implementation of Exhibitor Donation Program in collaboration with CVB, center and general services contractor

• Document a waste management plan that can be used as a training resource

• Include special considerations for the exhibit hall and concession areas in the waste plan, expanding the standard streams used by the Convention Center to accommodate for more types of waste

• Comprehensive waste training for all key stakeholder groups

• Consistent 3-bin recycling stations in all public and expo hall spaces

• Color-coded and labeled waste system, including bins, bin liners (“trash bags”), waste collection carts, and back-of-house dock signage

• Staff recycling stations with volunteers to engage attendees and improve diversion

• Prohibit speaker handouts

• Serve water to speakers in pitchers and compostable cups (avoid water bottles)

• Eliminate plastic name badge holders

• Distribute session recording access codes in responsible manner (avoid CD-RoMs)

• Create special set stages from recovered materials and reuse whenever possible

• Rent all reusable furniture and decor items from local vendor

• Develop mobile app and electronic tools to transition away from printed program and materials

• Ensure all AV vendors responsibly recycle all e-waste

increase Stakeholder education and engagement

• Utilize sustainable event management system, ISo 20121, as guidance for effective stakeholder engagement

• Provide sustainability information on event website about the Greenbuild sustainability program and how attendees can participate and contribute

• Provide attendees the option to offset travel and/or accommodation-related emissions during registration process

• Incorporate sustainability messages into social media and other communication channels, including emails, blogs, Twitter, facebook

• Share “greening story” onsite via graphical display

• Require minimum sustainability practices through GMEGG; incentivize higher exhibitor sustainability performance through Green Exhibitor Award program

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• Perform exhibitor booth interviews or audits to verify, understand and discuss implementation of sustainability practices

• Include greening requirements in the sponsorship package

• Include greening requirements (focused on key priority practices) in venue and hotel contract clauses

• Perform onsite walk-throughs or audits to verify, understand and discuss implementation of sustainability practices at hotel properties

• Communicate sustainability efforts and practices to speakers in speaker guide documentation

• Complete sustainability training with staff, vendors, temps, venue staff, volunteers and anyone responsible for executing elements of the greening plan

• Publish an annual sustainability report to memorialize your efforts and share results internally and externally

• Work with vendors to create Vendor Sustainability Plans (VSPs), including greening goals, plans and metrics that will be tracked

• Work with all Greenbuild staff members to develop the Greenbuild sustainability plan; each Greenbuild staff member sets goals and is responsible for the sustainable execution of their program.

iMPrOve SUSTAiNABLe SOUrCiNG

General Sourcing & Partnerships

• Incorporate LEED certified hotels into hotel room block

• Prioritize local vendors in merchandise sourcing

• Rent all furniture and décor items

• Track material specifications and sustainable attributes for all show materials

• Consider and plan for disposal of show decor items during show design phase

• Eliminate or reduce use of vinyl in banners and other items

• Purchase or request venue and venues use 3rd-party certified sustainable cleaning products

• Rent or request vendors use only ENERGY STAR certified (or equivalent) equipment

• Source show materials and merchandise made from recycled content or domestic materials whenever possible

Marketing & Communications

• Reduce the size of all registration and marketing materials

• Reduce the quantity printed of all registration and marketing materials (keep marketing lists clean!)

• Print show materials on 100% post-consumer, recycled content

• Print show materials using vegetable-based inks

• Avoid branding or year specific language on reusable build-outs and signage, to ensure more decorations can be used at future shows. Prioritize the utilization of theme-specific branding on year-specific signage with dates, speakers, and directions specific to the show.

• Print all signage on ecoboard (100% recyclable, cardboard-based substrate)

• Paperless registration process

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f&B

• Serve 100% domestic alcohol beverages (with emphasis on local and regionally sourced beverages)

• Collaborate with catering partners to maximize the percentage of local and organic produce and products served

• Use compostable (ASTM D6400 certified) disposable food service ware for all Convention Center and Celebration Venue food service

improve Performance Tracking

• Work with venue to track waste generation and diversion, water consumption, and energy consumption that can be attributed to the event

• Tracked attendee, staff and vendor travel to the destination (for offsetting)

• Track freight and fuel use by general contractor and shuttle provider (for offsetting)

• Track food miles for all sourced food and beverage at the convention center and special venues

• Track % of ENERGY STAR certified equipment used by AV providers

• Tracked use, reuse and recycling of all graphics and decorations

• Track paper use for Greenbuild marketing and onsite guides

• Track exhibitor sustainability performance and compliance

• Track vendor greening goals and efforts through use of 3-part Vendor Sustainability Plan (VSP) documents

• Track key sustainability metrics for merchandise item (shipping practices, material content, source location, manufacturing practices, etc.)

