PA Governor Rendell and Philadelphia Mayor Nutter to Address the State of the Green Economy at BuildGreen Conference

PA Governor Rendell and Philadelphia Mayor Nutter to Address the State of the Green Economy at BuildGreen Conference, Hosted by DVGBC

Area’s Largest Green Conference will Bring Together Policy Makers, Practitioners and Academics to Promote Sustainable Growth & Innovation

Philadelphia, October 09, 2009 – The Delaware Valley Green Building Council (DVGBC) today announced Governor Edward G. Rendell will open BuildGreen 2009, set for Oct. 14-15. Other keynote addresses will be delivered by Philadelphia Mayor Michael A. Nutter, Allegheny Conference on Community Development CEO, Dennis Yablonsky, Senior VP of Global Law & Policy Roger Platt from the U.S. Green Building Council, and biomimicry expert Dr. Dayna Baumeister. They will join Governor Rendell in promoting sustainable design and building practices and environmental solutions for a greener future across the state.

The Governor, the Mayor, and DVGBC believe environmental sustainability and economic growth are powerfully linked together. They will discuss opportunities to form innovative partnerships with local and international manufacturers at the conference, and discuss ways to attract businesses that positively contribute to the region.

“BuildGreen 2009 brings together all key stakeholders interested in developing our communities and the economy through sustainable practices. Hence our theme: research, reinvest, rebuild,” said DVGBC Acting Executive Director, Heather Shayne Blakeslee. “Governor Rendell and Mayor Nutter are valued proponents of fostering ties between the business community, the government, and private sector to position the City of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania for full financial recovery and green economic leadership in the 21st century. We are thrilled they are participating.”

The 2009 BuildGreen Conference is coordinated by the state’s U.S. Green Building Chapters, the Pennsylvania Green Growth Partnership, and funded through the Ben Franklin Technology Center and the PA Department of Commerce and Economic Development. Keynote speakers and experts will explore the ways investment in research for new green building materials and green building policy pay off in terms of job retention – and how they lead to creation of new design and construction jobs, as well as local green building products manufacturing jobs.

“Philadelphia’s movement to become the greenest city in America by 2015 starts at BuildGreen,” added Blakeslee. “Now is the time to bolster the city’s commitment and remind leaders of the tremendous long-term benefits Pennsylvanians stand to reap in terms of energy savings, environmental preservation, and local and regional green job creation when we view green building advocacy through an economic lens.”

The conference, to be held downtown at the Sheraton City Center Hotel, will connect green stakeholders including product researchers, manufacturers, and investors from throughout the region. The conference will culminate with DVGBC’s Annual Green Building Celebration at the Penn Museum for Archaeology & Anthropology and honor winners of the prestigious DVGBC Leadership Awards.

The event will cover leading-edge environmentally-friendly building materials and methods. It will also link companies and investors interested in creating sustainable products with universities throughout the state. Regionally and nationally recognized thought leaders in the field will present thought-provoking educational sessions including:

• Policy: Impacts for the Building and Manufacturing Sector
• Research: Product Development
• Case Studies: Going to Market with Green Building Products
• Economic Development: Green Jobs Through Green Building

In addition to DVGBC and the PaGGP, organizers of BuildGreen 2009 include the Green Building Association of Central Pennsylvania, the Green Building Alliance and Philadelphia University.

To learn more about conference programming, sponsorship opportunities, or to register to attend BuildGreen 2009 go to http://www.buildgreenconf.org/index.htm.