What is being called the "biggest and the best" GreenBuild ever, has now wrapped up in New Orleans. While the final count has not been released, it is estimated that more than 23,000 people attended this year's conference.

Here is a recap of the event from Steve Ashkin, green expert and founder of Ashkin Group.
 
The event, sponsored by the U.S. Green Building Council, officially opened October 22 and ended October 24. It included more than 100 free seminars, training programs, and presentations as well as 750 exhibitors.
 
According to Stephen Ashkin, president of The Ashkin Group and the professional cleaning industry's leading advocate for Green and sustainable cleaning, Greenbuild 2014 was "inspiring, informative, and fun...Green is definitely happening."
 
Some of the highpoints and Ashkin's key takeaways of the show include the following:
 
LEED Dynamic Plaque:  While controversial, there were constructive discussions regarding the U.S. Green Building Council's (USGBC) new tool, LEED Dynamic Plaque. The tool is designed to help building owners, managers, and occupants better understand how their facilities are performing when it comes to Green and sustainable metrics. "[But] it is clear people want to have more input on this new tool," according to Ashkin. "Because it currently ignores cleaning, office supplies, electronics, food, furniture, forestry and other products tracked in LEED-EBOM."

New ecolables: A collaboration of leading scientific organizations announced the next generation of "ecolabels" called Health Product Declarations (HPDs) and Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs). "I think its good news for the cleaning industry since we've [already] embraced programs like Green Seal, EcoLogo and DfE."
 
Green Apple Day of Service: Discussions with the Center for Green Schools about Green Apple Day of Service. "Since 2012 Green Apple Day of Service has recorded over 5,000 activities helping to make schools cleaner and healthier...I would like to see more members of the cleaning industry participate in this worthwhile event."

Ashkin adds that working with Allen Hershkowitz, the new president of the Green Sports Alliance has been "both a pleasure and a learning experience...we had several meetings with the USGBC and I can tell you the professional sports industry is definitely getting on the Green bandwagon."