Greenbuild preview: Not-to-miss speakers and events

Words: David Dick-Agnew
Posted: Oct 3, 2011
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Greenbuild preview Not to miss speakers and events 01

Greenbuild exhibitor Skanska is developing Oculus, which will serve as transportation hub for the World Trade Center in NYC

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Greenbuild preview Not-to-miss speakers and events 02

Kohler’s Toobi faucet is inspired by traditional bamboo forms

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Greenbuild preview Not-to-miss speakers and events 03

Andersen Windows 400 Series windows are FSC-certifiable, with efficient Low-E4 glass

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Greenbuild preview Not-to-miss speakers and events 04

Firestone’s Sunwave system is designed to work with commercial roofing to bring daylight indoors

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Greenbuild preview Not-to-miss speakers and events 05

Moen’s WaterSense faucets are flow-optimized to reduce water consumption up to 32 percent

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Starting tomorrow and on until Friday, October 7, Toronto hosts the annual Greenbuild International Conference and Expo. Tens of thousands of attendees will take in more than 1,000 exhibitors, lectures, educational sessions and special events.

The expo kicks off with the official opening tomorrow afternoon after a plenary of LEED workshops and the green job fair. Wednesday, opening keynotes will be delivered panel-style by New York Times columnist and author Tom Friedman; former Canadian prime minister Kim Campbell; and Dr. Paul Farmer, a founder of Partners in Health. Cokie Roberts, journalist with NPR and ABC, moderates the opening statements.

Following these opening ceremonies, pop-rockers and Haiti-relief fundraisers Maroon 5 will disembark from their bio-diesel fuelled tour buses to take the stage for a little R&R.

Throughout the week, visitors will have a chance to visit a variety of educational sessions. Thursday and Friday, Green Building Tours give visitors the opportunity to explore some of Toronto’s eco-friendliest spaces: the Enwave Deep Lake Cooling System plant, the Evergreen Brick Works, the financial district’s gracefully aging skyscrapers, and the Artscape Wychwood Barns.

Thursday afternoon, industry watchdog Building Green will present its picks for the Top 10 Green Building Products – a crowd favourite that in the past has honoured products ranging from composite materials to high-efficiency toilets, zero-VOC paint, and even software to monitor energy and water use.

Greenbuild’s closing ceremony will feature four fast-paced and forward-looking talks, from New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg; Lisa Strausfeld, a digital entrepreneur and expert in the field of user interface design; John Picard, innovator and pioneer of off-the-grid housing; and Natalie Jeremijenko, director of the xdesign Environmental Health Clinic, a firm devoted to making environmental remediation efforts as painless as possible.

Last but not least, over 1,000 exhibitors will take over the Metro Toronto Convention Centre floor, including Firestone, Moen, Kohler, Skanska and Andersen Windows. Best Of Canada is a don’t-miss pavilion paying tribute to the host country, featuring local content for those in- and out-of-towners not familiar with the state of the Canadian art.

Greenbuild runs October 4 to 7 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, 255 Front St W