The City of Elgin and Northern Illinois University Outreach have partnered to host the first Sustainable Governance Conference “Saving the Green: Turning Challenge into Opportunity,” at The Centre of Elgin Friday, April 23, 2010, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The one-day conference will feature recognized national and municipal sustainability experts and business professionals who will address how to design and develop sustainable communities that are economically vibrant and fiscally sound. Those interested in attending can go to www.sustainableconference.niu.edu to register. Cost for the conference is $59 for not-for-profits and government agencies and $179 for individuals.
The keynote speaker will be John Norquist, President of the Congress for New Urbanism (CNU). CNU, which advocates public policy and development practices to support the restoration of existing urban centers and towns within coherent metropolitan regions, recently developed a manual that analyzes Elgin’s streets while offering guidelines for how it can become a safer, walkable, interconnected and sustainable community.
Other topics range from historic preservation to municipal decisions to “go green.” The conference will conclude with green building tours for facilities throughout the city that are LEED-certified or Green Development Award-nominated.
Like many other communities, the City of Elgin is especially interested in the topic of sustainability. In 2009, the City of Elgin made the commitment to create a Sustainable Master Plan to guide them over the next several decades. Community members and business leaders helped establish goals and objectives. Through community engagement, the city has discovered how adopting sustainable practices will allow the city to become more efficient and cost-effective for the benefit of its residents.
NIU Outreach brings training and educational programs to business professionals and community leaders who embrace the concepts of sustainability. Their sustainability training includes LEED® certification test preparation, energy auditing, and several other programs addressing specific sustainability topics. NIU also offers extensive training and support services for government officials who are grappling with sustainability issues.
Click here for a complete list of speakers and registration information www.sustainableconference.niu.edu.