• Communicate tracking needs well in advance on event to allow for discussion and problem solving around limitations

• Using registration and post-event surveys as mechanism to collect information (for carbon footprinting or practices tracking)

• Map out carbon footprint to understand calculation boundary, gaps in data, and greatest impacts

reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions

• Track greenhouse gas emissions for all key show elements and functions

• offset 100% of show emissions

• Provide the ability for attendees to purchase carbon offsets for show-related emissions

• Maximize number of hotels within walking distance of convention center

• Communicate walking directions to the Convention Center to attendees in lobbies of all hotels within walking distance

• Communication public transportation options to attendees through the Greenbuild website and attendee emails

• Use standard products available at convention centers for rental whenever possible

• Partner with transportation management company that offsets shuttle-related carbon emissions

• Utilize LEED-certified venues engaging in energy- conservation strategies and utilizing energy- efficient technologies

• Host meetings in venues powered by renewable energy

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• Program all rented laptops (registration and internet cafe) equipment to power down after official event hours

• Request AC/Heat not be run during move in and move out in the expo hall

• Request reduced use of escalators during move in, move out and after hours

• Work with AV vendor partners to ensure the most energy efficient equipment and lighting is used and that as many screens and equipment from local warehouses are used as possible

• Partner with general services contractor that is EPA SmartWay registered

• Encourage exhibitors through GMEGG to consolidate shipments and use a transport provider who is EPA SmartWay registered

• Utilize the GMEGG standards for shipping to encourage the utilization of sustainable shipping practices by other stakeholders. This includes all major vendors, merchandise and fulfillment item suppliers, and USGBC staff.

• Reduce the impact of shipments to Greenbuild by show organizers, vendors, and exhibitors by encouraging consolidated shipments and sustainable shipping practices

Positively impact Communities

• Provide reusable items to local, non-profit groups through Exhibitor Donation Program and the donation of show management materials. This program extends the life of materials produced for Greenbuild and delivers resources to local organizations.

• Donate non-reusable signage to local groups.

• Select and complete a local legacy project in partnership with the Host Committee to leave a legacy of positive social and environmental change.

• Implement a comprehensive waste management planning process to engage a wide variety of waste stakeholders and build and document an improved waste management program, so that the new programs and best practices can be utilized by all stakeholders.

• offer discounted rates to non-profit attendees for access to the Expo Hall and the Affordable Housing Summit.

Catalyze the advancement of green building initiatives and sustainable operations within the hospitality industry

• Publishing annual report on sustainability efforts

• Creating Greenbuild tours that help expose best practices to other event organizers

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aPPeNdix C

Boundary and quantification Methods This section provides additional details pertaining to boundaries and calculation methods used to arrive at our reported performance results. We have made our carbon calculations as transparent as possible and welcome feedback for improvement.

eNerGy USe

The energy boundary consists of energy consumed during Greenbuild events and corresponding move-in/move-out periods from main venues and contracted transportation only.

• for each venue, the total energy consumption (purchased electricity, fuel burning for heating and cooling) during Greenbuild move in, event and move-in/out days was collected.

• Electricity and Natural Gas data collected in 24-hour increments

• fuel data from the contracted shuttles were provided by TMS.

• The total energy consumption for the entire period was assumed to be all attributed to the Greenbuild event.

• Energy use from hotel accommodations, fuel burning from participant travel to/from the destination, and mobile fuels from other vehicles operated by the venues or third parties were not included in the energy footprint (but were included in the GHG emissions calculations).

WATer USe

The water boundary consists of water consumed at the Pennsylvania Convention Center during the event and corresponding move-in/move-out periods. Total water consumption was provided from the venues in 24-hour increments during the event period.

Boundary Considerations

• Water data include district potable water consumption only.

• Water data only includes the operational water footprint and does not include virtual water content of processes involved in the materials and supplies used or consumed during the event.

WASTe CALCULATiONS

Waste data includes waste generated and diverted or disposed of at the Pennsylvania Convention Center throughout the duration of Greenbuild. Back-of-house waste streams measured and tracked are listed below, accompanied by their method of measurement.

