Eco-friendly design is top of mind at HD Expo 2013

Casual Living Staff -- Casual Living, 2/28/2013 11:45:07 AM

LAS VEGAS - Adopting a new location at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, from May 15-17, Hospitality Design Exposition & Conference (HD Expo) will invite guests to participate in a series of "green" dialogues about sustainable hospitality, social responsibility and eco-conscious practices in design.

Sponsored by NEWH, the "Green Conversations with the Experts" panel will allow attendees to discuss pertinent topics with prominent voices during the half-hour Q&A style talks taking place at the centrally located Social Hub direct on the show floor on the Wednesday and Thursday of the show.

In years past, the show has sponsored a "Green Day," committed to discussing environmentally-friendly and sustainable designs. After launching the successful Green Conversations initiative in 2012 in place of Green Day, the interactive discussions will continue for 2013.

"The Green Conversations give attendees an opportunity to engage and interact while checking out new products first-hand," said Liz Sommerville, group show director for the Hospitality Design Group, which produces HD Expo. "We were interested in taking the past successes of Green Day and developing programming that we could implement throughout the course of the show."

The Green Conversations speaker line-up includes:

A Perfect Partnership: Sustainable Practices with Successful Business Results
10:30-11 a.m., Wednesday, May 15
Interviewer: Lorraine Francis, AIA, LEED AP BD+C (founder, Cadiz Collaboration)
Expert: David Tracz, AIA, LEED AP, partner, STUDIO3877

Climate Change and Coastal Development: What Do Hotels Need to Know?
2:30-3 p.m., Wednesday, May 15
Interviewer: Dina Belon, LEED AP, NEWH (energy specialist and vice president-sustainable hospitality, The Peabody Orlando)
Expert: Dr. Mark Westneat, curator & chair - zoology, director - biodiversity synthesis center, Chicago Field Museum of Natural History and adjunct professor - evolutionary biology, University of Chicago

Sustainable Sourcing: What Can the Supply Chain Do for Hotel Sustainability?
10:30-11 a.m., Thursday, May 16
Interviewer: David Mahood, LEED AP (partner, Olive Hospitality Consulting)
Expert: JoAnna Abrams, CEO, MindClick SGM

The Marketing and Reporting of a "Green" Mission
2:30-3 p.m., Thursday, May 16
Interviewer: Glenn Hasek (founder, Green Lodging News)
Expert: Adrienne Pumphrey, global head, Adoba Eco Hotel and Suites

All booth sponsors will be announced at www.hdexpo.com.