2011 EVENT SUSTAINABILITY REPORT

Transcription

1 U.S GREEN BUILDING COUNCIL 2011 EVENT SUSTAINABILITY REPORT OCTOBER 4-7, 2011 TORONTO, CANADA This report was prepared for the U.S. Green Building Council by Legacy Sustainability Management. LEGACY Sustainability Management Rockville Pike, Suite 550L, Rockville, MD CONTACT Jenny Niemann, Program Planner, Greenbuild Conference & Events U.S. Green Building Council 2101 L Street NW, Suite 500, Washington, DC, JNiemann@usgbc.org View online: greenbuildexpo.org/about/greening-the-conference/case-studies.aspx *Report updated May 2012

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Message from USGBC 3 Summary 5 Objectives 6 About Greenbuild 11 Coming to Toronto Sustainability Goals and Objectives Years of Greening Greenbuild 19 Making It Happen 24 Increasing Stakeholder Education & Engagement 36 Sustainable Sourcing 44 Improved Performance Tracking 49 Reducing GHG Emissions 52 Positively Impacting Communities 55 Looking Ahead 62 Sustainability Partners 64 Appendices 65 Appendix A Historical Data Tracking 65 Appendix B Boundary and Quantification Methods 67 Appendix C Donation Recipients of Rescued Items 74 Appendix D GMEGG Guidelines 75 Appendix E Toronto Sustainability 77 Appendix F USGBC 2011 Sustainability Plan 78 Appendix G Waste Diversion Figure Adjustment 82 2

3 Dear USGBC Members and Stakeholders, It is with great excitement that I share with you our 10th Anniversary Greenbuild Event Sustainability Report, the culmination of a decade of tremendous growth, learning and success. Greenbuild was born in 2002 with 4,000 attendees sharing a passion for greening the built environment within which we live, work and play. Since, Greenbuild has grown into an event with over 23,000 attendees each year. The advancement of green building can be seen each year on the exhibit hall floor as well, growing from 220 exhibitors in 2002 to 916 organizations in 2011 exhibiting products and services to improve the environmental performance of building and buildings from all angles. Like USGBC and Greenbuild, much has happened in green meetings over the past decade. Looking back, some of the pillars of sustainable meetings and events that we take for granted today did not exist ten years ago. We now have an established green meetings association with national and local chapter representation. We have standards for operating meetings and their evaluating performance, and international guidelines for sustainability reporting. More than ever venues and vendors are establishing sustainability programs and initiatives to meet meeting planners needs, and the abundance of calculators and tools that help quantify event impacts do the same. Our pride in our growth is only surpassed by our pride in having embraced these advancements in green meetings and our performance results. In 2002, we embarked on a journey of continuous improvement by setting higher goals each year and working to exceed them. As a result, the past 10 years of Greenbuild have been a laboratory for experiments in improving the sustainable practices of our own event as well as for the Meetings and Events Industry as a whole. Each year we learned from the previous year, and then incrementally pushed the envelope on the scope and aggressiveness of our sustainability programs. We engaged more vendors, tracked more performance indicators, set more targets, and increased our attention to leaving a positive legacy at each host destination. Innovating and setting higher targets are not always easy goals, and our learning experiences were not without trial and error. We thank our stakeholders for being our partners and helping us grow, learn and succeed. 3

4 Greenbuild 2011 was no exception to this success. We set an unprecedented goal of 90% waste diversion, achieving 95% onsite waste separation and 73% diversion from landfill. We successfully eliminated ground shuttles between hotels and the convention center and encouraged walking in walkable cities. We also walked the talk by busing 38% of USGBC staff members to Toronto from Washington, DC and walking or utilizing public transportation during the event. We rigorously vetted the sourcing of our materials, merchandise and food and beverages (achieving 90% local food sourcing), and worked to measure and report our efforts and impact with more detail and transparency than ever before. Lastly, we brought Project Haiti to Toronto and proudly left many positive legacies on the local community. The true value of the cumulative lessons learned and performance achieved lies in the knowledge gained. In the following pages we offer the story behind the numbers and share what we ve learned in the hopes of catapulting green meetings into the mainstream and pushing the bar even further. This report is informed by the GRI guidelines on sustainability reporting. We present our major themes in the report as they are currently being addressed: moving toward real zero waste, increasing the education and engagement of stakeholders, reducing GHG emissions, improving common performance measurement and tracking, sourcing sustainable products and materials, and leaving positive social impacts. While I have great pleasure this year in recounting our 10-year journey, I equally look forward to our continued progress in 2012 and beyond. As always, opportunities remain for large events to reduce their environmental footprint while leaving positive social impacts, and USGBC and Greenbuild is committed to doing our part in paving the way! Sincerely, Kimberly Lewis USGBC Senior Vice President, Community Advancement, Conference & Events 4

5 SUMMARY The Greenbuild 2011 Event Sustainability Report tells the sustainability story of the 2011 Greenbuild International Conference and Expo and USGBC s efforts to improve our event practices and performance. Greenbuild 2011 took place in Toronto, Canada from October 5-6, and had over 23,000 attendees. The two main venues used by Greenbuild were the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC) and the Air Canada Center (ACC). Greenbuild is the premier conference convening the global leaders in sustainability and the built environment from over 122 countries. It is our industry s tent revival and the single place the green building community gathers to find inspiration, be educated and do business year after year. Since Greenbuild s inaugural year in 2002, USGBC has been committed to producing an environmentally responsible conference and expo and to improving the industry s most advanced green meeting practices. We re proud to have been awarded three IMEX Green Meeting Awards. 5

6 Our sustainability objectives focus on reducing the negative impact Greenbuild has on our host city and the planet; but when it comes to improving communities, we strive to harness Greenbuild s energy to increase our positive impact and leave long-lasting legacies. It is our vision that conferences and events everywhere will leave a sustainable legacy for their host cities, making them even better than before the event arrived. Greenbuild attendees have always challenged and inspired USGBC to continually build upon our conference greening initiatives. Each year our efforts are supported by the collaborative work of our exhibitors, vendors, hotels, venue partners, staff and student volunteers who we work with to incorporate sustainability into all aspects of the conference though our advanced convention center waste diversion programs, the Greenbuild Mandatory Exhibitor Green Guidelines (GMEGG), hotel greening initiatives and more. OBJECTIVES We know there are opportunities for enhancement within every area of our conference, and over the years we have learned that concentrating on specific objectives is the best way to achieve real change and performance improvement. 6

7 For Greenbuild 2011, we focused on six main sustainability objectives: 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 To keep sight of our objectives throughout the planning process, we set challenging goals that would allow us to monitor our progress. Every year we strive to make Greenbuild a more innovative, insightful and exciting experience from the programs we offer to the events we host. In the area of sustainability, our goals are no different we want to continuously improve our practices and performance. The following table presents some of the most important goals USGBC had for Greenbuild 2011 many of our sustainability programs and goals relate to multiple sustainability objectives. OBJECTIVES GOAL PERFORMANCE WASTE ENGAGEMENT SOURCING TRACKING EMISSIONS COMMUNITIES Divert 90% of all waste from the landfill 73% 1 X X X X Reduce landfill waste per participant to under 0.8 lbs. per attendee 1.90 lbs. 2 X X X Use china or 100% compostable food and beverage serviceware 100% X X X Serve food and beverage items that are 50% organic and 50% local, with an additional 20% being regional. (By expenditure) 50% Organic, 90% Local, 96% Regional X X X X X Serve 100% local wine 100% X X X X X Track 100% of food miles 100% X X X Increase GMEGG participation to 100% 91% X X Increase Green Exhibitor Award participation from 26% in % X Eliminate shuttle transportation (first time) Implemented X X Offer shoe check service to attendees (first time) Implemented X X Create an interactive greening wall, displaying sustainability Implemented X 1 95% was the original reported figure, view details in Appendix G lbs was the original reported figure, view details in Appendix G 7

8 information and materials (first time) Implement real-time energy tracking display in conjunction with SCIenergy (first time) Implemented X X X Understanding our main sustainability challenges, USGBC spent a significant amount of time focusing on the exhibit hall and food serviceware: making sure as many materials as possible were recyclable; that the local waste partner could find markets for the anticipated waste materials; and that we were providing attendees with the education and support they needed to correctly participate in the program. Additionally, we closely tracked the journey of each waste stream to ensure accurate and transparent reporting of diversion figures, and focused our efforts to make a positive social impact in two communities: the Greater Toronto Area and Port-Au-Prince, Haiti. WASTE MANAGEMENT This year we learned a lot about waste management what worked well and what needs work. We set a goal of 90% waste diversion from landfills, higher than both the MTCC s average rate of 85% and the highest Greenbuild diversion rate previously achieved, 87%. During an intensive waste management planning process involving staff from USGBC, multiple vendors, the venue, and the waste hauler, all stakeholders made a commitment to focus on source reduction, material selection, attendee and exhibitor engagement, reuse and donation plans, and enhanced collection and sorting processes. These efforts led to a 95% diversion rate at Greenbuild 2011, an achievement beyond our goal that brings us incredible pride. To continue to achieve high waste diversion, below are best practices we ll be utilizing in 2012: 1. Maximize stakeholder collaboration and transparency 2. Work closely with the convention center s sustainability coordinator 3. Be diligent with all related documentation 4. Increase planning and awareness of materials usage 5. Keep a strong focus on the exhibit hall 6. Utilize and engage dock monitors 7. Involve the downstream waste facilities 8. Train our staff, volunteers and suppliers FOOD AND BEVERAGE Our focus on waste and sourcing extended beyond the materials used to build Greenbuild to the fuel that powers the minds and bodies of our attendees food and beverage! We communicated the high importance of healthy, sustainable foods to our venue partners, with an emphasis on 8

9 local and organic ingredients. Given this mandate, the MTCC and the ACC delivered and achieved impressive figures, particularly in the area of local foods with an impressive 90% local sourcing! PERFORMANCE TRACKING Measuring and monitoring our performance over time helps us identify and understand the greatest impacts of our event and which initiatives are driving improved performance. Every year since our start in 2002, we have expanded the number of indicators we track, and this year was no exception. For Greenbuild 2011 we began capturing data related to attendee travel to more accurately quantify the environmental footprint of our event. For 2011 we added a new KPI Total Waste per Participant, a metric which reminds us that reduction and reuse trump recycling when it comes to designing an effective waste management plan. GREENBUILD SUSTAINABILITY KPIS ACTUAL Energy Use at Venues (kwh) 1,319, , % Water Use at Venues (gal) 19, , % Total GHG Emissions (lbs) 24,888,893 19,350, % GHG Emissions Per Participant (lbs) % Landfill Waste Per Participant (lbs) % Total Waste Per Participant (lbs) % Waste Diversion at Venues (%) 87% 73% % Ground Shuttle Fuel Used (gal) 11, % Local Food (<100 miles) 32% 90% 181% Regional Food (<500 miles) N/A 96% N/A Sustainable Signage Sourced (sqft) 81% 77% 5-4.9% Materials Donated to Local Organizations (lbs) N/A 19,761 N/A Hotel Sustainable Practices Compliance (%) 100% 100% 0% Exhibitor GMEGG Participation (%) 97% 91% -6% VAR. FROM 2010 GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS GHG emissions and climate change continuously represent the overarching challenge related to event sustainability. As a result, reducing GHG emissions remained a top objective for Greenbuild lbs was the original reported figure, view details in Appendix G 4 95% was the original reported figure, view details in Appendix G 5 Includes some signage procured prior to 2011 that is still in use 9

