Interop Gets Latest Religion

Lisa Plummer -- Tradeshow Week, 4/24/2008 3:05:00 PM

A major technology event is about to the join the ranks of tradeshows that have gone green. Set to take place April 27-May 2 at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, Interop, the show for information technology professionals, will include a one-day conference to address the greening of the IT industry. In addition, TechWeb (formerly CMP Media, a division of United Business Media) will undertake some environmentally friendly initiatives in the show’s production.

On April 28, Energy Camp is an open forum intended to initiate a dialogue between IT vendors and users about sustainable solutions and methodologies for the industry, according to Lenny Heymann, Interop general manager. Heymann and David Berlind, Interop executive conference director, are the brains behind what they called an “unconference.” They hope Energy Camp participants, by discussing green IT solutions, will not only help identify a common industry agenda, but also come away with ideas about how to make their own companies more sustainable.



“Energy Camp is a conversation among people that care about these issues,” Heymann said. “We’re asking the industry to come together, share ideas and develop concepts that the entire IT community can use.” One might wonder how an industry that consumes so much energy can truly become sustainable. According to Heymann, IT is at the beginning of this process, and energy conservation is its main focus. This makes good business sense, he added, because high power costs can take a sizable bite out of a tech company’s bottom line. 

Managing and cutting back on power consumption is key for the IT sector and, despite front-end costs for a company in its initial shift towards sustainability, most green initiatives can have an immediate payback in energy savings. Heymann said speakers would also address energy efficiency and conservation in Interop’s general sessions and a Green IT conference track. 

Besides getting greener, Interop is also growing. It was No. 192 on the 2007 Tradeshow Week 200 and organizers are boasting a 25-percent increase in exhibiting companies this year. Of the approximately 500 exhibitors filling 170,000 square feet of space, 170 will be first-timers. TechWeb expects approximately 18,000 attendees.

The company also is taking measures to reduce the show’s environmental footprint by reducing paper usage; using post-consumer recycled paper, aisle carpet made of 60- percent recycled content and water coolers instead of bottled water; putting a recycling bin in the show lobby; and printing most non-banner show management signage on recycled material.  Maybe this all sounds familiar. Rewind the convention calendar to earlier this year and you’ll recall management of two other tech-related shows, Intl. CES and CTIA Wireless, taking similar steps. 

“Sustainability is a critical issue and will continue to be a priority for the IT industry and Interop,” Heymann said. “We anticipate that green will be a key component of our educational program in the future.” 

Interop will return to Mandalay Bay May 17-22, 2009