The annual Greenbuild conference and exhibition, slated for Nov. 7-9, 2007 at Chicago’s McCormick Place West, is expected to have 18,000 attendees. Considered the world’s largest conference and exhibit hall dedicated to “green” building, the event will feature programs about the LEED building rating system, which was developed by the United States Green Building Council as a tool to build healthy, energy efficient, resource friendly structures.

The conference is designed to bring the entire “green” industry together from the commercial to the residential sector: architects, home builders, real estate professionals, code officials, contractors, educators, financial service providers, government agencies, green power providers, interior designers, schools, universities, students and urban planners.

This year’s conference will explore “Accelerating Green Communities” through a variety of educational sessions, full- and half-day LEED workshops, speakers, special events and tours. A variety of sessions and workshops will address the full spectrum of green planning, design, construction, operations, and the green building industry.

Chicago’s burgeoning green building scene and architectural bastion will serve as the backdrop for the event, the largest in Greenbuild’s history, with more than 850 exhibit booths. Chicago was one of the first cities to adopt the LEED Rating System for publicly owned buildings, and is home to the largest number of LEED-registered projects of any city in the world. Tours of 40 of Chicago’s most celebrated buildings will take place throughout the event, and will be complimentary to press.

Greenbuild is presented by the USGBC, a nonprofit group comprising more than 10,500 organizations ranging from private companies to nonprofits, educational institutions, and government agencies. For more information visit www.greenbuildexpo.org.