Photos courtesy of ABO
By Roland Li
The 2011 BuildingsNY and GreenBuildingsNY event at the Javits Center, held on March 30 and 31, was different this year.
Dan Margulies, the executive director of the Associated Builders and Owners of Greater New York (ABO), one of the event’s major organizers, said prior to the event that he expected more vendors as the market improves.
“This will be a great opportunity for people to talk to the manufacturers,” said Margulies.
The challenging economy has also put an emphasis on energy efficiency, as building owners and operators attempt to find a way to cut operating expenses. The showcase will give them many options, and around 7,000 people were expected to attend.
“There’s a lot of interest in green services,” said Margulies. “The challenge for everyone in the industry is to find the services that save energy reliably month-after-month.”
The event was also marked by the absence of Nicholas LaPorte, the former executive director of ABO, who passed away from cancer earlier this month. LaPorte was instrumental in expanding BuildingsNY by attracting more attendees and companies to showcase their products, colleagues said.
The ABO donated a booth to the Ronald McDonald House Charities, an organization that Laporte and his family supported.
A new addition is the Architectural Design and Technology Showroom, a new space that will highlight organizations that include the New York Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, ArchitTrek, LLC and Trespa North America. Around 1,000 architects are expected to attend the event.
The ABO also hosted a breakfast and an opening ceremony with Brooklyn borough president Marty Markowitz.
