Greenfield, MA, February 15, 2006--The northeast’s largest and most comprehensive green building and renewable energy trade show will be center stage at the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association’s (NESEA) 31st annual Building Energy Conference at Boston’s Seaport World Trade Center on Wednesday and Thursday, March 8 – 9, 2006.
This year’s trade show, with over 120 exhibitors, is sponsored by Alternate Energy, Inc.
"While the trade show was created with the professional architect, builder and renewable energy professional in mind, it is a tremendous resource for homeowners, corporations, or facilities managers interested in making living or work spaces healthier and less expensive to heat and cool. " said Christine Scott, senior planner/urban designer at Goody Clancy, an architectural, planning, and preservation firm in Boston, and chair of the Building Energy Conference. "With the cost of energy at an all-time high, the value of building green has never been more apparent,"
The trade show offers a wide range of products from flooring and carpeting to insulation and wind and solar. To qualify as a “green product” the product must have been manufactured in an environmentally-friendly way, it must be recyclable, and it cannot release toxic fumes while in use. Some products, such as insulation, doors, windows, window shades, and heating systems are designed to save on heating and cooling bills. Others, such and solar electric, solar thermal systems, or wind turbines are designed to replace energy used with clean renewable energy that reduce carbon emissions that cause climate change.
There are also a number of exhibitors who are offering services. For example, Alternate Energy, trade show sponsor, will showcase its solar installation capabilities and offer information on federal and tax incentives. Several architectural firms that specialize in green building and solar installations will be showcasing what they can offer. The Massachusetts Technology Collaborative Renewable Energy Trust, title sponsor of the conference, will have information on their programs that help reduce the cost of adding solar energy to homes, schools, and businesses in Massachusetts, or installing a wind turbine in Massachusetts communities.
An On-site Bookstore with the most up-to-date practical green building and clean renewable energy resources on the market will include books authored by conference speakers.
A Green Art Show with paintings depicting the green building process and sculptures made from recycled building materials will be featured from Artists for Humanity and Boston Materials Resource Center respectively.
Networking Villages featuring green furniture, courtesy of Haworth, Inc., are available for colleagues to relax and network.
A winning poster exhibit will profile on-going efforts to advance the practice of sustainability and celebrate the next generation of professionals. The BSA WindsCape Ideas Competition, the Solar Decathlon, and the U.S. Green Building Council Design Competition will be on display.
NESEA is also offering a free Public Forum during the conference entitled, "Energy: Crisis or Opportunity?" to be held on Tuesday evening, March 7 from 6:00 – 8:00 pm at the Seaport World Trade Center’s Amphitheater. The Public Forum will be moderated by Jim Braude, anchor with NECN’s NewsNight show. The expert panelists and the audience will engage in a discussion of how we can meet the energy crisis while improving national security, the economy, and the environment.