10 2011. Through all of our sustainability programs and initiatives we seek to indirectly reduce GHG emissions and our environmental footprint. MANAGEMENT PROCESS Beyond objectives and goals, we are also continuously striving to improve our management process. In 2008, the USGBC Conference and Events team became the first organization in North America to BS 8901 certify its entire meeting management department. Since, we have utilized BS 8901 to plan and carry out Greenbuild and all USGBC Board and regional meetings. SOCIAL IMPACT USGBC aims to change the way buildings and communities are designed, built and operated. This mission is driven by the vision that environmentally and socially responsible, healthy and prosperous environments will improve quality of life, ultimately regenerating communities and sustaining the vitality of all life within this generation. In 2011 Greenbuild embraced the spirit of resiliency with faith that the green building movement has the power to jumpstart fragile and struggling economies. UGSBC s social impact is reflected through the strong dedication to the mission of supporting our Greenbuild host cities as well as Port au Prince, Haiti. 1. In Toronto, a combined $10,000 donation was shared by two local organizations: the Chimney Court Children s Greenhouse at Evergreen Brick Works and the Gateway Gardens project by the Toronto Foundation for Student Success. Carefully sourcing items enabled USGBC to target its economic impact toward sustainable sources in the local area. 2. USGBC supported farmers in Ontario s Greenbelt region by serving 90% local foods (by expenditure) ,600 lbs. of material were donated to the local Toronto School Board and Habitat for Humanity and 2, lbs. of food were donated to community groups through Second Harvest. 4. USGBC has embarked on a mission to build a LEED Silver certified orphanage for Haitian children. Greenbuild helped us raise the profile of the Project Haiti Orphanage and Children s Center and raise contributions. All Greenbuild NEXT t-shirts and conference bags were sewn and crafted in a factory in Port au Prince, to support Haitian businesses. On average, every employee at this factory provides for eight people through their employment. DESTINATION SELECTION 10

11 In 2011, USGBC was proud to host our International Conference and Expo internationally for the first time. Over the years, USGBC has earned a reputation for leaving a positive environmental and social legacy in every Greenbuild destination. In selecting a destination, USGBC is driven to choose destinations that show a citywide commitment to sustainability. One key reason Toronto was chosen for Greenbuild 2011 was for its incredible walkability. Toronto offers over 3,900 hotel rooms within 0.5 miles from the MTCC, and another 9,600 rooms within 1 mile. Toronto also has a walking strategy and many projects and programs focused on improving pedestrian environments. Additionally the city s focus on environmentally friendly transit and renewable energy made it an ideal event destination. While we believe reporting qualitative and quantitative performance is essential for transparency, we also know the story behind the numbers is equally important. In this report we proudly share our experience in tackling each of our objectives, and describing the programs and initiatives developed and implemented to support them. We hope that you will continue reading to learn more about our sustainability programs. You have helped shape our programs, so please let us know how we can continue to improve for next year. ABOUT GREENBUILD CONFERENCE AND EVENTS DEPARTMENT MISSION STATEMENT The USGBC Conference and Events department aims to provide leadership for the meeting industry by elevating considerations for sustainability, economic impact and social equity into our event platforms, while also providing USGBC with a superior level of service for meetings and events and acting as a resource for green meetings to our chapters and our peers in the industry. GREENBUILD OVERVIEW 1. Participants: 23, Exhibitors:

12 3. Countries Represented: % Attendees from the US and Canada: 94% 6 5. % Attendees from outside the US and Canada: 6% 6. Education Sessions: Summits: tours throughout the Greater Toronto Area. 9. USGBC Chapters Represented: 72 of 79 (91%) 10. CAGBC Chapters Represented: 4 of 5 (80%) ATTENDEE INDUSTRY BREAKDOWN Planning (Site, Master, Urban/ Regional) 0.7% Other 14% Real Estate 5.2% Professional Services ConsulMng 7.5% AssociaMon and Non- Profit 5.9% UMlity/Energy Services 2% Engineering 5% ConstrucMon 11.7% Architecture & Design 18.2% 6 Figure based on sample Manufacturing of 93% of participants indicating country of origin 10.5% Government Finance/Insurance 5.8% 1.5% Corporate/Retail 1.3% EducaMon 7.4% 12

13 Every one of us here has to think about how we bring more imagination to everything we do around this industry Thomas Friedman, Greenbuild 2011 Opening Plenary COMING TO TORONTO In 2011, USGBC was proud to host our International Conference & Expo internationally, in partnership with the Canada Green Building Council! Where better to host our meeting than in Toronto, Canada, one of the most sustainable cities in the world? One advantage of choosing Toronto for Greenbuild 2011 was its incredible walkability. Toronto offers over 3,900 hotel rooms within 0.5 miles from the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC), and another 9,600 rooms within 1 mile. Toronto also has a walking strategy and many projects and programs focused on improving pedestrian environments. 13

14 SUSTAINABILITY HIGHLIGHTS 1. As a member of C40 and the Clinton Climate Change initiative, Toronto has set a CO2 reduction target of 20% based on an emissions baseline of approximately 27,000,000 tons in Toronto is the largest government purchaser of Bullfrog Power, Ontario s first 100% green electricity retailer. They provide clean, reliable electricity from 100% EcoLogo TM -certified energy sources. 3. In 2007, the Toronto City Council adopted a Waste Diversion Plan with the goal of achieving 70% solid waste diversion. 4. The ground transportation infrastructure of Toronto supplements its walkability initiatives. Bicycling is a convenient option through BIXI Toronto, the city's public bike sharing program, which provides over 1,000 short-term rental bikes to residents and visitors. 5. As of 2010, 45% of the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) bus fleet was made up of diesel/electric hybrid vehicles and today the TTC is using a bio-diesel blend (95% Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel and 5% vegetable oil) in all of its buses. More information on Toronto s numerous sustainability initiatives can be found in Appendix E SUSTAINABILITY OBJECTIVES AND GOALS Every year USGBC strives to make Greenbuild a more innovative, insightful and exciting experience from the programs we offer to the events we host. In the area of sustainability, our goals are no different we want to continuously improve in our practices and performance. OBJECTIVES We know there are opportunities for enhancement within every area of our conference, and over the years we have learned that concentrating on specific objectives is the best way to achieve real change and performance improvement. For Greenbuild 2011, we focused on six main sustainability objectives: 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, and 6. Positively impact communities 14

15 GOALS & KPIS To keep sight of our objectives throughout the planning process, we set challenging goals that would allow us to monitor our progress. Figure 1 lists our key goals for Greenbuild 2011 and actual performance results. Information about additional goals and supporting programs can be found in Appendix F. FIGURE 1: GREENBUILD 2011 GOALS TABLE OBJECTIVES GOAL PERFORMANCE WASTE ENGAGEMENT SOURCING TRACKING EMISSIONS COMMUNITIES Divert 90% of all waste from the landfill 73% 7 X X X X Reduce landfill waste per participant to under 0.8 lbs per attendee Use china or 100% compostable food and beverage serviceware Serve food and beverage items that are 50% organic and 50% local, with an additional 20% being regional. (By expenditure) 1.90 lbs 8 X X X 100% X X X 36% Organic 90% Local 96% Regional X X X X X Serve 100% local wine 100% X X X X X Track 100% of food miles 100% X X X Increase GMEGG participation to 100% 91% X X Increase Green Exhibitor Award participation from 26% 29% X in 2010 Eliminate shuttle transportation (first time) Implemented X X Offer shoe check service to attendees (first time) Implemented X X Create an interactive greening wall, displaying sustainability information and materials (first time) Implement real-time energy tracking display in conjunction with SCIenergy (first time) Implemented Implemented X X X X 7 95% was the original reported figure, view details in Appendix G lbs was the original reported figure, view details in Appendix G 15

16 In addition to these quantifiable goals, we evaluated all of the indicators we currently track (over 200) and identified the key performance indicators (KPIs) that need to be measured, tracked and monitored to ensure Greenbuild s sustainability performance is truly on the right path. Figure 2 identifies 13 KPI metrics tracked for Greenbuild and shows 2011 performance against 2010 performance and 2011 goals, where applicable. See the Improving Performance Tracking section for details on how we improved our metrics, measurement and reporting in FIGURE 2: GREENBULD KPI TABLE GREENBUILD SUSTAINABILITY KPIs ACTUAL VAR. FROM 2010 Energy Use at Venues (kwh) 1,319, , % Water Use at Venues (gal) 19, , % Total GHG Emissions (lbs) 24,888,893 19,350, % GHG Emissions Per Participant (lbs) % Landfill Waste Per Participant (lbs) % Total Waste Per Participant (lbs) % Waste Diversion at Venues (%) 87% 73% % Ground Shuttle Fuel Used (gal) 11, % Local Food (<100 miles) 32% 90% 181% Regional Food (<500 miles) N/A 96% N/A Sustainable Signage Sourced (sqft) 81% 77% % Materials Donated to local organizations (lbs) N/A 19,761 N/A Hotel Sustainable Practices Compliance (%) 100% 100% 0% Exhibitor GMEGG Participation (%) 97% 91% -6% BS 8901 EVENT MANAGEMENT PROCESS Beyond objectives and goals, USGBC is also continuously striving to improve our management process. In 2008, the USGBC Conference and Events team became the first organization in North America to have its entire meeting management department become BS 8901 certified. Since, we have utilized BS 8901 to plan and carry out Greenbuild and all USGBC Board and regional meetings. For our complete sustainability plan, see Appendix F lbs was the original reported figure, view details in Appendix G 10 6 lbs was the original reported figure, view details in Appendix G 11 95% was the original reported figure, view details in Appendix G 12 Includes some signage procured prior to 2011 that is still in use 16

17 In 2011, we revamped our sustainability planning structure. Before, while greening programs were executed by the entire team, the ultimate responsibility for sustainability was concentrated among a few team members. This year, responsibility was distributed across the team in order to more fully integrate sustainability into the planning process. Each Greenbuild staff member was responsible for the sustainable performance of his or her own programs. Staff members evaluated the environmental impacts of their programs and set over 60 goals and action items. Greenbuild staff communicated directly with their partner vendors about sustainability programs and potential environmental impacts. Vendors were asked to complete sustainability plans detailing their sustainability goals, programs and training plans. Through the vendor sustainability planning process, we improved the communication of our sustainability initiatives to our vendors. This helped to encourage vendors to enhance their own sustainability initiatives and continue to push for greater sustainability throughout the show. Greater communication about the many actions being taken by all our partners helped us find more opportunities for collaboration. An integral component of the BS 8901 process is communication and feedback. In 2010, our event sustainability consultants provided us with a set of recommendations for improving Greenbuild. Figure 3 is a table that summarizes those recommendations and our responses/actions. FIGURE 3: SUSTAINABILITY CONSULTANT RECOMMENDATIONS & RESPONSES AREA 2010 RECOMMENDATIONS Internal Capacity Building Vendor Capacity Building Designate an onsite event sustainability coordinator to manage initiatives in-house Venue facilities and catering management for the following year s Greenbuild should attend 2011 ACTIONS In 2011 all staff members in the Conference and Events Team were responsible for the sustainable execution of their programs, decreasing the need for one on-site sustainability coordinator. Additionally, roles and responsibilities were more clearly defined pre-show, and the volunteer team leaders were given greater responsibility and access to Legacy Sustainability Management. The USGBC lead sustainability coordinator spent a significant amount of pre-event time working with LEGACY other stakeholders in an effort to make on-site execution and troubleshooting as seamless as possible. This 2011 Greenbuild report and the 2011 Greenbuild Waste Management Plan were created to not only report performance (how we did), but also record methodology 17

