As we all look at how we can limit our footprint on Mother Nature and the environment, sustainability is transforming the way we design, build, maintain and manage our trade show exhibits. Reduce – Reuse – Recycle – Re-think. Over the last decade DisplayCraft has moved towards sustainable trade show exhibit design through proper selection of green building materials, lighter weight exhibit materials, energy efficient lighting and eco-friendly printed graphics. A good example of sustainable trade show exhibit design practices is Schuco USA’s  20′ x 20′ custom island booth for Greenbuild.

The Greenbuild International Conference and Expo is the nation’s largest green building design and construction trade show. Schuco USA with Sales Executive Lisa Cyr premiered their new build 20’ x 20’ exhibit at Greenbuild in New Orleans.

Sustainable Trade Show Guidelines

All trade shows have guidelines. Greenbuild had their set “Greenbuild’s Mandatory Exhibit Green Guidelines (GMEGG)”. A set of requirements exhibitors like DisplayCraft must implement for construction and operation of a Greenbuild Exhibit. Booths were designed to the requirements outlined in GMEGG and documentation with objectives and goals for sustainability were submitted. Some of the guidelines fell under the following categories: Energy Conservation, Booth Material, Shipping Practices, and Water Reclamation.

• Energy Conservation – There was a big push to reduce the power consumption of lighting and electronic devices. DisplayCraft designed the exhibit to utilize lighting from the event hall and reused an existing energy efficient 60” monitor from the client’s showroom for product videos. One monitor, one message, clean design.
• Booth Materials – This was a tad trickier in the design process. This category really runs the gamut, from Flooring, Signage, Booth Structure, Communications and Collateral, and Air Quality.
• Flooring we sourced and rented through Greenbuild general service contractor to comply with the guidelines and save on shipping.
• Booth Graphics and Signage – DisplayCraft strategically chose Images, logos, and signage for future reuse. New dye-sub fabric graphics printed using water based inks.
• Booth Structure – The main booth structure fabricated using 20% recyclable aluminum, therefore, meeting the requirement of reuse for at least a 1 year.
• Communications & Collateral – No paper consumption or paper handouts.
• Indoor Air Quality – Schuco reused pedestals from their showroom complying with the reuse of materials. The raw aluminum structures used required no painting.
• Shipping Practice – DisplayCraft produced 100% recycled custom built wood crates for shipping and storage of the exhibit.
• Water Reclamation – The exhibit used no water.

Beginning the design process with material limitation is challenging, but the beauty of design is sometimes just that – the challenge. The Schuco USA booth stood 14’ tall with full graphics branding the surround and integrated product displays. Predominantly white, the booth loaned itself to an air of elegance with striking black Schuco lettering and black framed products.

DisplayCraft was pleased to be a part of the world’s largest green building event and continues to do our part to help our industry strive towards a sustainable future.