KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The American Public Works Association (APWA) annual Sustainability in Public Works Conference has merged with the 2014 APWA International Public Works Congress and Exposition taking place in Toronto, Canada, Aug. 17-20, 2014, at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, according to a press release.
As a result, APWA Congress’ new sustainability track will feature targeted sessions dedicated to educating attendees on the efficient delivery of infrastructure projects in an environmentally and socially responsible way that ensures the best economic choice in the long term, stated the release.
New Sustainability Track:
The APWA International Congress’ Sustainability Track will feature 45 total education/activities about environment/sustainability issues:
• 34 education sessions
• Two roundtable forums – ISI Envision Roundtable, Center for Sustainability Roundtable
• Public Works Stormwater Summit
• Five workshop/tours of projects that have sustainability components
o Enwave Deep Lake Water Cooling
o R.C. Harris Water Treatment Plant
o Toronto Cycling Infrastructure
o Union Station Revitalization
o Walking…Stepping into the Transportation Mix
• One classroom workshop: Climate risk assessment for adaptation planning and implementation
• Closing general session speaker: Alex Steffen – “Imagining Communities that Can Save the Planet”
“The merger of the two APWA conferences allows more public works professionals to have access to important sustainability issues and solutions, and is reflective of the fact that sustainability traverses all areas of public works — water, roads, transportation, parks, asset management, and emergency management — and should be presented to the broadest possible audience of public works professionals,” said APWA Center for Sustainability Chair Jennifer Winter, project director at HR Green, Inc. “These sessions are being presented by a variety of APWA Technical Committees and seasoned professionals from both sides of the border, and they reveal the breadth of the role that sustainability plays in our infrastructure, communities, and in in our chosen profession.”