18 Hotel Sustainability Food and Beverage Freight Printing Per Participant Waste Name Badge Reuse Carbon Offsets current Greenbuild to receive back-of-house waste management training onsite, to better prepare them for their turn to host the following year Increase engagement to ensure corporate-level programs are better implemented at contracted hotels; help hotel properties share innovative practices Look for opportunities to work with catering and venues to reduce the food miles traveled for show events Look for opportunities to reduce shipping weights in addition to fuel overall Look for opportunities to reduce paper use at the event, specifically programs and guides Begin tracking waste per attendee as an event KPI Improve reuse of name badges, holders, and lanyards Consider ways to integrate cost of carbon offsetting into registration, or improve offsetting visibility to attendees (how we did it). We hope these communication pieces will serve as tools for engaging venue staff going forward. A conference call each year with the current and previous year s convention center partners also ensures opportunities for information sharing. A broader range of initiatives were surveyed, with analysis and engagement conducted at properties to understand how hotels may be engaged for future Greenbuild events. Food miles were tracked for every food item at the show s main venues, with regional and local targets examined. We focused on local food and beverage and took advantage of Ontario s Greenbelt region to surpass our goals for local food. USGBC staff consolidated shipments to Toronto and hopes increased awareness of GMEGG will make exhibitors more conscious of their shipping impacts. Freeman increased communication about the Exhibitor Donation Program, increasing participation and decreasing post-event shipping. USGBC reduced the printing of education programs and expo hall guides by 15% from Staff were asked to clear printing through the marketing team to reduce unnecessary printing. USGBC implemented an online pressroom, eliminating hundreds of printed press kits. Total Waste per Participant added and reported as a KPI. Badge and bag collection stations were placed in more strategic locations this year, however this remains an area that needs improvement and more focus for Attendees were directed to the Cleaner and Greener Program to offset their Greenbuild trip through the Program addendum. However, only the addendum was used, and participation remained low. WHAT IS BS 8901? According to the British Standards Institute, BS 8901 is the British Standard which has been developed specifically for the events industry with a purpose of helping the industry to operate in a more sustainable manner. The standard defines the requirements for a sustainability event 18

19 management system to ensure an enduring and balanced approach to economic activity, environmental responsibility and social progress relating to events. It requires organizations to identify and understand the effects that their activities have on the environment, on society and on the economy both within the organization and the wider economy; and put measure in place to minimize the negative effects. Areas covered by BS Sustainability Policy 2. Issue identification and evaluation 3. Stakeholder identification and engagement 4. Objectives, targets and plans 5. Performance against principles of sustainable development 6. Operational controls 7. Competence and training 8. Supply chain management 9. Communication 10. Monitoring and measurement 11. Corrective and preventive action 12. Management System audits 13. Management Review Another related standard currently under development is ISO 20121, Event Sustainability Management Systems. This standard used BS 8901 as a starting point and it is to be published June 2012 after a public comment period. 10 YEARS OF GREENING GREENBUILD Since Greenbuild s inaugural year in 2002, USGBC has been committed to producing an environmentally responsible conference and expo, and to improving the industry s most advanced green meeting practices. We re proud to have been awarded three IMEX Green Meetings Awards. It is our vision that conferences and events everywhere will leave a sustainable legacy for their host cities, making them even better than before the conference arrived. THE BEGINNING Sustainability at Greenbuild began with organizational decisions intended to minimize our impact on the environment, from purchasing and waste management to site selection, bringing Greenbuild to the first LEED-certified Convention Centers in Pittsburgh and Portland. Soon, the scope was broadened: vendors doing business with Greenbuild were asked to green their 19

20 operations, and convention centers and hotels being implementing recycling and composting programs for the first time. MOVING FORWARD Greenbuild attendees have always challenged and inspired USGBC to continually ramp up conference greening initiatives. Our efforts are aided by the voluntary actions of exhibitors, vendors, staff and student volunteers who take strides to green the conference each year. Greenbuild has worked with our stakeholders to incorporate sustainability into all aspects of the conference. We celebrate exhibitors with outstanding sustainable booths through the Green Exhibitor Award. The hundreds of annual Greenbuild volunteers have become the backbone of the Greenbuild waste management program. While our community has wowed us with their initiative and leadership toward conference greening, we realized that transparency and mandatory requirements were the next step toward greening Greenbuild from top to bottom. Mandatory greening requirements for our exhibitors were introduced at Greenbuild

21 HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE LAST 10 YEARS OF GREENING GREENBUILD 2002 in Austin: 4,189 Attendees, 220 Exhibitors, 80 Conference Sessions o In its inaugural year, Greenbuild started a policy to reduce use of lights, power, and HVAC during exhibit hall move-in and move-out. This policy continues through Greenbuild o Hotels were asked to comply with the following policies: sheets and towels should be changed every other day, instead of daily, unless requested by guest; consumable amenities should not be replaced unless they are empty; housekeeping staff should shut blinds and shut off HVAC during the day; and Styrofoam should be eliminated from guest rooms. o In Austin USGBC discovered that there was no industry baseline for conference sustainability; this motivated us to use Greenbuild as an ongoing experiment and test lab for sustainable conferences. This need to experiment with Greenbuild was confirmed when Amy Spatrisano, principal of MeetGreen, approached USGBC to partner in the greening of Greenbuild, to push the industry forward and use Greenbuild as a test case. In recognition of the importance of the conference sustainability movement, USGBC joined the Green Meeting Industry Council (GMIC) and was a member of its founding board in Pittsburgh: 5,284 Attendees, 299 Exhibitors, 70 Conference Sessions o Greenbuild was hosted in a LEED-certified convention center for the first time. The David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh was the first Convention Center in the world to receive a LEED Gold Certification, and at the time was the largest LEED-Certified building in the world. o Pre-conference materials and final programs were printed on 100% post-consumer paper with soy-based ink. o Greenbuild 2003 won the IMEX Responsible Meeting Award at IMEX 2004; the award was given by IMEX, the International Hotels Environment Initiative, and the Oceans Blue Foundation in Portland: 8,122 Attendees, 381 Exhibitors, 60 Conference Sessions o Hotel shuttle buses were powered by biodiesel for the first time. o 50.7% of food served was acquired locally, within 100 miles of Portland. o 48% of solid waste produced at the Oregon Convention Center was recycled, including 150 lbs. of mixed paper that that was recycled into 1200 square feet of 21

22 ceiling tile. Greenbuild collected organic waste from the Convention Center public areas for composting for the first time. o Greenbuild worked with Portland State University s (PSU) Community Environmental Services Department to conduct waste audits at the Convention Center and all host hotels, evaluating business practices and providing technical assistance in the areas of recycling, waste prevention and purchasing. Positive feedback from host hotels helped encourage audit programs at various hotels around Portland. o Greenbuild 2004 won the gold level of the 2006 IMEX Green Meetings Award 2005 in Atlanta: 9,724 Attendees, 414 Exhibitors, 90 Conference Sessions o Greenbuild continued to incorporate sustainable materials into show decorations and build-outs: 50% of signage was made from Cloraplast boards, which are 100% recyclable Reusable Sintra signage was utilized for the rest of the aisle and show signage, and all materials were printed with water or soy-based inks. Aisle carpet that was fully recyclable, and 100% of the exhibitor carpet padding given to exhibitors was made of 100% recycled synthetic fibers, exceeding FHA-HUD flammability requirements. For carpet protection, 56,000 square feet of Visqueen was used, which was 100% recyclable and made from 50% recycled content. Reusable shelves found in the computer kiosks and publication bin were made from Woodstalk, an engineered fiberboard made from annually renewable wheat straw fiber that does not contain any wood species and is manufactured using no formaldehyde-containing compounds. o 4,562 lbs. of organic waste was composted. o Greenbuild was the catalyst for the development of a permanent recycling program at the Georgia World Congress Center. In addition - two of the conference hotels put permanent recycling programs in place - a first for Atlanta. o The conference caterer permanently replaced polystyrene plastic disposable cups used at multiple facilities with biodegradable cornstarch cups in Denver: 13,329 Attendees, 477 Exhibitors, 77 Conference Sessions o Leaving a legacy: The Denver Convention Center implemented a composting program for the first time, supported by Whole Foods, and committed to leaving a recycling program in place permanently. 22

23 o 543 delegates used GreenRide, a ride-sharing service to get to the conference, saving an estimated 11,300 lbs. of CO 2 and 12,400 vehicle fleet miles. o USGBC awarded a Green Exhibitor Performance Award to recognize the outstanding efforts of exhibiting companies who worked to minimize the environmental impact of their participation. This first award went to HOLCIM Inc. This program evolved into the Green Exhibitor Award in 2007, providing incentives for exhibitors to participate in the contest, which has continued through Greenbuild o Greenbuild accepted donations from attendees for emissions offsets, and offset 228% of total emissions in Chicago: 22,726 Attendees, 479 Exhibitors, 105 Conference Sessions o 100% green power was used at McCormick Place. USGBC returned to a LEED- Certified venue by using the newly certified McCormick Place West Building. o 31 hotels in Chicago made a commitment to pursue green certification, supported by a partnership with the City of Chicago. o Greenbuild worked with McCormick Place to implement a composting and a comprehensive recycling program for the first time. o Emissions per participant dropped to an all-time low of 781 lbs per attendee in 2007, a 22% drop since in Boston: 28,224 Attendees, 807 Exhibitors, 108 Conference Sessions o Greenbuild 2008 became the first event in North America to undergo BS 8901 certification. In addition, USGBC was the first North American organization to have their entire meeting management department BS 8901 certified. Independent certification of the sustainable event management system used by USGBC is an important part of ensuring transparency, accountability and forward momentum in the way all of the organization s events are conducted. o USGBC tracked water and energy use at the convention center for the first time, leading to a better understanding of the total event footprint of Greenbuild o Organic ingredients were used for 42% of catered food and beverage at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. During and after the Convention, 5.1 tons of leftover food was donated to local shelters in Boston. o USGBC partnered with the Massachusetts Department of the Environment to conduct a WasteWise Forum to educate local hotels about recycling and composting. 23

