Attendees and vendors at the Green Expo at High Ridge Corporate Park
Attendees enjoyed a beautiful setting and perfect weather as they visited vendor tables outdoors surrounding the pond on the HRP campus. The vendors hosted tabletop displays and distributed brochures and other literature featuring their green products and services. BOMA also gave a vendor outline to all attendees; providing information for future reference should managers decide to pursue a particular product or service. Following a dinner indoors, vendors spoke about their individual green initiatives, and the event wrapped up with informal networking.
A key motivator for the Expo was BOMA International's 7-Point Challenge to reduce energy consumption in commercial buildings by 30% by 2012. Issued in July 2007, the challenge also aims to encourage BOMA members to benchmark energy performance and water usage, provide education on proper equipment maintenance and utilization, and perform energy. To date, nearly 30 BOMA member companies and local associations have endorsed the challenge, including BOMA Southern Conn., BOMA Greater Hartford and Albert B. Ashforth, Inc.
"The trick is figuring out how to stay ahead of the game in operating commercial properties in an environmentally sustainable manner," said Bob Hartt, president of BOMA Southern Conn. "BOMA members are going to have to be very creative and will need to take advantage of some combination of the products and services showcased at the Expo in order to achieve the goals of the 7-Point Challenge."
Written on behalf of Robert Hartt of The Ashforth Company and the president of Southern Conn. BOMA, by Matt Ellis & Susan Minichiello.