1. Unparalleled Connections: Summit attendees are the decision makers in their organizations and the influencers in their fields. And because we’ve designed our program to capture the spirit the District of Collaboration, you’ll be making the kinds of deep connections that lead to partnerships in the field. To kick things off, we’re hosting an Opening Reception, sponsored by Washington Gas, on Wednesday, September 24 from 6 to 8 pm.
2. Mobile Labs: We’ve replaced the traditional conference tours with a track of half-day workshops that will get you connected to the people and communities that are currently in the midst of revitalization projects, like Canal Park/ The Yards, the DowntownDC Ecodistrict, the SW Ecodistrict and more.
3. DC as Lab: Whether you call DC home or live thousands of miles away, the Summit offers a unique opportunity to see how theory, policy and practice are coming together to make the District a national model for urban regeneration. You’ll hear from Mayor Vincent C. Gray and other officials involved in the integrated web of projects currently underway in the area. The timing couldn’t be better — not only is the District home to three of the nine EcoDistricts Target Cities projects, it just officially became the nation’s per capita leader in LEED-certified building space.
4. An Incredible Mix of Case Studies: TheSummit is where big ideas meet even bigger actions, and you’ll dive in with case studies on projects from China, German, Italy, Australia and throughout North America. Practitioners from around the world will be there to report on their district-scale projects.
5. Meaningful Collaboration: As a Summit participant, you won’t simply learn from an expert panel. Our speakers and panelists are committed to making theSummit collaborative at every level. We’ll be tackling complex challenges and working to implement real solutions. You’ll have an active hand in shaping the future of district-scale urban regeneration.

OK, we promised to stop at 5, but we’ve barely scratched the surface.