Attendance. Numbers were at an all-time high this year, suggesting that more people than ever are catching onto the green message. The preliminary head count stands at 22,835.
Energy and Discourse. The enthusiasm of attendees was palpable. Everyone was engaged in discussing green products, attending seminars and presentations, and, in general, coming together to encourage sustainability.
Organization. Wanting to avoid wasting paper by not mailing out badges before the show is admirable in theory, but asking attendees to wait in line up to two and a half hours to pick up said badge is not. Lines were pervasive and interrupted the flow of the show.
Missing the Keynote. About 8,000 people caught Bill Clinton’s keynote address, but easily a thousand more were prevented from catching the talk because of the confused registration process.
Accessibility. If you were stuck in line or stuck at home and missed a potentially interesting session, USGBC has made several available as streaming video on www.greenbuildexpo.org.
Circulation. An 11th-hour switch in venue from Anaheim to Chicago forced Greenbuild to share the McCormick Place convention center with two other trade shows. The cramped quarters made the show floor difficult to navigate; only manufacturers seemed pleased that every booth was stuffed.
