What does it take to bring a portfolio of properties to LEED EB: O&M standards? What are the economics of sustainability and where are the opportunities in existing buildings? Through their own case studies and data institutional investment advisor Kennedy Associates architectural/engineering firm Shaw Environmental and real estate manager Jones Lang LaSalle will share their experiences and outline best practices.

Communities worldwide are engaged in developing climate action plans to reduce their carbon emissions to minimize their impact and to mitigate the impacts of climate change. However, warming trends already initiated are leading to diminished polar ice caps, and are projected to result in increased sea level rise beyond the historic averages. In the past decade, sea level rise has been measured at 3 mm/yr, as opposed to the 20th century global average of 1.7mm/year. While the projected impacts are significant, they will be gradual and are likely to take decades to manifest themselves. This allows time to anticipate possible impacts and adapt the physical form, infrastructure, and services to minimize disruption and allow smooth functioning of settlements as the impacts of climate change manifest themselves. This session will focus on the state of the art in evaluating projected impacts, connecting the science to planning, and devising adaptation strategies for local communities.

As the world�s largest landlord the Federal government has a clear responsibility to lead by example in meeting the twin challenges posed by economic recovery and climate change. This session highlights the Federal government�s approach and results thus far in doing just that.

The promise of green jobs is everywhere, from the passage of the Green Jobs Act in 2007 to the advocacy for a green-collar workforce by the Obama administration. This session will discuss organizations dedicated to building an inclusive green economy to lift people out of poverty, federal and state initiatives to stimulate green workforce development programs, and vocational schools providing clean technology training.

Model Forests combine the social cultural and economic needs of local communities with the long-term sustainability of forest-based landscapes. This session examines the IMFN as a platform for cooperation on transnational environmental issues natural resource management through payments for ecological goods and services and citizen engagement in biodiversity conservation.

By looking to water to secure its future Kansas City has laid the foundation for its future with the implementation of their Overflow Control Plan. By making the plan sustainable and adaptive Kansas City will ensure a healthy and productive future for its residents.

Closely following green building’s arrival on Main Street emerged the increasingly recognized need to “green” building codes and create sustainable development standards. Paradoxically, the more truly sustainable projects face greater scrutiny and regulatory hurdles. Plans for the highest performance green buildings, designed through sophisticated integrated design processes, are handed off to a linear, and oftentimes fragmented regulatory process that has the authority and potential to dis-integrate the entire design. This session focuses both on recent efforts to overcome regulatory barriers, as well as the critical need for expanding institutional definition of human health and safety to include the natural systems with which the built environment is inextricably interlinked.

Community Beyond Housing focuses on the necessity to thoroughly address landscape and urban design issues in various community resource garden and open spaces within the Make It Right Target area and the surrounding Lower Ninth Ward.

Achieving low-carbon development is now a worldwide movement and many of the international leaders in planning and implementing low-carbon initiatives are outside of the United States. This panel will present and analyze sustainable programs outside and within the U.S. with a focus on such key topics as critical components of low-carbon communities and methodologies for measuring cost/benefit of sustainability programs.

With more than 4 300 colleges and universities across the country serving as the training grounds for the green building workforce this interactive discussion will demonstrate the way non-traditional champions have led campus sustainability efforts through hands-on learning opportunities involvement with green building project design and coalition building for policy implementation.

Is transparency in conflict with thermal and visual performance of the building skin? This session will address state of the art and future directions in glazing solar control daylighting redirection and insulation technologies as well as design tools and metrics for envelope performance using case studies of exemplary designs.

What if the best place for a green roof in the desert is the best place for transit connections to bus light rail and bicycles? Come to hear about the compellingstory of how a transportation center with a green roof and a transit plaza adjacent to the METROsystem were carefully integrated into the urban fabric of Tempe Arizona.

CBRE and the Burnham-Moores Center for Real Estate at the University of San Diego will present preliminary findings from a national study that examines market performance and tenant attitudes concerning sustainable practices. The study of 150 properties and several hundred tenants focuses on occupancy retention operating costs as well as tenant perceptions of sustainability efforts in the workplace.

In New York City 85% of the buildings that will exist in 2030 have already been constructed. This session will explore the connections between sustainability and cultural stewardship bringing together representatives from architectural policy and real estate viewpoints to discuss the drivers and challenges of retrofitting our existing building stock.

