The first time I ever presented a case study purely on the economic value of sustainability was at the NWP Energy Summit in 2014. It was an amazing, nerve-wracking experience in which, prior to presenting, I stress-ate a giant bag of potato chips with no portion control whatsoever. The presentation went very well, and I have an award from that presentation that I still treasure to this day. I was inspired by that little star this morning as I was thinking about conferences that really help sustainability practitioners stay up to speed. I hope that this list is helpful, although it is assuredly not complete. You will find loads more conferences for your consideration online.
First, if a third party processes your utility invoices, I recommend reaching out to them to see if they have a sustainability, ESG or energy summit. These events are typically loaded with great content and give you the opportunity to network with other customers of that provider. I have found that conversations with individuals practicing sustainability and using the same tools as I do are incredibly valuable. These vendor-specific conferences also tend to be lower cost for attendees.
Second, consider the GRESB Regional Results sessions that occur in the second half of the year. Even if your portfolio does not submit to GRESB, the discussions around achievements can be applied to it. There are typically four regional events in North America so you can be cost effective in choosing where to go.
Third to consider are the IMN’s ESG and Decarbonizing Real Estate Forums. IMN hosts two events in the US annually, one in Tennessee and one in California. These events tend to cover trends in ESG, BPS and sustainability best practices. One of my peers described it to me as “the best sustainability conference” she had been to in a long time. Although the content for each of their two conferences differs, attendees indicate that you can gain value even if you are only able to budget for one per year.
Urban Land Institute hosts a plethora of sustainability conferences, some hosted by local chapters. Their larger events (The Spring Meeting and The Fall Meeting) also have tracks devoted to sustainability.
Last but certainly not least, (it is a juggernaut) USGBC’s Greenbuild is the largest sustainability conference in the country. Even if the content is not completely multifamily focused, the expo is the largest I have seen completely focused on making buildings more efficient. It can be difficult to network as the attendance is in the tens of thousands, so I recommend connecting with your peers in advance and scheduling time with them since you might not actually run into them at the breaks.
If I have missed any fantastic events, please let me know. I am always on the hunt to learn more and be better. If I have missed any great conferences, please let me know.
Mary Nitschke
LEED AP O&M, GRESB AP, TRUE (zero waste) advisor
marynitschke@yieldpro.com
