Santa Monica residents have plenty of incentive to attend the 9th Annual AltBuild Conference & Expo that starts today, namely the fact the first 50 residents that visit the City’s booth can apply to receive an irrigation system conversion retrofit to drip, including parts and expert installation; a value up to $1,000.
Taking place at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium today and Saturday, AltBuild is presented by the City of Santa Monica and co-presented by U.S. Green Building Council-Los Angeles.
It is considered the largest and most-respected green building and design expo in Southern California, serving top industry professionals such as architects, builders, contractors, engineers and landscapers, as well as a large consumer audience.
Featured programming – with more than 40 industry speakers – focuses on practical and often hands-on skills for all attendees, with special focus on water efficiency, saving through green building (developing, brokering and getting rebates), energy savings, and then looking to the future.
Saturday programming is mainly geared towards the public with many DIY project based workshops.
Some of AltBuild’s highlights include:
• A Water Conference and workshop that will give an introduction to rainwater harvesting, including storage containers and how to set up, treatment, uses of rainwater, legal matters, and plumbing requirements.
• A Green Building and Landscaping Conference.
• A “Sustainable Landscapes Demystified” panel that will share its knowledge of local resources and features such as plant selections, recycled water, policies, and new irrigation technologies.
The USGBC-LA’s Contractor’s Conference at AltBuild will focus on jobs and working in green building. This will feature plenty of information for architects, general contractors, sub-contractors, engineers, LEED project managers, and aspiring green builders who want to network and connect with the latest technologies and trends.
This entails highly hands-on knowledge including “LEED 101 for GCs & Subs: How to Find Work,” “Integrated Project Delivery,” “True Cost of Building Green,” and “Intelligent Lighting Controls.”
BIA and Build It Green’s Green Building Conference at AltExpo will focus on saving energy and selling green. Topics set to include are:
• A “Developers Go Green” panel discussion will discuss how to successfully market residential developments that have “gone green” especially in a soft economy.
• A Real Estate focused talk titled “Understanding Marketing and Sales” that will explain how to communicate the value of green homes.
• A “Energy Upgrades, Lessons Learned” talk will discuss the success and roadblocks of marketing, financing, and implementing energy upgrades for homeowners across Southern California.
• A “Zero Net Energy Homes” talk will share how to adopt ZNE building techniques to gain an edge over the competition.
AIA|LA COTE will discuss how innovation is lead the industry forward with several talks:
• “Sustainability is Not a Design Concept” will discuss an innovative approach to design that includes sustainability and the use of alternative building materials, but results in architecture that is more meaningful and powerful than simply sustainable design.
• “Ecological Restoration for Regeneration of Urban Nature in Los Angeles” will emphasize professional issues and methods focused on the much discussed regenerative approach to urban land use using methods
from ecological restoration to restore living natural systems.
• “Can of Worms – Rethinking the Home” focuses on alternative homes, rehabbed classrooms, containers and air foam dome homes.
In addition to the programming, AltBuild features more than 150 hand-picked exhibitors covering green building and design materials; energy efficiency techniques and technologies; alternative energy; water efficiency and management; environmental plumbing; municipal and state agencies; and non-profit organizations.
This year, AltBuild also features a curated section of artisan materials and manufacturers.
Please note Santa Monica residents only can apply for the free irrigation system conversion valued at $1,000.
The Expo hours for today and Saturday, May 12 are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, 1855 Main Street, Santa Monica.
Entry to the expo is free. Parking is $9.
For more information, visit www.altbuildexpo.com or call 310.390.2930.