Consumers, third-party certifiers, and government agencies increasingly require environmental performance information for construction products and building designs. Life cycle assessment (LCA) can assist building industry professionals in meeting these requirements and in distinguishing their products from those of competitors. This session will explore the appropriate use of LCA with regard to environmental product comparisons and policy making. Participants will acquire basic knowledge of LCA, including: its historical development; its methodological components; and guidelines for interpreting LCA results. The seminar will conclude with a summary of progress now being made in the LCA field and the implications for future LCA application.

The City of Redmond WA took Main Street "green" with the Redmond Trip Reduction Incentive Program. This program is a commute trip reduction initiative designed to reduce traffic congestion improve air quality and manage parking demand through a comprehensive package of incentives marketing and grants designed to engage the involvement of large employers such as Microsoft.

This presentation is designed to provide an overview of the emerging green building regulatory sector for local government employees community activists and local elected officials. The information provided will help those in the private sector understand about the regulatory process and how everyone needs to be involved when getting green ordinances started in their communities. Case studies will include Dallas TX and Rohnert Park CA.

This session presents the results of a recent study that suggests there are ways to apply robust greening strategies to low income housing without adversely affecting cost. It also gives a behind-the-scenes look at Tassafaronga, a new affordable LEED ND neighborhood designed as a collaboration between David Baker + Partners Architects the Oakland Housing Authority and Habitat for Humanity.

Greensburg KS is truely �Rural America.� After a massive tornado destroyed the community in May 2007 recovery has focused upon creating a sustainable green community. Public and private sector recovery leaders who have never before been involved with green construction have leaped boldly into a new world and are now helping to create the new green economy. With numerous success stories this session will inspire others to 'go green' too.

Increasingly companies claim to be green responsible and sustainable making it difficult to distinguish between "good" companies and "good" marketing. This panel will explore the world of third-party certifications that provide a holistic approach to sustainability and bring objectivity and metrics to the meaning of �green�. These triple bottom line certifications are vital for the long-term viability of the green building movement.

This interactive discussion will highlight the owners of two high profile LEED for Existing Building projects. The high profile session will highlight these very public projects, their commitments and their success in changing operational practices and implementing cost-effective retrofits. Particular emphasis will be placed on the challenges associated with educating employees, proving the business case for green operations and how to make investment grade decisions.

Euclid Avenue in Cleveland is in the midst of an unlikely renaissance credited mostly to the HealthLine the RTA's Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) line running the avenue. Come learn how the HealthLine is pumping new life into the corridor and producing positive effects across the economic social and environmental spectrum.

Report on the results of Canada's Green Building Performance Initiative Phase 1 pilots. The aim is to to achieve documented 50% reductions in energy water and GHG emissions in 100 000 buildings and 1 000 000 homes by 2015 through national large-scale sector-specific pilot projects for existing buildings.

What is the relationship between the indoor environment and many health and behavioral conditions? Dr. Doris Rapp of the American Academy of Environmental Medicine REVEALS this vital connection. Doug Hoffman Executive Director of NORMI an organization of environmental professionals provides VALUABLE insight into the design building and lifestyle of a healthier indoor environment and how professionals need to CONNECT in these processes.

How do you holistically blend green building measures into a diverse community? With more than 200,000 students coming to its campuses every year, the Los Angeles Community College District integrates sustainable teaching with sustainable development. This session covers energy efficient buildings, student-made documentaries, sustainable product standard, non-profit partners in resource recovery, green jobs and Green Building Pages integration of sustainable building products and materials for procurement and product selection. The LACCD Source Point is the public resource center for hands-on learning for architects, designers, builders, students and the public.

This session examines LEED ND as a tool for sustainable revitalization within existing urban fabric of cities and suburbs. It presents Twinbrook Station a Maryland transit-oriented development and Melrose Commons an urban infill project in the South Bronx as contrasting examples of LEED ND pilot projects. The panel presentation asks how and to what extent LEED ND served as a means to deliver public and private benefits in these applications.

This session will showcase projects that have shown leadership in achieving the highest level of LEED certification. Team members will share their story as an educational case study format of best practices and lessons learned.