24 o Greenbuild won the IMEX Green Meetings Gold Award for the third time in recognition of Greenbuild in Phoenix: 27,373 Attendees, 1,036 Exhibitors, 119 Conference Sessions o USGBC provided over 400 light rail passes to attendees staying at hotels on the new Phoenix Light Rail line. o Applications for the Green Exhibitor Award increased by 67% (160 companies participated total). o Greenbuild is the first large-scale event to implement front and back of house composting at the Phoenix Convention Center (PCC). Over 25,000 lbs. of organic waste was hauled from the PCC and a diversion rate of 45% was achieved (a significant improvement from the PCC's baseline of 17.5%) in Chicago: 28,193 Attendees, 1,017 Exhibitors, 102 Conference Sessions o 39% fewer signs and graphics were produced for Greenbuild 2010, and 59% of all graphics were available for reuse, an increase of 36% over o 87% of all waste was diverted from the landfill, Greenbuild's highest diversion rate to date. The Leadership Awards Celebration at the Chicago Merchandise Mart diverted 96% of all waste from landfill. o For the first time in the event's history, 100% of venues used for official events were LEED-Certified. o Greenbuild introduced the GMEGG, requiring all exhibitors to implement basic sustainable practices. 97% of exhibitors participated by submitting documents for auditing. Those who did not were denied an opportunity to join the Greenbuild 2011 exhibit hall. o USGBC won the MPI RISE Award for Organizational Achievement for its leadership in using meetings and events to educate the hospitality and building industries concerning green design initiatives. MAKING IT HAPPEN What follows is the story of the Greenbuild 2011 sustainability program and how we achieved our results. We review each of our six objectives, and describe the programs and initiatives developed and implemented to support them (as graphically summarized in Figure 4). We hope this will serve as interesting to our stakeholders and valuable to other meeting planners with similar sustainability goals. 24

25 Move to Zero Waste 90% diversion goal Recycling programs Dona:on program GMEGG 'Post- use plan' analysis of products Increase Stakeholder Educa:on and Engagement GMEGG Greening wall Landfill book Surveys Training Sustainable Sourcing Materials F&B Cleaning Products Merchandise Improve Performance Tracking Contractual obliga:ons Transparent quan:fica:on Internal tracking tool AQendee travel Reduce GHG Emissions No shuqles Shoe Check Renewable energy cer:ficates Carbon offsets Posi:vely Impact Communi:es Local partnerships Greeuild Legacy project USGBC's Project Hai: Scholarship program Volunteer programs Youth involvement FIGURE 4: GREENBUILD 2011 OBJECTIVES MOVING TOWARD A ZERO WASTE EVENT A majority of the waste generated at Greenbuild is attributed to the setup and breakdown of the exhibit floor along with events, or areas within the convention center, that include food and beverage service. Challenges we ve encountered when trying to address these areas are: 1. The difficulties in ensuring all materials that enter the waste stream are reusable, recyclable, or compostable. To do so means monitoring materials used by all venues and vendors (and attendees!) in every phase of the event. This is compounded by the fact that some materials don t have a commercially viable, recyclable alternative, and there s always a risk of participants bringing in non-recyclable items from outside the venue. 2. Every local destination has a unique waste processing infrastructure and variable commodities markets for recycled materials. Not understanding the waste plan holistically can result in large investments for little merit. 3. Attendee behavior is one of the most critical aspects of making sure materials are sourceseparated without contamination, but is extremely difficult to control during high-intensity events with tens of thousands of participants. 25

26 4. The Greenbuild exhibit hall is particularly challenging, due to its size and the number of stakeholders and waste-creators: 900 exhibitors bring in incredibly diverse materials and present a huge engagement challenge. As we develop the Greenbuild Waste Management Plan each year, we also keep in mind that source reduction and reuse (the first 2 R s) are of chief importance. A few notable examples of our reduction and reuse strategies: 1. This year, one of our source reduction initiatives was switching to an online pressroom for exhibitors. In the past, 200 to 300 companies visited the exhibitor pressroom to drop off kits, folders, flash drives, and event giveaways. Very few came back to pick up their materials at the end of the show, resulting in a lot of the leftover material. This year, we implemented an online pressroom and prohibited paper handouts, which significantly reduced printing and waste. 2. To reduce our pre-show printing, USGBC mailed postcards, instead of 12-page registration brochures, to 85% of the Greenbuild mailing list. Through this reduction strategy, we reduced our pre-registration printing by over 85% and avoided printing over 2 million additional pages. In addition, the quantity of printed education programs and exhibit hall guides was reduced by 15%. 3. Exhibit hall aisle carpet will be reused for Greenbuild 2012, for its third year of use. 4. Each year, USGBC tries to reuse as much signage as possible from the previous year s Greenbuild, while printing signage that is not year or theme specific as often as possible. This year, to facilitate the reuse of signage and improve the tracking of our signage usage, we 26

27 tracked the disposal stream for each sign, including its reuse potential. All members of the Greenbuild team indicated a disposal plan in the signage creation stage; this encouraged all team members to think about the disposal stream from step one. We set a goal of 90% Waste Diversion at main venues (the MTCC and the ACC), aiming to improve on our 2010 diversion rate of 87%. We also set a related, and record-low, Landfill Waste Per Attendee goal of less than 0.8 lbs. Going against the increasing popularity of buzz words like zero waste event, we set these specific goals knowing they were challenging yet achievable, based on our past performance and improvement trends. GOAL 2010 PERFORMANCE 2011 GOAL 2011 PERFORMANCE Landfill Waste Per Participant (lbs) % Total Waste Per Participant (lbs) % Waste Diversion at Venues (%) 87% 90% 73% -16.1% VARIANCE FROM 2010 The concept of a zero waste event remains a formidable goal one that we are working diligently with our stakeholders to move toward for Greenbuild. In 2011 we came closer to this reality than ever before by achieving 95% Waste Diversion (99.5% at our keynote event at the ACC) and 0.36 lbs. of Landfill Waste Per Attendee. We are extremely proud of the hard work and preparation that went into exceeding our goals and are thankful to our venue and vendor partners that helped us get there. We d like to think Greenbuild 2011 serves as a case study for collaborative and persevering attention to the waste stream of a major conference and present our experience and lessons learned from our Toronto event so that others may build upon our practices and findings. HOW IS ZERO WASTE DEFINED? At present, absolute 100% zero waste is extremely difficult for large events. Attendees will bring in non-divertible objects from outside the venue. Carpeting or other flooring from the exhibit floor can be very difficult to recycle. Exhibitors pack expensive equipment in Styrofoam. True human behavior change is required, and that s hard! The industry needs a common definition for what diversion rate can be considered a zero waste event. Is it 95%? 99%? Absolute 100%? Likewise, what are the boundaries of waste calculation? Are lbs was the original reported figure, view details in Appendix G 14 6 lbs was the original reported figure, view details in Appendix G 27

28 durable goods included? How far upstream and downstream should supplier waste be counted? We look forward to exploring this topic with industry peers to help bring more consistency and transparency around zero waste in the coming years. WHAT WE DID We know that a solid waste diversion plan starts with multi-stakeholder collaboration throughout the entire event management process. As such, a core waste team was formed, including staff members from USGBC, LEGACY, the MTCC, Turtle Island Recycling, and Freeman. Understanding our main challenges, as discussed above, we spent a significant amount of time focusing on the exhibit hall and food serviceware at the MTCC; ensuring as many materials as possible were recyclable; that the local waste partner, Turtle Island, could find markets for the anticipated waste materials; and that we were providing attendees with the education and support they needed to correctly participate in the program. Additionally, we closely tracked the journey of each waste stream to ensure accurate and transparent reporting of diversion figures. The following are key components of the waste management plan that were collaboratively developed and executed by the waste team: 28

29 PRE-EVENT PLANNING 1. Held waste management calls starting three months prior to the show, to discuss all waste management-related issues. Developed a waste management plan detailing each part of the waste management 2. Worked extensively with MTCC and the ACC to ensure all disposable food and beverage serviceware used was 100% compostable; the MTCC incorporated a compostable coffee cup lid, for the first time, eliminating the use of harmful polystyrene plastic. 3. MTCC changed 81% of its food service packaging for Greenbuild, to ensure all of it was compostable. 4. Planned and designed 3,000 boxed lunches served to attendees to be 100% compostable (utensils and all) so that people wouldn't have to separate waste when disposing of 3,000 lunches in a short amount of time. Set up 10 specific compostable-material collection bins to collect the boxes and their contents, ensuring they went into the correct stream. This provided an opportunity to educate attendees on where the waste was heading. 5. Encouraged waste planning by vendors and exhibitors through online waste training (for those not on bi-weekly waste calls). Pre-event collaboration also improved when vendors created their sustainability plans, reporting how they would train staff on sustainability programs, many of which were related to waste management. 6. USGBC requires all exhibitors to agree to GMEGG when purchasing booths at Greenbuild; through the mandatory standards and an online interface collecting information on 29

30 GMEGG compliance, GMEGG encourages exhibitors to limit the collateral that they bring to the show, eliminate Styrofoam, and use recyclable materials. 7. Due to the anticipated high volume of compostable packaging, an additional open top container was added to the docks of the MTCC and the ACC worked with Turtle Island Recycling to switch out their regular recycling and landfill compactor with an organics only compactor. 8. Dock monitors (environmental science graduates) were recruited, hired and trained specifically for the event. 9. The in-house cleaning staff was trained by the MTCC Sustainability Coordinator regarding all changes to the current process, including the addition of a fourth landfill stream. FRONT-OF-HOUSE INFRASTRUCTURE 1. The bins at the MTCC were changed out with blue Greenbuild Rubbermaid bins to allow for the following waste streams, to incorporate landfill bins: 1. Paper 2. Plastic, Cans & Glass 3. Organics 4. Landfill Note: the MTCC did not previously collect materials through a front-of-house landfill stream; the only options were paper; plastics, cans and glass; organics. USGBC brought in the Greenbuild Rubbermaid bins in an effort to improve diversion rates and help attendees recognize the difference between non- 30

31 recyclable and recyclable items, including throwing chip packets and other non-recyclables into the plastic, cans & glass stream. 2. New signage was created for above the bins, improving last year s design by reducing text and adding icons for visual assistance. 3. Over 180 volunteers were stationed at recycling stations throughout the convention center to interact with attendees and help them source-separate into the correct bins. The volunteers increased awareness around waste disposal, improved source separation results, and helped educate attendees on difficult-to-sort materials like polylactic acid (PLA). EXPO HALL AND BACK-OF-HOUSE INFRASTRUCTURE 1. In advance of Greenbuild, an in-vessel dry composting system unit was installed and tested on the loading docks at the MTCC. Food residuals were reduced using special cedar chips containing microbes that accelerate the decomposition process and reduce food waste significantly by weight and volume (without sending any effluent out via drainage pipes). 2. Dock monitors (environmental science graduates) were recruited, hired and trained specifically for the event; they worked from 6am to midnight throughout load-in, load-out, and during the show, performing back of house separation as necessary. 31

32 3. The exhibit hall was set up with labeled bins for four bulk streams during move-in and moveout (10 bins for each stream in both exhibit halls): 1. Cardboard/paper/plastic film 2. Wood/metal/tapes 3. Organics 4. Plastics/cans/glass 4. In recognition of the importance of clear communication, signs were made to go above each compactor at the MTCC so that all stakeholders (vendors, housekeeping staff, dock monitors) would know exactly what belonged in each stream. 5. USGBC recruited and utilized volunteer Exhibit Hall Recycling Advocates, used for the first time, who roamed the floor to help position bins, separate waste and to educate and engage with the Freeman and union staff during move-in and move-out. 6. Freeman organized and managed the Greenbuild Exhibitor Donation Program. Increased communication regarding the program contributed to 32 booths participating resulting in 17,600 lbs. of material sent to the local Toronto School Board and Habitat for Humanity. 7. A designated sustainability lead on the Freeman team led debrief meetings before every shift on the exhibitor floor, letting workers know that waste separation and reaching our 32