1. Composted material – scale weight of compactor as reported by hauler

2. Comingle Recycling (Plastic/Metal/Glass) – scale weight of compactor as reported by hauler

3. Cardboard – scale weight of compactor as reported by hauler

4. Visqueen/Plastic film – scale weight of compactor as reported by hauler

5. Large Debris (C&D) – 78% of scale weight of compactor as reported by hauler (remaining 22% attributed to landfill)

6. Wood – waste records not provided by PCC. Estimated weight based on event photos and hauler historical weights all attributed to landfill.

7. Carpet/Padding – scale weight of compactor as reported by hauler

aPPeNdix C


8. Donated food – weight provided by Aramark

9. Donated Items – weight captured on forklift during loading process for individual donation recipient groups

Donated materials weight was derived by adding food Donated and (Exhibit Hall) Items Donated.

Boundary Considerations

• Upstream waste not disposed of onsite is not included.

• Waste generated from hotels, or other vendors offsite, is not included.

GhG eMiSSiONS

included in the total GhG emissions value:

• Electricity use at the venues

• Stationary combustion of fuels at venues

• Mobile fuel combustion of fuels at venues

• Estimated mobile fuel combustion of general contractor freight

• Estimated mobile fuel combustion of freight sent directly to the venue by exhibitors

• Travel to the destination by participants

• Ground shuttle use for offsite events and event staff

• GHG emissions per occupied room for hotels within the contracted room block (per the Hotel Carbon Measurement Initiative), using either data provided by the hotels directly, or default metrics per the Cornell Hotel Sustainability Benchmarking working paper published January 31, 2014.

Not included in the value:

• Emissions from waste disposal and wastewater treatment

• fugitive emissions from refrigerant leakages

• Emissions from ground transportation other than Greenbuild contracted shuttles

• Emissions from hotel accommodation used outside the contracted room block

quantification

• Emission factors for mobile fuel burning obtained from the US EPA Climate Leaders Program

• Emission factors for electricity consumption at venues were obtained from EPA eGRID 2012

• Emission factors for air travel obtained from the US EPA Climate Leaders Program, assuming a direct flight from major US hubs, with 1 connection for other cities, and a connection through 1-2 major hubs internationally.

• Emission factors for stationary fuel burning obtained from the World Resources Institute stationary combustion tool 4.0

• GWP of CH4: 25

• GWP of N20: 310

• other attendee carbon offsets were not subtracted from the total GHG emissions value.

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aPPeNdix dGreenbuild Mandatory exhibitor Green Guidelines

The U.S. Green Building Council’s Greenbuild Mandatory Exhibition Green Guidelines (GMEGG) are a set ofmandatory steps exhibitors must implement for the construction and operation of a Greenbuild exhibit. Allexhibitors are required to sign this agreement with their exhibitor application, design their booth(s) to therequirements outlined in GMEGG, and document their compliance in the Exhibitor Dashboard.

Documentation: All documentation must be submitted in the Exhibitor Dashboard by September 17, 2014. USGBCstaff will meet with 10% of exhibitors on-site at Greenbuild to ensure requirements have been met. Companiesfailing to submit the mandatory documentation outlined below will be subject to penalties, up to and includingforfeiture of exhibit space at Greenbuild 2015 in Washington, D.C.

• Sustainable Exhibition Policy: The exhibitor will submit a written policy for its exhibition operations, documenting objectives and goals for sustainability. online submission required on the 2014 Exhibitor Dashboard.

• GMEGG Compliance Documents: The exhibitor will complete an online survey collecting information about booth design, construction and operations in the 2014 Exhibitor Dashboard.

aPPeNdix d

eNerGy CoNservaTioN

Booth Lighting

The exhibitor will meet the following requirement:• Incandescent bulbs are prohibited for use in any

medium screw-based lighting applications. LEDs or compact fluorescent light bulbs (CfLs) must be used instead.

Booth lighting will meet with one or more of the following requirements:• Exhibitor will not purchase new bulbs; bulbs will be

reused from prior exhibitions. The organization will create a policy that would only replace bulbs upon burnout.

• LED, CfL, T-5 or T-8 tubular fluorescent lighting will be used exclusively in at least one of the following:- Accent lighting- Backlighting- overhead signage- General lighting

• Booth Lighting is not used.

electronic Display

The exhibitor will meet the following requirement:• All displays, monitors and booth lighting must be

completely powered down each night after show/set-up hours. Any equipment that cannot be shut down must be put into sleep mode during non-expo hours.

electronic display equipment (i.e. flat screen displays) will meet one of the following requirements:• Display is reused from previous shows.

• Display meets criteria for ENERGY STAR qualification or equivalent energy efficiency program.

booTh MaTerials

flooring

flooring will meet one or more of the following requirements. flooring that is utilized to demonstrate products that the booth is marketing are exempt from these requirements.