Latin America has experienced a construction boom over the past 5 years. LEED is being widely adopted by the region as the standard of choice for high performance buildings. This session brings together green building leaders from Argentina Brazil and Chile to discuss the challenges and opportunities in designing constructing and certifying buildings in Latin America.

Learn how 23 leading national companies committed to create building prototypes that achieve 50% energy reduction for new construction and 30% energy reduction for retrofits and how their lessons learned will not only be implemented throughout their portfolios but used to transform the commercial real estate sector as a whole.

Emerging green collar jobs and workplaces in the arenas of renewable energy and recyclables are showcased within a framework of environmentally friendly economic stimulus planning strategies from the new "greenbelt." The presentation will include panelists from Chicago Il Wood County OH (near Toledo) & Manistee MI.

The momentum for green building continues strong, but as with any new idea introduced into building practice, there's a shakeout period that must occur, where the contracts, the risk instruments, and the practice find common ground. This panel will discuss the critical importance of appropriate contractual language, and guide audience participants through a discussion of the few elements that are unique to building green and how to account for them in contracts. It will also present an overview of the array of risk management instruments being developed by the insurance industry and outline some of the controls built into the LEED v3.

Property losses from wildfires floods and hurricanes are a growing global trend consuming ever more resources for rebuilding. In a world of more extreme weather events disaster resilience is a critical part of building green. This workshop will explore changing hazard trends resulting resource demands and new research from the insurance industry on the nexus of green building and disaster resiliency.

LEED for Neighborhood Development is the first LEED rating system to encourage the provision of affordable housing in a credit calling for rental or for-sale units of a variety of sizes accessible to low-income residents. Learn from two LEED-ND pilot projects with sizable affordable housing components designed with high green building performance standards.

The Mount Angel Abbey Academic Center in St. Benedict Oregon stands as a prototype of sustainability utilizing unprecedented daylighting and passive cooling techniques. Discover how its classrooms can require no electric lighting 95% of their occupancy time and how even without a mechanical cooling system the building remains comfortable year-round.

Contemporary European low-energy design is often presented as a model for North America. Rather than simply building European buildings in North America however it is a European design approach which may be translated. Case studies will show how traditionally European concepts have been translated for use in North America with an emphasis on how unexpected results from building performance simulations shaped a critical aspect of each design.

Federal, State and Local efforts to craft green building and climate change policies regularly run head-on into political barriers. Builder associations and other business trade organizations (Realtors, Manufacturing Associations), labor unions, environmentalists and the agendas of elected officials all influence the way in which green building policies are crafted and whether they are adopted. This session will examine the political influences at work, how they have influenced policies in both direct and indirect ways and how green building advocates can build strong cohesive coalitions to help adopt good policy. It will also provide 1-2 real stories about how green building legislation was passed.

�Green Jobs� is increasingly a key factor to sustainable economic (re)development. Investments in Green Building are also seen as investments in Green Jobs. What does this mean? Come to this session to see what partnerships are being developed - and already in place - to grow and sustain a trained workforce supporting the entire lifecycle of Green Building: design and planning construction/rehabilitation maintenance and deconstruction.

There is no doubt that the Beijing Olympics was China's coming out party. The question however is what will China's post-Olympic legacy be? Will it become a leader in sustainability implementing policies on ecological protection and advancing environmental technologies? This panel will explore projects that are representative of China's progressive attitude to ecological restoration in the post-Olympic era.

Main Street is the original green community. Revitalizing traditional and historic commercial districts encourages smart growth reuses infrastructure and preserves our heritage. Learn how preservation-based economic development lead by volunteers can revive Main Street and build sustainable and see how green rehab case studies from Baltimore and a green certification program for small businesses in Chicago bring innovation to historic districts

LEED(R) certification is expected as proof-of-performance. The panel will provide advice to designers marketers managers and owners so that they can avoid the pitfalls of green washing and the risk of litigation over unmet promises. The risks of litigation created by committing to rating results less-than-expected performance and the tendency of owners to over-represent the achievement to prospective tenants or purchasers will be discussed.

Three major new hospitals are being designed in San Francisco. Valued at over four billion dollars they will provide the capacity for nearly 600 000 patient days annually. Three diverse teams are working to deliver these projects in roughly the same climate community and time frame. See the varied approaches to achieving the highest possible levels of environmental performance and environmental justice in healthcare.