33 diversion figure was just as important as getting all the freight loaded in and out. Freeman staff and the show floor setup crew proudly wore Keep It Green buttons provided by Freeman to remind them to think before they tossed. FINAL SORTING & MEASUREMENT 1. A final separation stage was performed at the Turtle Island Recycling transfer station to sort out cardboard and film via mechanical separation, and a manual pick-over to pull out remaining recyclables. 2. A waste stream audit was performed on three compactors: landfill waste, comingled recycling, and wood and metals. These audits revealed the detailed material composition of each waste stream and contamination rates used to make final calculations. 3. Sometimes success requires flexibility! Exhibiting at Greenbuild was a carpet recycling company that had not previously picked up leftover carpet material from MTCC. After a conversation and test of the material it was determined that CarpetCycle could recycle nearly 4,500 lbs. at no extra cost to the center or USGBC. 4. LEGACY worked with Turtle Island Recycling and MTCC to ensure that reported figures accurately reflected the amount of materials being recycled, landfilled, donated or processed for waste-to-energy. 1. To ensure reported waste figures for recycling, composting/organics, donations and landfill was as accurate as possible USGBC tracked the weight of over 10 subcategories including food donated, carpet, wine/beer bottles, grease oil, and exhibit hall donations 2. For more accuracy, three separate compactors (landfill, commingled recycling and wood/metal) were audited by Turtle Island Recycling (TIR), allowing USGBC to better understand material composition (i.e. what materials in the waste stream are keeping us from achieving "zero waste") and helped to establish accurate contamination rates, which were very low (less than 5%). 3. Contamination rates allowed USGBC to go beyond reporting the weight of material that left the MTCC in the comingle recycling compactor, for example, and instead the weight of only the commingled recycling contents in the commingled compactor in addition to any commingle recycling that was recovered from other compactors (landfill, paper/cardboard, etc.) 5. A quantification method was established to ensure transparency and encourage other event organizers to understand the diversion process and how to accurately track performance at their own events (see Appendix B for diversion quantification method)

34 WHAT HAPPENS TO COMPOSTABLES THAT CAN T BE COMPOSTED? Due to composting infrastructure limitations, unfortunately, not all compostable materials can be composted in the traditional sense. The organics collected at the MTCC and the ACC, with the exception of food residuals placed in the EnviroPure unit, fall into this category. That organic waste (19.11 metric tons, 22% of total waste) was processed at Brent Run Landfill (Montrose, MI) in a methane-capture biocell to produce renewable energy for U.S. homes. This waste-to-energy afterlife processing was the only commercially-viable and responsible option, as there are 46 facilities in the Ontario, Canada region that perform composting, but not a single operation currently accepts non-residential food waste from Downtown Toronto facilities. Instead of composting organics to create nutrient-rich soil amendments, the food scraps and compostable packaging from Greenbuild was processed to power homes in Michigan. For every 3,000 tons of waste processed at Brent Run, the facility is able to produce 2,000KW of energy that goes directly to the local grid. In 2010, the facility collected 901,000 tons of waste and produced 18,413 MWh, which powers 1,841 average American homes for a year 15. BEST PRACTICES & LESSONS LEARNED This year we learned a lot about waste management what worked well and what needs work. To continue to achieve high waste diversion, here are some best practices we ll be utilizing in 2012: STAKEHOLDER COLLABORATION & TRANSPARENCY During the waste planning process a biweekly call was scheduled with all the major waste stakeholder groups (USGBC, LEGACY, MTCC, Freeman, and Turtle Island), including representatives from catering, concessions, housekeeping, and operations, and onsite meetings continued in the form of daily check in s. More important than the frequency of communication is the quality and transparency of the conversations. Being open about limitations and challenges is the only way the group can work together to solve them. Planning calls and meetings also help developing a good rapport amongst the group members, making onsite trouble shooting smoother and more efficient. DAILY WASTE MEEETINGS 15 Average household consumption of 10MWh per year, according to the waste- to- energy facility 34

35 Key staff from MTCC, USGBC, Legacy, Turtle Island, and Freeman met daily to discuss wastemanagement issues during the show. These collaborative meetings helped to review any challenges and collectively determine action items. Consistent communication throughout the show helped to determine priorities and quickly address issues. CONVENTION CENTER SUSTAINABILITY COORDINATOR Whether this is an official position or someone designated for a particular event, a single point of contact at the convention center that understands the ins and outs of the center and is knowledgeable about sustainability is essential to coordinating the many involved departments and driving progress. DOCUMENTATION Delivering an official event sustainability report forces you to understand the details of your event s sustainability performance, which leads to improved understanding, management and results over. Likewise, it is an excellent record of your programs, acting as a critical communications piece for stakeholders and a handy quick reference during future planning. Creating an official waste plan document is important for the same reasons and can act as a useful training resource onsite. MATERIALS PLANNING & AWARENESS Working with venue and other event partners to list the materials to be used onsite and identify which waste stream they belong in after use is the best way to ensure your collection plan is comprehensive. EXHIBIT HALL FOCUS Because this area generates so much waste and can be a main source for uncontrolled waste inputs, focusing on it by communicating with exhibitors and creating a specific move in and move out plan is important. Having exhibitors sign the Greenbuild Mandatory Exhibitor Green Guidelines (GMEGG) raises awareness and makes exhibiting companies more accountable for their waste. This reduction strategy coupled with an onsite source separation plan means less waste and more diversion. The Exhibitor Donation Program is a critical piece of the move out plan and requires a dedicated waste advocate to be onsite for at least 1.5 days after the hall closes. In 2011, approximately 33% of materials that were donated actually left for landfill by exhibitors, but were recovered by Freeman staff that were members of the waste planning team. ENGAGED DOCK MONITORS 35

36 Dock monitors have played a role in Greenbuild for many years, but 2011 was the first year the monitors were hired and trained specifically for the event, and recruited as current or former environmental sciences students. This team of monitors was engaged, interested, and personally committed to making sure bags went in the right compactors. Many monitors even opened bags and sorted waste, which drove contamination rates down significantly (only 6% of materials in the landfill compacter were recyclable), especially during critical times of move-in and move-out. WASTE FACILITY INVOLVEMENT The waste facility should be a part of the pre-event planning conversations as they determine the true end-life of the waste materials and are responsible for calculating and providing accurate waste data. Touring the waste facility is also recommended. TRAINING Training of all stakeholders for everything waste-related is paramount, for three reasons: 1) it creates awareness that a focus on sustainability exists and that it is formalized, 2) it educates everyone on how to be a part of the success, and 3) it creates opportunities for your stakeholders to provide you feedback about challenges and solutions you may not have considered. INCREASING STAKEHOLDER EDUCATION & ENGAGEMENT Each year for Greenbuild, hundreds of organizations and tens of thousands of attendees come together sharing in the goal of improving the sustainability of the built environment. This creates a unique audience and opportunity. One of our main objectives in 2011 was to increase stakeholder education and engagement, which was largely achieved through boosting our communication efforts. We are fortunate to be working with many stakeholders that already understand the value of sustainability, therefore our challenge was to let them know more about our sustainability programs and goals and what they can do to help us achieve them. For participants with less sustainability experience, it was our mission to increase awareness the first step towards change. 36

37 The key stakeholders for the Greenbuild event are USGBC staff, event venues, hotel partners, vendors, attendees, exhibitors, volunteers and the host city. In 2011, we made an effort more than ever before to share our sustainability story with these groups. Here are a few ways how: SUSTAINABILITY DISPLAY 37

38 The Greenbuild sustainability display, located in the hallway connecting the north and south buildings of the MTCC, allowed us to commemorate the growth and greening of Greenbuild over the past decade and share important information with our attendees. We strived to help attendees understand the programs and initiatives USGBC and our event partners have undertaken to increase the sustainability of Greenbuild. To make the exhibit more interactive we included a materials wall, posting all the items used for the event, explaining what they were made of, and describing their sustainable features (see Sustainable Sourcing below for more details). We hoped that the sustainability display would help attendees understand the goals of a green conference, and show an example of sustainable operations in a complex, existing building, so that attendees would not only take steps to reduce their impact at the conference, but also find ways to reduce their environmental impact during all of their business trips and at home. The display included a Green Your Greenbuild section challenging attendees to take actions to reduce the environmental impact of their conference attendance. USGBC asked attendees to get actively involved in waste management, to recycle their name badges, to walk from their hotels, ask exhibitors about their sustainable booth operations, give feedback on hotel sustainability, and more. * Sign was used onsite at Greenbuild to encourage attendees to be more sustainable conference attendees. POWERWALKING To accomplish one of our main objectives, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, we eliminated shuttle transportation, which meant we needed attendees to walk! To communicate the positive 38

39 effects of walking and decrease the use of taxicabs we placed posters in the lobbies of each of our hotel partners that highlighted the initiative, provided walking directions (with QR code maps), and told them about the availability of our complimentary shoe check service, which was introduced for the first time. For attendees staying at the one partner hotel located more than 1 mile away from the convention center, we worked with Toronto Tourism to provide a complimentary 3-day metro rail passes. REAL TIME PERFORMANCE In partnership with SCIenergy, a lounge was created in the south building that showed attendees, on a monitor, live building energy performance data and how Greenbuild was tracking compared to other events previously held at the convention center. At USGBC, our passion is efficient building performance and practices and we were pleased to be able to make attendees aware of Greenbuild s use of energy in a compelling way. WASTE AWARENESS The 150 bright-blue Rubbermaid bins, recycling signage and volunteers throughout the MTCC made it easier for attendees to properly dispose of their waste, and also created a heightened sense of awareness about the waste generated at Greenbuild and where it was going. By placing volunteers at bins and asking them to interact with attendees on waste, we demonstrated the importance of recycling and our commitment to reaching our waste diversion goal. 39

40 When attendees realized USGBC was serious about achieving our 90% diversion goal they were serious about helping us do so! For special events like boxed lunches we tailored the waste collection to be convenient and put up signage that was functional and educational. GMEGG Recognizing the impact of the exhibit floor, the Greenbuild Mandatory Exhibition Green Guidelines (GMEGG) were introduced in 2010 and require all exhibitors to comply with green practices for booth construction, reuse, material selection and operations. As one of the only conferences in North America with established exhibitor requirements, GMEGG was created to educate exhibitors on how to green their booth as much as it was to ensure compliance. Each year, 10% of the total booths are audited by USGBC staff, as was done in To view the GMEGG details, please see Appendix D. Related to GMEGG, the Green Exhibitor Award Program recognizes those companies with the most innovatively green booths. A record 252 companies participated in this year's program of which three received the Leader Level: Siemens Industry, Davies Office Refurbishing and Kohler. Leader Level companies demonstrated leadership in sustainable operations through innovative booths that incorporated multiple sustainability strategies to reduce the impact of their exhibition programs. By leading the way in sustainable exhibition, these three companies are proving their organization-wide commitments to sustainability. TRAINING To communicate the USGBC Conference and Event Department s sustainability policy, goals, programs and expectations training was held in person or via live webinar for all Greenbuild vendors and volunteers. All training sessions were recorded so organizations could utilize the material for internal training further increasing engagement and participation. Temporary workers from the Greater Toronto Area supported Greenbuild, through staffing registration booths, education sessions and more. Workers were trained in general sustainability concepts, specific Greenbuild greening programs and waste management. A Green Prize contest was hosted to recognize staff who did the best job to reduce, reuse and recycle during the event. RFPS & CONTRACTS Environmental standards and requirements are built into USGBC s RFP process for all vendors and venues, and greening performance and requirements are built into our contracts. We seek to 40

