In the Executive Roundtable moderated today by Roger Platt (Senior Vice President, Global Policy & Law, USGBC) at Greenbuildexpo (www.greenbuildexpo.org) the input of Ray Anderson (Founder and Chairman, Interface, Inc.), Tony Arnel (Chair, World Green Building Council and Green Building Council Australia), Michael Crow (President, Arizona State University),    Mike Lafitte (President, Americas, CB Richard Ellis), Mark Nicholls (Senior Vice President, Corporate Workplace, Bank of America), Robert Peck (Commissioner for Public Buildings, GSA), Arne Sorenson (President & COO, Marriott) presented considerable thought on issues ranging from where we’ll be in five years regarding sustainability, the job market current and future as it pertains to sustainability, influence of sustainability on personal lifestyle, customer loyalty, and employee expectations.

One of the principal areas of awareness is daily lifestyle, i.e., eliminating Styrofoam cups from workplace and personal use; incorporating sustainability training into educational and workplace training; choosing auto purchase with maximum usage in mind; purchasing services and products from exclusively certified sources/vendors; investing money “where your mouth is”.

The simplicity of returning to elemental seasonal living, reflected in Kurozawa’s last film, Yume, portrays the human need for connection, balance and harmony. Greenbuildexpo involves thousands of exhibitors and hundreds of speakers but the deeper and broader areas of concern pertain to energy conservation, wise use of natural resources, walkable live/work spaces, informed education and per the referral of ASU President, Michael Crow, elimination of training “sustainability simpletons” and adding sustainability to the core educational value of existing curricula which espouse other universally-recognized principles such as free speech , justice.

The USA’s GSA, per Bob Peck, in five years will be a “green proving ground” for the 100+ federal agencies implementing operational changes. Peck notes we have to “think differently”, commenting vigorous debates need to focus on consolidation vs. dispersal of energies.

Marriott International reflects the consolidation principle, noting its alliances with Bank of America, Fairfield Inn (250 hotels) and Courtyard by Marriott prototypes, (now numbering 160 to be increased to 190 within five years), unburdens franchise owners from the responsibility of green design “by scratch” and ensures consistency in its global presence, thereby also stimulating support by green supportive hotel guests.

Tony Arnel mentioned he had just retrained 50 licensed plumbers in his hometown of Melbourne, Australia to understand the principles of sustainability in noting the differences between black water, gray water, solar installations. Unlike the USA’s situation, Australia has only had a 6% unemployment rate in the global financial crisis. Its industries invest heavily in solar technology and have just come off 12 years of drought. Phoenix, AZ whose residents utilize 850 liters of water per day, per person, contrasts with Melbourne’s 3.6 million population and has a projected allowance of 150 liters of water per day, per person. Arnel emphasized the need for a cultural shift in developing minimum standards for energy efficiency, international policies for rating tools, etc. 

Ray Anderson of Interface summed it up when he said sustainability offers a “better way to make a better profit” against the “competitor who doesn’t get it”. Built environments involve Tony Arnel’s “quadricsec” of individual, neighborhood, community and city, lest we forget, the world.

For information on the November 11-13 GREENBUILD®, see www.greenbuildexpo.org.