Largest Campus Sustainability Conference Heads to Portland, Oregon

Portland, OR — Themed Innovation for Sustainable Economies & Communities, the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) 2014 Conference & Expo will be held in Portland, Oregon on October 26–29.

“The annual Conference & Expo is a very important and ‘must attend’ event for like-minded higher education sustainability professionals to come together to learn, share ideas and best practices with one another and take back to their institutions,” says AASHE Executive Director Stephanie A. Herrera. “We are excited and proud to see this year’s conference come together in one of the most sustainable American cities in the country, and look forward to unveiling the location for the 2015 AASHE Conference & Expo.”

The AASHE Conference & Expo is the largest gathering of higher education sustainability professionals and students in North America. Attendees from around the world will come together at AASHE 2014 to network and share new innovations, activities, frameworks, learning outcomes, tools, strategies, research, theory and leadership initiatives that are changing the face of sustainability on their campus and surrounding communities.

At the Oregon Convention Center, a LEED-certified building, everyone can look forward to hearing:

  • Annie Leonard, Greenpeace USA executive director and “Story of Stuff” creator, featured keynote
  • Marcelo Bonta, founder of Environmental Professionals of Color and the Center for Diversity & the Environment, Monday keynote
  • Rob Bennett, founder and CEO of EcoDistricts, Tuesday keynote
  • Andy Keller, president and founder of ChicoBags, opening Student Summit keynote
  • Anna Lappé, national bestselling author and sustainable food advocate, closing Student Summit keynote

These inspirational speakers are sure to excite and leave attendees with a drive to increase sustainability efforts at their college or university.

Attendees can also expect a full schedule with pre- and post-conference workshops focused on AASHE’s STARS program, leadership training and other professional development opportunities in addition to an Expo Hall with innovative products and services and sessions that will ignite participants to take action.

Plenary session topics include:

  • Promising Practices for Transformative Sustainability Education
  • Indigenous Practices for Sustainability
  • Driving Innovations Simultaneously at the Economy, Community and Campus Scale
  • Data to Action: Advancing Sustainability Investment Decisions

To view the agenda and to learn more about this year’s educational program, please visit the AASHE 2014 Conference & Expo website.

About the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) 
AASHE is helping to create a brighter future of opportunity for all by advancing sustainability in higher education. By creating a diverse community engaged in sharing ideas and promising practices, AASHE provides administrators, faculty, staff and students, as well as the businesses that serve them, with: thought leadership and essential knowledge resources; outstanding opportunities for professional development; and a unique framework for demonstrating the value and competitive edge created by sustainability initiatives. For more information, visit www.aashe.org.

Featured

  • Northeastern University Breaks Ground on New Housing Community

    Northeastern University recently announced the groundbreaking of a new student housing community on its campus in Boston, Mass., according to a news release. The university is partnering with American Campus Communities (ACC) for development of the project, which will have the capacity for 1,200 students and has a scheduled completion date of fall 2028.

  • Surging Demand for Student Housing Fuels Major Campus Investment Opportunities

    University leaders throughout the U.S. are accelerating plans to modernize and expand student housing as enrollment stabilizes and demand for on-campus living rebounds. Recent data from the National Center for Education Statistics indicates that total postsecondary enrollment is projected to grow through the end of the decade, with undergraduate enrollment alone expected to increase by more than 8 percent by 2030.

  • South Carolina District Starts Construction on $50M Middle School Renovation

    The Aiken County Public School District in North Augusta, S.C., recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the $50-million renovation and expansion of North Augusta Middle School, according to a news release. The project’s funding comes from the 2024 renewal of a one-cent sales tax approved by local voters.

  • Spaces4Learning Launches 2026 Education Design Showcase Awards

    Spaces4Learning has opened submissions for the 2026 Education Design Showcase! The awards program launched in 1999 with the goal of celebrating innovative, practical solutions in the planning, design, and construction of K–12 and higher-education facilities. EDS recognizes new developments that help achieve optimal learning environments, as well as the architecture firms that brought the ideas to life.