41 maximize strategic partnerships with our host cities, venues, vendors, attendees, speakers, exhibitors, volunteers and staff in each of our meetings to improve sustainable performance. PROCESS AND STAFF ENGAGEMENT In 2011, USGBC enhanced our BS 8901 process around stakeholder engagement and feedback through our vendor, venue, hotel, attendee and staff communication efforts and surveys. The Greenbuild Conference and Events sustainability program transitioned from a program catalyzed by a few staff sustainability leaders to full team integration. Each Greenbuild staff person assumed full accountability for the sustainability results of each program they lead; this shift in accountability led to a higher level of staff engagement with internal and external stakeholders, and the creation of many new greening programs. Through increased involvement in the process, staff highlighted more environmental impacts than ever before, and resulting in the creation of many new sustainability initiatives. VENDOR SUSTAINABILITY PLANS USGBC significantly enhanced reporting requirements for vendors. This was done through working with all key vendors to complete a Vendor Sustainability Plan (VSP) prior to the show. The VSP is a document that allows us to communicate our sustainability policy, goals and programs, but more importantly helps us better understand our vendors practices and challenges. As part of the VSP, vendors submit information related to their: 1. Sustainability policy 2. Sustainability programs and practices 3. Training with regards to sustainability specifically for Greenbuild 4. Shipping methods and efforts to reduce the environmental impact 5. Contact person responsible for responding to sustainability inquiries 6. Agreement to submit performance data required for USGBC tracking purposes The VSP process and vendor training created opportunities for vendors to ask questions and anticipate potential issues. It also gave USGBC an excellent opportunity to engage with all vendors and learn more about their operations and potential impacts. I have been working on Greenbuild since the first show 10 years ago and have learned more about sustainability this year than ever before." Amy Henderson, Experient 41

42 HOTELS Each year USGBC extensively engages our local hotel partners at several stages. During contracting, we incorporate greening requirements into all room block contracts. We then continue engagement six months prior to the show by requiring hotels to complete the USGBC Green Venue Selection Guide and Environmental Practices Survey, tracking over 90 items to assess their current sustainable practices. USGBC staff then conduct pre-event site visits to confirm practices while discussing sustainability with each hotel. Closer to the event, we follow up on those practices previously in the implementation stage, to confirm that all priority practices are being met. During the event, we conduct on-site walkthroughs at each property to engage with the hotels while auditing 36 different practices. In 2011, we received at least 80% participation from hotels in each of our priority items, below: OBJECTIVES HOTEL SUSTAINABILITY PRACTICES WASTE ENGAGEMENT SOURCING TRACKING EMISSIONS COMMUNITIES Towel and sheet reuse X X X Energy efficient housekeeping X Amenity reuse/donation X X X X X Recycling (in guest rooms and back-of-house areas) X X Composting (kitchen) X No newspaper delivery X X Green cleaners X X Recycled bathroom papers X X Staff training on sustainable practices No Styrofoam use X X X X X X X We also solicited feedback from all attendees, staff, and vendors to ensure hotel compliance with issues such as linen/towel reuse and discontinued newspaper delivery. Post-event, we ask for hotels to send follow-up specifications on green products as well as performance data on key indicators of waste, water and energy. 42

43 During its survey of hotel practices, we encountered the following challenges when asking hotels to incorporate more sustainable practices into their operations: Recycling bins in public areas Some hotels have brand standards to not include any type of waste receptacles in their public areas, as both an aesthetic aspect and a tactic to reduce waste and increase diversion by making the guest approach staff to receive and dispose of the waste in their bins behind desks and doors. While this is an interesting practice, our conference seeks to build awareness of sustainable practices such as recycling. We were able to work with one hotel to temporarily place recycling bins in public areas during this conference, and will work with hotels in future years to ensure 100% compliance with this practice where possible. Polystyrene coffee lids Though most hotels have taken strides to eliminate the use of Styrofoam in their food service operations and guestrooms, polystyrene remains the default material for coffee lids found in both guestrooms and quick-service outlets. The elimination of polystyrene from coffee lids is also a topic for the beverage industry. However we were able to source biodegradable coffee lids made from natural fibers in the MTCC, and going forward we can offer our hotel partners information on sourcing these lids with sufficient time prior to the Greenbuild conference to make the change during our event, adding it to our list of priority hotel practices. Donation of unused food items Hotels in our room block will have varying sizes of food and beverage operations. Some hotels indicated that their operations were small (i.e. continental breakfast only) and that the quantities left over were not enough to merit donation to a local recipient. Should this arise in the future we can work with hotels to confirm this practice and recommend partners via benchmarking other hotels within the room block with a current donation program in practice. Recycled content of toilet paper Some hotels offer eco-friendly bathroom amenities but not the bathroom tissue itself. While we gladly support the greening of amenities, we hope to make it a common practice that all hotels first ensure sustainable sourcing of bathroom tissue as it helps reduce environmental pressures from paper consumption. We will be examining both the recycled content and whether the tissues carry certification for sustainable forestry. 43

44 Through hotel engagement we have noticed increases in other practices that are now becoming more commonplace and thus possible to encourage or mandate for hotel partners in future Greenbuild conferences. Digital thermostats which may be centrally controlled, high efficiency elevators, outdoor LED signage, ozone laundry wash systems, and amenity donation programs were seen in more than one hotel in Toronto. The hotel engagement process helps us to learn more about current sustainable practices and challenges, while also helping us share best practices among hotels. We look forward to continuing this process by increasing our engagement with the San Francisco hotel community, learning from their best practices, and working together to tackle sustainability challenges. SUSTAINABLE SOURCING Greenbuild is made with care. From the bag attendees receive at registration to the carpet in the exhibit hall, the materials that make up Greenbuild are carefully sourced and thoughtfully designed to be reused or recycled. While our event partners are selected for their outstanding service and sustainable practices, we still work closely with them to ensure we re making improvements in every area we can. For example, 26 of the 32 food and beverage serviceware materials (81%) procured for Greenbuild were specifically sourced for the conference and never used before by the MTCC. MATERIALS For Greenbuild, USGBC completely phased out vinyl from signage production. Likewise, all nonyear-specific signage is designed to be reusable. Below is a partial list of the items sourced for the conference along with their specifications. Greenbuild NEXT T-shirts: 100% organic cotton; all 2011 Greenbuild NEXT t-shirts and conference bags were sewn and crafted in Port au Prince, to support Haitian businesses that are giving back to their local communities. On average, every employee at this factory provides for eight people through their employment (see Positively Impacting the Community to read more about Project Haiti). Name Badge Lanyard: 100% post-consumer recycled PET plastic (i.e. recovered water bottles and other PET products). 44

45 Signage 1. Falconboard (used in large standing boards): 100% Recyclable craft paper honeycomb material; Made from 20-40% renewable virgin and post-consumer recycled fibers, produced CFC-free from all natural materials, 100% recyclable. 2. BioFlex (used for hanging banners): Material is biodegradable/recyclable; Inks contain naturally derived monomers and oligomers from renewable resources; contain virtually no VOCs. 3. MEDEX (used in 3D props): Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF); Formaldehyde-free, FSC certified, pre-consumer recycled wood fiber. 4. Ecoboard (used for 3/16 and ½ posters): Made from chlorine-free, 100% recyclable materials (containing a maximum of 29.6% post consumer waste). Booth Drape: Made from Banjo cloth (polyester) with a 15-year lifecycle. Name Badge: Badge holder is 100% recyclable (where #5 plastic is accepted); Paper name badge is FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) Certified and 100% recyclable; Returned badges are reused for next year s conference. Food & Beverage Serviceware 1. Utensils: potato and corn starch 2. Coffee cup: bagasse (sugarcane fiber material) 3. Water cup: PLA 4. Paper plate: bagasse 5. All serviceware items used by MTCC were 100% compostable Boxed Lunch: Clamshell lunch container: bagasse; Clamshell containers and all lunch contents were 100% compostable. Greenbuild Bag: 100% organic cotton from India, fabric dyed, sewn and screened in Haiti; 500 of these conference bags never left Haiti: they were stuffed with donated school supplies and were distributed to three local orphanages just in time for the new school year. Program and Expo Hall Guides: 100% post-consumer recycled content; Printed with vegetablebased ink. Booth ID stock: 100% recyclable 21-point cardstock 45

46 Crest paper (used for tent cards): 21-point cardstock; Acid free, green-e certified, FSC certified, 100% recyclable. Aisle Carpet: 25% reclaimed fiber from post-industrial waste; Certified by the McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDC) as a cradle-to-cradle product, which can be recycled indefinitely. Carpet used in Toronto was used in Chicago for Greenbuild 2010 and will be used again in San Francisco in Banners: The City of Toronto created six airport welcome banners and 40 street welcome banners that were placed throughout the downtown core. Banners were made from biodegradable material that attracts microbes that break down the PVC (of vegetable origin) within 3-5 years. The material is non-toxic and disposed of in the organics stream. Some of the stronger banners were repurposed into bags and notebooks. Hotel welcome signage: 100% post-consumer paper and recycled after the event. Tourism buttons: 2,000 buttons were provided by Tourism Toronto to Greenbuild venues and hotels. The 1.5" buttons were made from recycled metal and paper in Canada and were provided by Fairware Promotional Products. 46

47 Greenbuild Merchandise program: prioritized domestic items, organic cotton, and recyclability 1. In an effort to increase transparency and attendee engagement, the following statistics were displayed for every new item in the merchandise store: material source, manufacturing location, finishing/printing location, and green features. For example, the following was displayed for the Greenbuild Mug: 100% recycled post-industrial homopolymer polypropylene (#5 plastic); sourced, manufactured and finished in New Jersey, USA; green features: recyclable, manufactured with solar energy, shipped via UPS Carbon Neutral Shipping Program. Hosting Greenbuild created a positive sense of urgency to move forward with many of our sustainability plans. The installation of the EnviroPure composter is a great example, diverting 2,000-3,000lbs of food residuals every day. We also found and procured a 100% compostable coffee cup lid for the first time, which is surprisingly no easy feat. Richard Willett, Vice President Food and Beverage, MTCC FOOD & BEVERAGE Our focus on sourcing extended beyond the materials used to build Greenbuild to the fuel that powers the minds and bodies of our attendees food and beverage! We communicated the high importance of healthy, sustainable foods to our venue partners, with an emphasis on local and organic. Given this mandate, MTCC and ACC delivered, achieving impressive figures, particularly in the area of local foods. 47

