The co-located Green Schools Conference and Expo (GSCE) and IMPACT conference will be held in St. Paul, Minnesota, from April 8–9 at the Saint Paul RiverCentre. GSCE is the only national event to bring together all the players involved in making green schools a reality, while IMPACT is the leading event for sustainable development in the Midwest.
Expected to attract over 1,000 attendees, GSCE x IMPACT is an unmatched opportunity to learn, network and celebrate. Here are the top five things you won’t want to miss!
Join us at GSCE | Join us at IMPACT
1. Valuable education content
The joint conference will feature 59 thought-provoking education sessions for attendees to select between. Attendees can earn up to 5 GBCI continuing education (CE) hours from core programming alone. Additional CE opportunities are detailed below. Core education sessions are organized into the following tracks:
GSCE tracks
- All Systems Green
- Student-Driven Leadership
- Sustainability in the Classroom
- Building Essentials
- Climate-centric Solutions
- Sustainable Collaboration
- Think Big: Whole School Sustainability
- Waste, Materials and Energy
IMPACT tracks
- Planning for Social Good
- Better Buildings, Better Health
- Design for Performance
- Green Building Strategies
Explore the GSCE Education Sessions | Explore the IMPACT Education Sessions
2. Inspiring plenaries and keynote speakers
The GSCE Opening Plenary on Monday, April 8 features keynote speaker Emmanuel Pratt, Executive Director of the Sweet Water Foundation. Pratt will discuss how classrooms have evolved into living laboratories for students to explore the connection between sustainability, economic regeneration and community development, and how schools and teachers can use art and design to help children understand complex sustainability and socio-economic ideas.
Start Tuesday, April 9 at the GSCE x IMPACT Joint Plenary with keynote speaker Zaria Forman, a renowned pastel artist whose work depicts Earth’s fragility and power and addresses the challenges of climate change. Forman’s keynote address will speak to the power of human emotion as a driving factor of inspiring behavioral change.
Forman's presentation will be complemented by David Bluestone, Founder and Partner of ClearPath Strategies, who will share key insights from a nationwide study about the public’s feelings and perceptions on sustainability, followed by USGBC and GBCI President and CEO Mahesh Ramanujam discussing the importance of the new Living Standard campaign, which reminds us all that people are truly the center of the green building movement.
3. Women in Green Power Hour
This year, Women in Green celebrates the "Culture of Courage," elevating the crucial voice that women bring to society and the green building movement. Women in Green is an interactive event, allowing attendees to discuss their own personal journeys, challenges and successes. Kicking off the discussion will be featured speaker Dr. Tara Kulkarni, Associate Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering and Director, Center for Global Resilience and Security, Norwich University.
4. Expo Hall and GBCI Certification Work Zone
Featuring over 50 unique exhibitors, the GSCE x IMPACT Exhibit Hall is the place to meet with industry leaders. From the Networking Lunch to Happy Hour in the Hall, there are ample opportunities to meet with fellow experts dedicated to sustainable development.
The Exhibit Hall will also feature the GBCI Certification Work Zone, where an expert will be on hand to discuss specific projects or LEED rating system requirements. Book your appointment.
Attendees can also participate in Conversation Corners to earn additional CE hours. These short, 20-minute sessions encourage focused discussion of critical issues related to sustainability.
5. Offsite events in St. Paul
IMPACT attendees can earn additional CE hours by attending the following preconference opportunities:
- 2.5 CE hours: LEED-specific BD+C | Leveraging LEED to Promote Population Health
- 1 CE hour: LEED-specific BD+C | Green Tour: Augsburg University—Stretching to Create an Integrated, Active Campus
- 1 CE hour: LEED-specific BD+C | A-Mill Artist Lofts, a LEED Gold Multifamily Project
- 1 CE hour: WELL-specific | Aligning Your Firm's Values with the Design of Your Space: Cuningham Group Architecture Renovation
GSCE attendees can take a deeper dive into critical topics through the following special postconference opportunities. Space is limited, so register early.
- 5 CE hours: Transforming curriculum and instruction for sustainability: Tour and workshop
- Cultivating Student Voice and Advocacy
- 5 CE hours: Green Classroom Professional Certificate Course
- 5 CE hours: Whole School Sustainability: Tour and Workshop