A key takeaway was the interconnectivity of many issues, as green building relates to the environment, healthy communities, workforce development, equity, and more. After all, Built Green supports green building because of the positive impacts it spurs for the planet and for people.
Keynote speaker Vien Truong began the day by relaying her inspiring story. Truong illuminated the link between environmental issues and the impacts they have, particularly on poorer communities. She also emphasized that everyone deserves healthy homes and communities, free of pollution, and that “being green isn’t partisan”—it’s the right thing to do. Her address left many moved and even prompted a question from the audience about whether she would run for president!
Following the keynote, the day was filled with educational sessions. Conference-goers had the opportunity to attend sessions from four different tracks: Greening Construction, Building Innovations, Advancing Policy, and Bettering Community. Session topics ranged from embodied carbon, prefab building, and deconstruction to displacement, a mayors’ panel, and how to get involved in code development. The excellent content variety ensured there was something for attendees from all sectors.
The day ended with a reception and awards ceremony. Some of the best projects from the past year were highlighted and Built Green supporters were recognized for their contributions to the program. Surprise awards included builder TC Legend Homes winning Project of the Year for their West Seattle Emerald Star home. Tadashi Shiga of Evergreen Certified and zHome residents Bryan Bell and Karin Weekly were also recognized as Built Green Pioneers for their advocacy. The Green Genius Awards were also announced, recognizing real estate agents and offices for their efforts in listing and selling green homes.
Throughout the day, conference attendees kept up conversation using the hashtag #builtgreen18 and connections were made both online and face-to-face. Several sessions were also livestreamed and can be found on our Facebook page.
We hope everyone who came to the conference learned something and walked away feeling inspired. See you next year!
Photo courtesy Alabastro Photography