NASA and the design team will discuss the process of designing a new facility for the Ames Research Center. This iconic building will showcase NASA�s culture of innovation in its pursuit of �beyond Platinum� performance using state of the shelf approaches to human comfort daylighting and seismic sustainability.

This session will follow recovery funds from disbursement by the federal government to implementation in states and communities, offering a national perspective on the state of the green economy as well as concrete examples of projects funded through ARRA. Informed by federal oversight efforts such as recovery.gov and related reports required by American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), this session also will feature a Town Hall-style forum in which attendees can themselves report back on what they are seeing and hearing in their very towns and states.

Steinway & Sons is installing a cutting edge solar cooling/heating system at its factory in New York City. The system will provide cooling & dehumidification as well as steam for manufacturing processes and space heating. The panel session will explore Steinway�s approach to incorporating green technologies into their operations and also present the details of the Solar Cooling technology of this state-of-the-art renewable project.

In the desert Southwest Arizona State University is taking the lead in identifying and addressing many of the current and future challenges facing our environment. This session will provide an overview of how the nation's largest public research University is implementing sustainability on its campus and raising awareness about sustainability within the local community.

Inadequate housing volatile fuel prices and climate change are among the challenges that endanger many remote northern communities' way of life. This presentation will show how projects in Alaska and Arviat Nunavut Canada blend community-based research community design charrettes traditional building knowledge and new technology to produce healthy affordable and sustainable homes.

Understanding the land growth patterns and strategies that answer Mother Nature are just a few of the essential components of creating sustainable communities. The three design professionals/panelists bring a wealth of lessons learned from recent projectsthey have designed in Nigeria United States India Germany and Bhutan.

The task at hand for environmental advocates is to propagate the "green meme" -- ideas values and patterns of behavior that define sustainability -- to new audiences and to make them aware of their potential as change agents. What unorthodox models of advocacy and communication are being used to promote the "green meme" in New York City?

Your organization is committed to extending the benefits of the green built environment to the entire community – help make it a reality. Three distinguished professionals from USGBC’s chapters network can inspire your strategy. They will share their programs stories about their stakeholders and the networks they leveraged to secure their successes in green jobs and green schools initiatives in the Chicago Little Rock and Philadelphia areas.

Green roofs cool roofs and rooftop photovoltaic assemblies will present a panel discussion on the micro and macro benefits emerging technologies cost and performance trade-offs and implementation strategies of each system. This educational session will provide building professionals with tools useful in the evaluation design and selection of sustainable roofing systems.

Join us as we explore the importance of energy management and ENERGY STAR as key components of green lodging. Executives from Wyndham Worldwide and Best Western International will discuss the role of ENERGY STAR in their organization-wide green initiatives including outreach to franchisees and members. A representative from Travelocity will explain how the ENERGY STAR rating is increasing the amount of green information available to travelers.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is sponsoring research to evaluate how public health relates to the availability configuration type and quality of green space in human-dominated environments. Using near-roadway air pollution cognitive dysfunction and Lyme disease as examples this session illustrates how green space can reduce community health risks and why more is not necessarily better.

This presentation will share the methodologies and results from BAE�s �room by room combat� approach present the key parts of the Utility Cost Takeout strategies and show the potential for facility managers to use similar programs for energy and water savings conservation of resources and improvements in environmental quality.

METRO light rail connects residential and employment centers special event venues and educational institutions helping to initiate conversation about sustainability. Harvey Bryan (ASU) Jeff Stanton (SmithGroup) Ben Limmer (METRO light rail) and Chris Halpin (Sundt Construction Inc.) will �walk the talk� of sustainability in the context of developing designing and constructing transit systems.

In this session we will focus on real world applications for reducing energy consumption in three diverse restaurants. Listen to a panel of owners talk about what has worked for them and the challenges which arose in implementing their strategies. This session will get address details typically overlooked.

Net zero energy buildings are now feasible and ready to be embraced by the nation and the world. We will share a comprehensive perspective on a mix of net zero energy projects and discuss how systems were integrated into the overall building valuable lessons learned data and post occupancy evaluations. Cost and performance data will be presented to demonstrate that zero energy design is a replicable solution for many project types.