48 Our quantifiable goal around food and beverage was to serve items that were 50% organic and 50% local (within 100 miles), with an additional 20% being regional (within 500 miles). We also wanted to track food miles for all items, for the first time. Results for each main venue were as follows (by expenditure): Venue Organic Local Food Miles MTCC 19.2% 87.3% 96.1 miles/lb. ACC 51.0% 87.7% miles/lb. Combined 36.1% 87.5% miles/lb. NEED NEW NUMBERS We reached our goal for organics, and the percentage of locally sourced food was staggering and significantly reduced food miles. We realize sustainable food and beverage is about achieving a balance between cost, organic certification and food miles, and we are pleased with our results in Toronto. The high percentage of local foods was influenced by strategic procurement combined with the benefits of hosting Greenbuild in a region with an abundance of farms in the fall season. Southern Ontario is classified as the Greenbelt of Canada, and is an area with approximately 7,000 farms providing fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy, beef, pork and poultry products and grapes for prize-winning wines. The Holland Marsh is Ontario s vegetable basket. Crops include lettuce, celery, potatoes, cauliflower, beets, radish and parsnips. Enough carrots are grown in the Holland Marsh to provide every man, women and child in Canada with four pounds every year. There are also approximately 1,118 beef farmers in the Greenbelt along with Niagara s 2.1 million tender fruit trees, producing peaches, pears, plums, cherries, and grapes. More information about this bountiful region can be found at greenbelt.ca. GREEN CLEANING USGBC provides all recycling volunteers with biodegradable gloves and third-party-certified cleaning products. We also work with each vendor and venue partner to ensure environmentallyfriendly, third-party-certified cleaning products are being used in the convention center to ensure clean air and a safe and environment for all participants. 48

49 IMPROVED PERFORMANCE TRACKING Measuring and monitoring our performance over time helps us identify and understand the greatest impacts of our event and which initiatives are driving improved performance. Every year since our start in 2002, we have expanded the number of indicators we track, and this year was no exception. For Greenbuild 2011 we began capturing data related to attendee travel to more accurately quantify the environmental footprint of our event. For 2011 we added a new KPI Total Waste per Participant, a metric which reminds us that reduction and reuse trump recycling when it comes to designing an effective waste management plan. This year we also commissioned the development of an in-house sustainability data tracking tool that brings together the data results on the many indicators we track for all our venue, vendor and hotel partners in one convenient location. In the process of creating this tool we evaluated the definition of each tracked metric and related calculation methodology to ensure accurate performance reporting. We ve also placed a renewed emphasis on transparency in the hopes that other event organizers will be able to adapt our methods for their own measurements or provide us with feedback on how we can continuously improve our process. We believe this is important as no standardized calculation methods currently exist within the meeting and event industry. To learn more about our measurement techniques, please explore the footnotes and appendices in this report. Below are some specific examples of how we improved our performance tracking in BUILDING PERFORMANCE TRACKING SCIenergy launched its latest energy tracking application, SCItrack, at MTCC during Greenbuild. The SCItrack technology was deployed to monitor event's energy consumption in "real time" by connecting to electricity and natural gas meters in the MTCC's south building, and electricity meters in its north building. SCItrack depicted a graphical comparison of the convention s consumption against a baseline model, and identified performance variances. Resulting energy savings were also correlated with real-life examples, such as showing greenhouse gas reduction equivalents in avoided emissions. USGBC and SCIenergy will continue its work to ensure performance optimization of future Greenbuild conventions. 49

50 FOOD & BEVERAGE TRACKING The origin and contents of food procured has an enormous impact on event sustainability, and is becoming increasingly more important each year. As such we have been tracking our food since 2002 in three KPIs: 1. % Organic Food food that carries a certification label of organic, as USDA certified in the United States (or Canadian Food Inspection Agency in Canada) 2. % Local Food based on where the food was grown or packaged, within 100 miles (local) of the event 3. Food Miles this metric tracks the amount of food purchases (lbs.) x the distance traveled (miles) from origin to the event Historically we have tracked these metrics as a percentage of the total food purchase in dollars ($). However, it is also justifiable to track as a percentage of weight, as these two figures will vary. As an example, for our event at ACC, the breakdown was as follows: Indicator % of Value Purchased ($) % of Weight Purchased (lbs.) Organic 73% 51% Local 93% 88% Regional 99% 99% 50

51 As can be seen from the table above, variances may exist between these two metrics. Moving forward, it will help the event industry if it can arrive at a common metric for F&B purchases based either on monetary value or weight. Each has its own pros and cons. For example, in the instance of local or regional food, purchases by weight illustrate the impact from shipping and associated fuel use, while purchases by value help demonstrate the economic impact of an event on the community s localized economy. Alternatively, both metrics can be requested and reported as KPIs to maximize transparency was also the first year that we tracked food miles for all food and beverage items. Previously, we had measured food miles by meal, but realize that variations in meals could make year-onyear comparisons difficult as Greenbuild grows and evolves over time. PARTICIPANT TRAVEL TRACKING Travel to a citywide event can often be the single largest source of GHG emissions, especially for events that draw participation from all corners of the earth. We wanted to better understand this impact this year by tracking the roundtrip miles traveled by attendees to the show. At show registration, attendees were asked to enter the distance traveled and the mode of transportation utilized. In analyzing the data, we were able to obtain meaningful data from a sample of 41% of total attendees. Extrapolating the figures and using high-level carbon calculations, we were able to produce a rough estimate that approximately 8,000 Metric Tons of CO 2e were emitted through fuel use of passenger travel. If we add this figure to our total event footprint, it represents approximately 85% of the overall carbon footprint. As this was our first time tracking this metric, a margin of error will certainly exist. We relied on individual attendees to estimate their travel, and without reliable information there is always a margin of error. Next year in 2012 we look forward to further improving our tools and methods for tracking attendee travel and the resulting GHG emissions. For more information on our travel calculations, see Appendix B. WASTE TRACKING In 2011 we reported waste figures for recycling, organics, donations and landfill. To ensure the figures for each of these main categories was as accurate as possible we actually tracked the weight of over 10 categories including: 1. Food Donated 2. Landfill 3. Kitchen Organics EnviroPure 4. Excess Kitchen Organics 51

52 5. Floor Organics Bin 6. Comingle (Plastic/Metal/Glass) 7. Dry Film/Cardboard/Paper 8. Wood and metal 9. Beer Bottles 10. Wine bottles 11. Carpet 12. Pallets 13. Grease oil 14. Exhibit Hall Donations Further, to ensure waste diversion figures were as accurate as possible, audits were performed on the waste from Greenbuild. Three separate compactors (landfill, commingled recycling and wood/metal) were audited by Turtle Island Recycling, which included visual assessments on the entire compactor and detailed material separation of approximately 25% of the contents. The audit allowed the waste planning group to better understand material composition (i.e. what was in the waste streams and what materials were non-recyclable and keeping us from achieving zero waste). The analysis also helped to establish accurate contamination rates, which were very low (less than 5% of all materials in the organics, paper/cardboard, and commingle recycling compactors were actually non-recyclable materials). These contamination rates allowed us to go beyond just reporting the weight of material that left the MTCC in the comingle recycling compactor, for example, and instead the weight of only the commingled recycling contents in the commingled compactor in addition to any commingle recycling that was recovered from other compactors (landfill, paper/cardboard, etc.) to come to a complete and accurate reflection of what was recycled from Greenbuild. While the audit exercise was very useful and informative, now that we understand how low contamination actually is (when dedicated dock monitors are in place), we may forgo future audits and instead put those resources toward other sustainability initiatives. REDUCING GHG EMISSIONS GHG emissions and climate change continuously represent the overarching challenge related to event sustainability. As a result, reducing GHG emissions remained a top objective for Greenbuild Through all of our sustainability programs and initiatives we seek to indirectly reduce GHG 52

53 emissions and our environmental footprint. Below we ve outlined our approach to reducing the primary components of event-related GHG emissions, and our offsetting strategy for unavoidable emissions. RENEWABLE ENERGY USGBC is excited to report that a portion of Greenbuild 2011 was powered with electricity generated from renewable energy! MWh of electricity used by the event venues was provided in the form of Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), through a partnership with Bullfrog Power. Meaning, Bullfrog Power's generators inject renewable electricity onto the grid to match the amount of electricity the event used. In Ontario, Bullfrog's green electricity comes from wind and hydro facilities that have been certified as low impact by Environment Canada under its EcoLogo TM program. Choosing clean, renewable power is a smart way for event organizers to help fight climate change and air pollution. More information Bullfrog Power can be found at bullfrogpower.com. GOODBYE SHUTTLES, HELLO SHOE CHECK The walkability of downtown Toronto was one key factor in choosing the city as our host destination for Greenbuild By selecting only hotels in the downtown core, eliminating event shuttles, and encouraging walking to and from the convention center, we aimed to impress 53

54 upon our attendees the positive impact that walkability can have on the environmental footprint of events. At Greenbuild 2010, the shuttle services alone consumed over 11,000 gallons of fuel during the event. In 2011 by providing attendees with a complimentary shoe check (in both the north and south building) to make walking easier and encouraging the use of public transportation, we were able to avoid this fuel consumption and reduce our collective carbon footprint by Metric tons 16. In 2012 we will be collecting data related to taxicab usage and other forms of transportation during the event to truly understand the impact of shuttle elimination. The City of Toronto: 1. Created walking maps for attendees from all official USGBC hotels. 2. Obtained 450 public transit passes (Toronto Transit Commission) for USGBC staff and guests staying at hotels greater than 1 mile from the MTCC. 3. During site inspection, a hybrid vehicle was provided through Global Alliance Worldwide Chauffeured Services. USGBC STAFF TRAVEL We asked our attendees to be more responsible this year and so we wanted to do the same. For Greenbuild 2011, 60 USGBC staff members (38% of the total staff attendees) traveled to Toronto from Washington, DC via charter bus. We estimate that our charter bus reduced our GHG emissions of employee travel to the event by 12.5 Metric Tons of CO 2e 17, in exchange for adding two vehicles to the road. PLAN B USGBC works to minimize the carbon emissions related to Greenbuild in every way possible, but when it s all said and done, there are still significant emissions from the conference. To counter these emissions, we work with the Leonardo Academy and their Cleaner and Greener Program to mitigate emissions from all convention center and event operations, shuttles, and attendee travel. 16 Based on a total of 1,984.5 gallons of diesel fuel (@10.15 kgco2e per gallon) that would have been burned in running shuttles every day from the hotels. 17 Based on a 1,000- mile roundtrip journey by 2 buses assuming an Emission Factor of kg CO2e per passenger- mile, compared to 720 roundtrip air miles per person traveled from Washington DC to Toronto, at a rate of 316 kg CO2 per air passenger. Air travel calculations performed via the TRX Carbon Calculator, available at carbon.trx.com 54