• flooring will not be used.

• All flooring is reused and has been in use for at least one year.

• New flooring must be comprised of one or more of the following:- Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) Green Label Plus

Certified Carpet- 25% post-consumer recycled material- 100% recyclable material- 100% rapidly renewable material(s). Rapidly

renewable building materials and products are made from agricultural products that are typically harvested within a 10-year or shorter cycle.

- forest Stewardship Council certified wood flooring.

- Reclaimed or repurposed from a source other than trade show use.

• flooring provided by the Greenbuild general service contractor will be used. (GSC-provided carpet contains a minimum of 25% post-consumer recycled material)

Booth Graphics and Signage

Graphics and signage will meet one or more of the following requirements:

• No graphics or signage will be used within the booth.


• Exhibitor will reuse graphics and signage that have been in use for at least one year.

• New graphics and signage will be 100% recyclable and will not be foam core.

• New graphics and signage will contain a minimum of 25% recycled material

Booth Structure

Pop-up displays and booth structural support materials will meet one or more of the following requirements (select one)

• Display elements are reused from past exhibitions or the company has created a plan for reuse through future exhibitions for at least one year.

• New display elements will be 100% recyclable.

• New display elements will contain a minimum 25% recycled content.

• Booth structure is rented from the Greenbuild General Service Contractor, using standard inventory materials used throughout the year.

Communications & Collateral

Prerequisite: All printed collateral, if used, will be on 100% recyclable paper. Paper must be recyclable in a standard municipal recycling stream. Many laminated and coated papers are not recyclable and are prohibited.

in addition, exhibitor will meet one of the following requirements:

• Exhibitor will eliminate print and promotional giveaways used for attendee distribution.

• Exhibitor will limit the quantity to less than 1,000 handouts and giveaways combined.

• Exhibitor will distribute handouts and giveaways that match both of the sustainability criteria below. quantity is not limited if criteria for both handouts and giveaways are met.

• Paper Handouts: all paper handouts will contain 100% post-consumer recycled content or fSC-Certified content.

• Promotional giveaways must match one of the following options:

• Giveaway material contains 30% post-consumer recycled content.

• Giveaways are made from rapidly renewable materials (defined above).

• Promotional giveaways are 100% compostable.

indoor Air quality

The booth construction and maintenance will meet one or more of the following requirements:

• No paints, sealants, coatings or adhesives will be used to maintain the booth.

• only low- or zero VoC paints, sealants, coatings or adhesives will be used within the show.

• Any new flooring, counters and paneling will be certified low- or zero VoC by their manufacturer.

• All booth flooring, counters, and paneling will be reused from previous shows

• All signage will be printed using non-toxic vegetable- or water-based inks.

shiPPiNG PraCTiCes

energy Conservation Shipping Methods

exhibitor will meet one or more of the following requirements:

• No exhibit materials will be shipped

• If the exhibitor ships booth materials using a third-party logistics partner, the exhibitor will choose a logistics partner that participates in the U.S. EPA’s SmartWay Partnership Program or an equivalent program.

• Shipments will be consolidated into only one shipment

• The exhibitor will purchase carbon offsets to cover all emissions resulting from shipping booth materials to and from Greenbuild.

Shipping Materials

exhibitor will meet one or more of the following requirements:

• All padding materials and exhibit crate(s) will be reused for all exhibition shipping.

• Exhibit crate(s) will meet one of the following options:

• Made from rapidly renewable materials (defined above)

• 50% recycled content

• Be comprised of fSC-certified wood

• Polystyrene (i.e. packing peanuts, #6 or foam plastic) will be eliminated from booth shipping and operations.

aPPeNdix d


waTer reClaMaTioN

if using water for display purposes, the exhibitor must use water reclamation/recycling (i.e. holding tanks).

oN-siTe oPeraTioNs

exhibitor responsibility

each booth is responsible for all materials brought into their booth at Greenbuild. it is the responsibility of the exhibitor to convey all GMeGG requirements and the exhibitor’s sustainable practices to all third-party vendors hired by the exhibitor for show set-up, tear-down and staffing. The exhibitor is also expected to participate in a documentation review on-site with Greenbuild staff if randomly selected.

Staff Training

The exhibitor will discuss GMeGG with on-site booth staff prior to the show opening. This should include the following:

• Information about how the booth complied with each GMEGG option.

• Any other sustainable practices to be conducted within the exhibit booth.

• Sustainable booth operations such as waste management, shut-down plans, and transportation.

