"Sustainability draws interest from a diverse range of professions and sectors," says Brian Wilkinson, CEO of the Green Building Council of SA (GBCSA). "The Convention brings together all of those to share insights, knowledge and inspiring stories."
Opening with three days of master classes and insider property tours, the emphasis for delegates is on sustainability initiatives in action.
Keynotes and round tables kick off on Thursday, 4 November with a keynote address by award-winning businessman, author and passionate environmental advocate, Jochen Zeitz. He will tackle the economic and business angle on sustainability - a subject he is uniquely placed to discuss.
On Day 5 of the Convention, Chris Smith, a member of The Naked Scientists, will deliver the opening keynote address. Founded in 2001, The Naked Scientists are based at Cambridge University in the UK and make up a team of scientists, doctors and communicators whose passion is to engage the general public more closely with the worlds of science, technology and medicine.
Former Greenpeace activist and chemist Professor Michael Braungart will talk about how, as a society, we can re-think industrial production in a way that is positive instead of negative in terms of sustainability.
As founder and scientific CEO of the Hamburg-based consulting firm, Environmental Protection and Encouragement Agency (EPEA) Internationale Umweltforschung, Braungart will go a step further and talk about achieving sustainable abundance in production.
Another heavyweight keynote speaker in the line-up for the GBCSA Convention is Donald Thompson, an architect and founder of The Centre for Regenerative Design and Collaboration (CRDC). Thompson is a real innovator and is noted for his commitment to changing the face of construction in Costa Rica and his contribution to conservation.
The Convention programme ensures ample opportunity for delegates to network, both formally and informally, with an opening cocktail and wine tasting on 4 November; a conference party at The Shed at the V&A Waterfront on 5 November; and the Green Star SA Leadership Awards reception.
