An international conference focused on sustainability is expected to draw more than 2,000 corporate real-estate professionals to Denver from April 29 to May 3.
But the conference, hosted by international trade association CoreNet Global at the Colorado Convention Center, will go far beyond developing green buildings.
Speakers include Jerry Greenfield, co-founder of Ben & Jerry’s Homemade Inc.; Amory Lovins, co-founder of the Rocky Mountain Institute; and Stuart Hart, S.C. Johnson Chair of Sustainable Global Enterprise at Cornell University.
“Sustainability has developed as a major concept,” said Prentice Knight, chief executive of the organization, which has more than 7,000 members worldwide. “How sustainable is the workforce, how sustainable is the community, and how sustainable is the company in terms of profit and bottom line?
“There is increased concern about the relationship between major employers and the environment, the people in communities and the impact on the corporation itself.”
Green buildings make sense from both an environmental and an economic standpoint. Adobe Systems Inc. made improvements to three buildings on its corporate campus in San Jose, Calif. The renovations save Adobe about $1 million a year and provide a 121 percent return on investment, said Linda DeMars, vice president of program development for CoreNet.
CoreNet’s members represent large corporations worldwide. The organization operates in five regions: Asia, Australia, Europe, Latin America and North America.
Staff writer Margaret Jackson can be reached at 303-954-1473 or mjackson@denverpost.com.
