Focused on the future of the green-building industry and "generation green," the U.S. Green Building Council's (USGBC's) ninth annual Greenbuild International Conference and Expo, held Nov. 17-19 in Chicago, drew more than 25,000 attendees from 112 countries.

During the opening plenary, USGBC President, Chief Executive Officer, and Founding Chair Rick Fedrizzi said the green-building industry is growing by leaps and bounds, even during a recession. He said the USGBC is certifying 1 million sq ft of buildings under its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program per day.

"This is what leadership looks like," Fedrizzi said. "(The leaders of the green-building community) are collectively the most important catalysts for the change that will result in the greatest consumer, cultural, and market revolution in America."

Greenbuild 2010's keynote speaker, retired Gen. Colin Powell, discussed the "enormous impact" the green-building movement is having on the economies of the nation and world.

"I only wish I could bottle up what I experience here and take it to Washington and pour it over the heads of the politicians and say, 'You better get going,'" Powell said.

Greenbuild 2010 included nearly 200 educational sessions, an international forum, a legal forum, a film festival, the annual Leadership Awards Celebration, and a green-jobs summit. Additionally, more than 1,000 companies exhibited products and services.

Video of Greenbuild speakers and events is available at www.greenbuildexpo.org/speakers/greenbuild-2010-video.aspx.

Retired Gen. Colin Powell deliver the keynote address during Greenbuild 2010.

Also during Greenbuild:

• The USGBC announced the launch of LEED for Retail, its newest green-building rating system, and LEED Volume, a program designed to meet the certification needs of high-volume property developers.
• The USGBC announced the creation of LEED Automation, a program designed to streamline the LEED building-certification process. LEED Automation enables LEED Online, the online tool used for the submittal of documentation and certification of projects, to interact with third-party technology platforms.
• Leaders from the USGBC and the China Urban Realty Association (CURA) signed a letter of intent solidifying a strategic alliance between the organizations to foster green-building capacity among CURA member companies and accelerate green-building development in China.