Sustainable design conference
Net Zero Conference Status Active Genre Conference Frequency Annually Venue -2019, 2021-2023, 2025: Los Angeles Convention Center Anaheim Convention Center Grammy Museum , Los Angeles , CAHouse of Blues , Anaheim , CA Location(s) Los Angeles , California , US Years active 11 years Inaugurated 2014; 11 years ago (2014 ) Founder Drew Shula Most recent September 17-18, 2024 Next event October 1, 2025 Attendance 1,500 (2023) Area International Organised by Verdical Group Website netzeroconference.com
The Net Zero Conference is one of the largest annual conferences in the world dedicated to net zero design.[ 1] [ 2] fossil fuel use.[ 3] [ 4] [ 5]
The Net Zero Conference is hosted and produced by Verdical Group, a sustainability and green building consulting firm. The conference focuses primarily on the built environment due to the fact that approximately 40% of global carbon emissions come from buildings,[ 6] climate change , net zero buildings , environmental, social and governance (ESG) , zero waste , social equity , greenhouse gas emissions , and climate resilience .[ 7] [ 8]
Net Zero Conference founder, Drew Shula, keynoting the 2024 event at the Anaheim Convention Center. Since 2019, the Net Zero Conference has featured the annual Trailblazer Awards Gala,[ 9] [ 10] [ 11] [ 12] [ 13]
Verdical Group founder and CEO, Drew Shula, created the Net Zero Conference in 2014.[ 14] [ 15] [ 16]
The Net Zero Conference has previously been held at the LEED Gold certified Los Angeles Convention Center [ 17] Anaheim Convention Center .[ 18] Metropolis Canary Media ,[ 19] Forbes [ 20] USGBC and the World Green Building Council .[ 21]
Notable Net Zero Conference keynote speakers [ edit ] Source:[ 22]
2024
2023
Wawa Gatheru , Founder & Executive Director, Black Girl Environmentalist2022
2021
2020
Winona LaDuke , Executive Director, Honor the Earth and two-time Green Party Vice Presidential CandidateJamie Margolin , Co-Founder, Zero HourZanagee Artis , Co-Founder, Zero HourGeorge Bandy Jr, Head of Worldwide Circular Economy, Amazon
Jason Pugh, President, National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) & Principal, Gensler 2019
2018
2017
2016
Notable Trailblazer Award Winners [ edit ] 2024
2023
2022
2021
Xavier Roussel, Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO), Dole Food Company
Ellen Jackowski, Chief Impact Officer (CIO) & Head of Sustainable Impact, HP
Nicole Whiteman, CEO, Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation 2020
Denis Hayes , Chairman & President, Bullitt Foundation , and Founder of Earth Day Janine Benyus , Co-Founder, Biomimicry InstituteRick Fedrizzi , Co-Founder & former CEO U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) , and Chairman & CEO, International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) / WELL Building Standard Jason F. McLennan , Founder, Living Building Challenge Elizabeth Heider, Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO), Skanska
Gabrielle Bullock, Director of Global Diversity & Principal, Perkins&Will
Wanda Dalla Costa , Founder, Indigenous Design Collaborative2019
^ "Net Zero for All: An Interview with Net Zero Conference Event Chair Drew Shula | Trim Tab" . 2019-09-04. Retrieved 2024-05-03 .^ Woodruff, Chloe (2023-08-28). "Net Zero Conference Coming Soon to Ignite Climate Action" . Innovation & Tech Today . Retrieved 2024-05-03 . ^ Woodruff, Chloe. "Verdical Group's 7th Annual Net Zero Conference: Building a Net Zero Future" . Metropolis . Retrieved 2024-04-04 . ^ "Stop F*cking Around – Build Our Zero Carbon Economy Now" . Facade Tectonics Institute . 2023-05-26. Retrieved 2024-04-04 .^ Tucker, Ethan. "With the Net Zero Conference, Drew Shula Aims to Inspire Radical Transformation" . Metropolis . Retrieved 2024-04-04 . ^ "Navigating the Path to Net Zero" . Metropolis . April 12, 2024. Retrieved 2024-08-09 .^ Woodruff, Chloe (2023-08-28). "Net Zero Conference Coming Soon to Ignite Climate Action" . Innovation & Tech Today . Retrieved 2024-04-04 . ^ "Meet the Climate Leaders Awarded at this Year's Net Zero Conference" . Metropolis . Retrieved 2024-04-04 .^ "Verdical Group: Building a Net Zero Future | 1% for the Planet Blog" . www.onepercentfortheplanet.org . Retrieved 2024-04-04 .^ "Meet the 2024 Net Zero Conference Trailblazer Award Nominees" . Metropolis . Archived from the original on 2025-03-26. Retrieved 2025-04-03 .^ Backbone (2022-09-30). "Klean Kanteen Co-Owners Awarded 2022 Trailblazer Award" . Outdoor Sportswire . Retrieved 2024-04-04 . ^ Mattress, Avocado Green. "Avocado Awarded Trailblazer Award for Leadership On Climate" . www.prnewswire.com (Press release). Retrieved 2024-04-04 . ^ "Mercedes-Benz Stadium Receives Trailblazer Award at 2022 Net Zero Conference | Mercedes-Benz Stadium News" . www.mercedesbenzstadium.com . Retrieved 2024-04-04 .^ Admin (2022-08-01). "Net Zero Conference Q&A with CEO Drew Shula, Verdical Group" . Getting to Zero Forum . Retrieved 2024-04-05 . ^ "Q&A with Drew Shula, founder of the Net Zero Conference | U.S. Green Building Council" . www.usgbc.org . Retrieved 2024-04-04 .^ "About Us" . Net Zero Conference . Retrieved 2024-04-04 .^ "Net Zero 2022 Makes the Case for Expanding the Green Movement" . Metropolis . Retrieved 2024-04-04 .^ "The Net Zero Conference Highlights the Importance of Collective Action" . Metropolis . Retrieved 2025-04-03 .^ "Steelmakers forge ahead on cleaning up their notoriously dirty…" . Canary Media . 2021-09-28. Retrieved 2024-04-04 .^ Steele, Jeffrey. "It Is Zero Hour For Net Zero Energy Buildings" . Forbes . Retrieved 2024-04-04 . ^ Thorpe, David (2018-06-12). "Industry challenged to achieve net zero carbon buildings" . The Fifth Estate . Retrieved 2024-04-04 . ^ hello@verdicalgroup.com (2023-09-29). "Honoring Past Keynote Speakers and Trailblazer Award Winners" . Net Zero Conference . Retrieved 2024-04-15 . ^ "Eric Corey Freed receives Net Zero Energy Trailblazer Award | CannonDesign" . www.cannondesign.com . Retrieved 2025-04-03 . 