55 TYPE LBS OF CO 2 OBSERVATIONS Wind-Current Donation 99, ,000 kwh EcoLogoM Certified Green Power Purchase 74, ,460 kwh through Bullfrog TMS Transportation ($34.26 donated to the Carbon Fund) 7, metric tons were offset Attendee Donations ($21.60) see below USGBC offset 24,933,757 The full amount contributed by attendees toward carbon offsets was added to the USGBC purchase of emissions allowances. USGBC used allowance emissions from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). Through Sterling Planet, USGBC bought 9,743 RGGI allowances representing 8,838 metric tons of carbon to mitigate the climate impacts of Greenbuild RGGI is the first mandatory multi-state effort in the US that seeks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from power generation. POSITIVELY IMPACTING COMMUNITIES Greenbuild brings together large numbers of people for a short period of time in a specific destination. Most of our sustainability objectives are focused on reducing the impact that has on our host city and the planet, but when it comes to helping better communities and the people in them, we want to harness the energy of Greenbuild to increase our impact and leave long lasting legacies. Below are examples of the ways Greenbuild positively impacts our host community and communities well beyond. HOST COMMUNITY LEGACY PROJECT Greenbuild is a catalyst for USGBC to further its organizational objectives and visions. One of USGBC s visions is green schools for everyone within this generation, and the Greenbuild Legacy 55

56 project is another way to further this vision. Since 2003, Greenbuild has left a legacy of service and education thanks to the local host community. In 2011, the Legacy Committee of the Canadian Green Building Council received 29 proposals in response to its Legacy Project RFP. USGBC made a strategic decision to support the following two projects as they are centered on sustainability and education, and further our overall mission. A combined $10,000 was donated to the Greenbuild 2011 Legacy Projects. CHIMNEY COURT CHILDREN S GREENHOUSE Evergreen is a registered national charity founded in 1991 with a mission to bring communities and nature together for the benefit of both. Their newest flagship program is Evergreen Brick Works. Evergreen is restoring the Don Valley Brick Works, a complex of abandoned heritage buildings nestled in Toronto s ravine network, into an innovative environmental community center that encourages leadership and action toward a more sustainable future. Visitors have experienced connections to the city, the benefits of nature first hand and are developing a sense of place grounded in environment and community. The Chimney Court Children s Greenhouse at Evergreen Brick Works will be a state-of-theart 400 square foot structure that houses year round food growing and composting facilities. The Children s Greenhouse will provide a hub for children s food programming at Evergreen Brick Works and food growing year-round feature. The Children s Greenhouse will educate young visitors about the origins of food, plant life cycles and food preparation through gardening and eating experiences. Participants of the Visiting School Program, camp participants, at-risk youth from surrounding priority neighborhoods and the general public will benefit from the Children s Greenhouse, having the opportunity to take part in activities focused on making connections between where their food comes from and its ecological footprint. THE GATEWAY GARDENS PROJECT The Toronto Foundation for Student Success will work in partnership with FoodShare to install the Gateway Gardens and deliver dynamic programming and resources to ensure long-term project sustainability. Where possible, food grown in the Gateway Gardens will be integrated into the local Beyond 3:30 Junior Chefs cooking clubs and student nutrition programs. 56

57 The Gateway Gardens Project will provide seven schools, located in priority neighborhoods across Toronto, with valuable gardening space. This project will give students hands on green building experience and an understanding of practical approaches to urban food production with tangible lessons on growing in small spaces, vertical growing and container planting. The Gateway Gardens will also team aesthetics with permaculture principles by demonstrating water conservation, providing habitats for native bees and beneficial insects, and producing a high yield with a small footprint. All of the proposed schools are a part of the Toronto District School Board s (TDSB) Model Schools for Inner Cities. The programs and services developed in these schools ensure inner city students grow up with increased awareness of urban food production and issues. Both projects explore and celebrate the theme of teaching children about urban food. For more information on Legacy Projects, please visit greenbuildexpo.org/destination/legacy-project.aspx. PROJECT HAITI Project Haiti Orphanage and Children s Center is about the people of Haiti who are facing ongoing devastation following the earthquake of January There are hundreds of thousands of orphans living in Haiti. Project Haiti will tell many of these children for the first time in their lives 57

58 they are valued, they deserve to breathe clean air, they have the right to live in comfort and they are cared about just like any other child, in any other place in the world. It will provide for the immediate health and emotional needs of orphans and offer a pathway to adoption. Through the design and construction of the Center, which will be LEED Platinum, USGBC is providing a global, replicable model of high performance green building practices that can be tailored to the Haitian culture. Beyond providing immediate care and the possibility of a loving home and hopeful future for disadvantaged children, the new Orphanage and Children s Center can inspire and teach rebuilding that is environmentally and financially sustainable in a region hit hard by natural disasters. It will demonstrate how to minimize environmental impact and maximize energy and water conservation and will be built to resist the impact of natural disasters. Together with dedicated pro-bono design partner HOK and our committed collaborators, USGBC is catalyzing the unrivaled passion, expertise and generosity of the green building movement to rebuild this orphanage. With your help, we will provide the people of Haiti with both a powerful symbol of hope and a model for sustainable building practices. Project Haiti is our commitment to the children of Haiti not only to provide a safe shelter, but to provide a model of sustainable construction that can be replicated throughout the country. It comes out of our ongoing resiliency agenda to help devastated communities rebuild in ways that provide safer, more durable buildings that also save resources made more precious by the aftereffects of natural disasters. -Rick Fedrizzi, President, CEO and Founding Chair, USGBC At Greenbuild 2011 attendees were inspired to support USGBC s Project Haiti by entering to win a brand new Gibson guitar signed by Maroon 5. The winner also received four backstage passes to 58

59 the concert taking place during Greenbuild s opening plenary celebration on Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2011 at the ACC. Proceeds from the auction went directly to support Project Haiti. All 2011 Greenbuild NEXT t-shirts and conference bags were sewn and crafted in Port au Prince, to support Haitian businesses that are giving back to their local communities. On average, every employee at this factory provides for eight people through their employment. Five hundred of these bags were stuffed with school supplies and sent back to Haiti for orphan children to receive just before the start of school. MTCC USGBC partners with convention centers that are either leading the pack in sustainability or willing to make big changes to improve performance. In 2011, the MTCC was no different. While the facility already had well-established green procurement and building operations practices, Greenbuild left a number of "legacy improvements" from small items such as new signage above all the waste compactors on the loading docks to new partnerships that could have a significant impact on the venue going forward. Due to the high diversion rate goal of 90%, a partnership was sought out with a Greenbuild exhibitor, CarpetCycle, to take and recycle leftover exhibit booth carpet something that had not previously been done at MTCC, but, going forward this partnership will benefit the facility and every show organizer interested in keeping materials like carpet out of landfills and incinerators. Another waste-related legacy was the installation of the EnviroPure food composter. 18 While the unit was slated for installation in the fall of 2011, the presence of Greenbuild at the facility created a positive sense of urgency to get the unit installed and established procedures for the MTCC catering and facilities staff in place. Likewise, MTCC was pushed to find innovative packaging alternatives for all non-compostable food and beverage serviceware. Partnering with in-house concessions and outside vendors, the Centre was able to use 100% compostable packaging, including compostable coffee cup lids, and has begun using those items now for all events at MTCC. 18 After Greenbuild, the EnviroPure was removed from the MTCC and replaced with an alternative on- site organics processing unit. 59

60 Greenbuild 2011 could not have been such a success without the support of the MTCC event management team and sustainability coordinator, and we are happy to think we've left a positive mark on the facility in return. TORONTO As part of our Exhibit Hall Donation Program started in 2002, USGBC and Freeman partnered with Habitat for Humanity of Toronto and the Toronto District School Board to donate leftover exhibit hall materials that can be reused for home construction or school supplies. Program highlights included 17,600 lbs. of material that was sent to the local school board and Habitat for Humanity. In addition, 175 sets of Rubbermaid waste bins used for waste diversion during the past three Greenbuild conferences were donated to six municipalities within the Ontario area: London, Essex Windsor, Stratford, St. Thomas, Cornwall and Halton. LOCAL HOTELS The sharing of best practices among hotels during onsite walk-throughs helped synergize hotel sustainability practices. Vendors of different green products were shared, information about peer hotel soap donation programs was offered, and some hotels were able to change their practices post-event based on their benchmarking. For example one hotel was able offer the option of stopping automatic newspaper delivery only after learning that the other nine hotels had done so. YOUTHBUILD The YouthBuild organization is a national non-profit that helps young people pursue a GED whilst learning a skillful trade in the building and construction was the second year that USGBC and Freeman worked with YouthBuild, bringing 16 young men and women from across the U.S. to learn and volunteer at Greenbuild. A highlight for the teens was attending a dinner with USGBC CEO Rick Fedrizzi. GREEN JOBS SUMMIT AND GREEN BUILDING JOB FAIR Hosted by USGBC in partnership with the BlueGreen Alliance, BlueGreen Alliance Canada and the Center for American Progress, the second annual Green Jobs Summit provided a forum to develop a shared plan of action to accelerate the creation of green jobs in a clean energy economy. The half-day event consisted of 260 participants and convened key leaders, experts, advocates, and practitioners from government, business, labor and the public for in-depth and interactive conversations to advance the green jobs movement. Educational sessions were designed to maximum participant engagement focusing on four topic areas: finance and business 60

61 development; policies, research and governance; field organizing and community engagement; and messaging and communications. The Green Building Job Fair at Greenbuild is a place for job seekers to connect with companies in the green building industry and peers. The Job Fair was held prior to the Green Jobs Summit on Tuesday, October 4 th, to allow exhibiting companies to participate. As the green building industry s largest annual gathering, Greenbuild provides a great forum for job seekers and companies to make important connections. SOCIAL EQUITY SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM The USGBC Greenbuild Scholarship Program provides all-inclusive trips to the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo to individuals entering into the green building industry. In order to increase access to Greenbuild, the scholarship program is reserved for low-income individuals without the means to attend. 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. USGBC provided 29 scholarships for Greenbuild

62 LOOKING AHEAD Greenbuild 2012 will take place November 14-16, 2012 in San Francisco, CA, and is bringing technology and sustainability together in the global green movement! As we prepare to bring our event to the west coast for what we plan to be the largest and most exciting Greenbuild to date, we will remain focused on our core sustainability objectives, tweaking and developing individual initiatives based on our goals and feedback provided by our event sustainability consultants at LEGACY Sustainability Management OPPORTUNITIES 1. Revitalization of GMEGG through updating guidelines, increasing communication and strengthening the onsite auditing process. 2. Improve accuracy of environmental footprint through increased tracking of attendee travel during the conference, and further developing a methodology for attributing building energy and water usage to the event. 3. Reevaluate and align sustainability objectives, tracked indicators, KPIs, tracked items, and reported items to maximize focus, efficiency and resources. 4. Work collaboratively with the general contractor to re-evaluate exhibit hall building materials, looking for opportunities to use more sustainable products that could benefit Greenbuild and the industry as a whole. 62

63 5. Continue to refine event impact measurement and reporting to move beyond an example of green meetings and towards a model for green meetings for other meeting planners CHALLENGES 1. Finding ways to increase the procurement of sustainable meats and seafood in an economically viable way. 2. Creating a successful waste management plan using convention center collection infrastructure in absence of the four-stream bins used at Greenbuild for the last three years. 3. Finding additional ways to prevent waste by using less and reusing more (to lower Total Waste Per Participant). 4. Recruiting dock monitors that are skilled and personally motivated to increase diversion. 5. Recruiting enough volunteers to man every bin in the exhibit hall and high traffic public areas during key time slots. 63

64 SUSTAINABILITY PARTNERS USGBC is proud to be a leader within the green meeting movement, but we could not be successful without the collaboration, dedication and hard work of our Greenbuild 2011 partners. SUSTAINABILITY MANAGEMENT 64