Together with the Dutch trade journal PropertyEU, EXPO REAL is launching a new award - the Green Thinker Award. This award, going to the most sustainable developer in Europe, is to be presented for the first time on 7 October 2008 at the international commercial property trade fair EXPO REAL in Munich.
"Sustainability in the property sector is no short-lived trend. It will be with us for a long time in the future. By launching this 'Green Thinker Award' we, as the organisers of Europe´s largest property trade fair, want to raise awareness for the relevance of this theme and promote dialogue about sustainable solutions," said Eugen Egetenmeir, a member of the management board of Messe München.
The award aims to identify the 'green pioneers' in the European property sector. It spotlights those who are effectively implementing sustainable strategies, and encourages others to follow the lead of these sustainability models. The jury for the award is composed of Anna Braune, Director of the German Green Building Council, Jack de Leeuw, Director of the Dutch Green Building Council, Professor Graeme Newell from the University of Western Sydney (who has already published studies on the environmental efforts of European property developers) and Louise Ellison, Research Director at the Investment Property Forum in London.
The basis for nomination for the Green Thinker Award was a review of the 100 leading property developers in Europe, published by PropertyEU in January 2008. In the first round of selection 53 companies from this list were chosen for their commitment to sustainability. By the end of August, this number will have been whittled down to a final 15 contenders for the Green Thinker Award.
The winner of the Green Thinker Award will receive a work of art that they can display at their company base – an approximately four square-metre sized sculpture of living plants, entitled 'Weight of Thoughts' by Dutch artist David Veldhoen. The artwork will be on show at EXPO REAL in the 'Green Thinker Lounge', and presented in an award ceremony on Tuesday, 7 October in the PLANNING & PARTNERSHIPS FORUM" (CS della Fiera).