On-Site Transportation

The exhibitor will ask booth staff to do at least one of the following:

• Take the provided conference shuttles or public transit to/from the convention center

• Walk or bicycle to/from the convention center

• If cabs are absolutely necessary, use of shared cabs: no individual cab trips should be taken

• If public transit and/or walking are not an option, the exhibitor should offset travel to and from the convention center by purchasing carbon offsets.

wasTe MaNaGeMeNT

Prerequisites:

• The Exhibitor will participate in Greenbuild’s Waste Management program, by properly disposing of all waste and utilizing all available recycling opportunities throughout the show, including set-up and move-out. Additional waste streams will be provided for special exhibition-related materials.

• The exhibitor will not use individual waste containers in exhibit booths. The Venue and Show

management will provide recycling stations located throughout the exhibit area for attendee and exhibitor use during show hours. Each exhibitor is responsible for disposing of waste and recyclables at these stations.

The exhibitor will meet one of the following requirements:

• If the exhibitor plans on leaving any items after the show, the exhibitor will donate material through the Exhibitor Donation Program. The Exhibitor must sign up for the program using the appropriate Exhibitor Donation Program forms and labels.

• The exhibitor will have in place a “pack in/pack out” policy to minimize any waste left behind at the end of the show. All materials brought to Greenbuild, including booth components, giveaways and reusable packing materials will be shipped back to the exhibiting company after the event.

• The exhibitor will return materials back to local offices or partners after the show.

food aNd beveraGe serviCe

Any food and beverage service conducted within the booth will be ordered to minimize disposable material use and properly handle waste in accordance of the requirements of the Greenbuild Waste Management Program. The food serviceware used will meet one of the following requirements:

• China service will be used (reusable serving platters, cutlery, plates, cups, etc.) Beverages may be served from individual recyclable containers.

• Compostable service ware will be used and the exhibitor will inform attendees of the compostability of the products. Beverages may be served from individual recyclable containers.

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aPPeNdix e

Attendee engagement examples

• “Greening the Conference” from Education Program Guide

• Greening Wall

• Website

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12 | GREENBUILD 2013

GREENBUILD SUSTAINABILITY

ATTENDEES MAKE GREENBUILD GREEN. HERE ARE SOME WAYS YOU CAN HELP OUT.

GREENING THE CONFERENCE

WHAT MAKES GREENBUILD GREEN?• 100% of carbon emissions from Greenbuild 2013 will be offset

• The Pennsylvania Convention Center’s 2011 expansion earned LEED Gold for New Construction

• This page is printed on 100% post-consumer recycled content paper

• Your conference bag is made from 100% recycled plastic bottles

• The Pennsylvania Convention Center is composting for the 1st time for Greenbuild

• 800 exhibitors have signed onto sustainable exhibition requirements through the Greenbuild Mandatory

Exhibition Green Guidelines• The Delaware Valley Green Building Council worked with Greenbuild hotels to ensure compliance with Philadelphia’s new energy and water benchmarking ordinance

Avoid carbon-heavy cabsTake SEPTA back to the airport or train station. The Market East Station is connected to the Convention Center. Get to the airport in 20 minutes and take the Regional High Speed Airport Line from Market East. Going to Amtrak? Take the MFL SEPTA line towards the 69th Street Transit Center, to the 30th Street Station.

Think before you throwHelp us divert 75% of waste from landfills by carefully choosing the right stream for your food waste, recycling and trash. Volunteers are there to assist you and avoid stream contamination. All PCC food containers are compostable.

Stay sustainablyAll Greenbuild hotels have committed to sustainable practices. Take advantage of towel/sheet reuse initiatives, decline newspaper delivery and turn off the lights Walk from your hotel to convention center — directions are in your hotel lobby!

Give backDon’t want your Greenbuild bag or lanyard? Turn it in for reuse at any registration desk or designated bins on Friday. If you are an exhibitor, ask the service desk about the exhibitor donation program. Check out the Greenbuild Legacy Project on page 11.

WASTE STREAMS AT GREENBUILD

REC

YCLE

FUTU

RE

COM

POST

LAN

DFI

LL

» Paper/Cardboard

» Brochures, Newspapers, Mags

» Plastics (#1-#6)

» Aluminum and Glass (all colors)

» Food scraps (meat/dairy are OK!)

» Cups, utensils, napkins, and food containers from the Pennsylvania Convention Center

» Plastic wrappers or packets for chips, ketchup, dressing

» Non-recyclable food containers purchased outside the convention center