Green Build Roadshow in Review

The U.S. Department of Commerce and Deutsche Messe having been working together with a variety of partners to increase awareness of the growing potential for U.S. clean-tech and renewable energy products and services in overseas markets. One such initiative was the Green Build Roadshow, which during two weeks in November 2009 made stops at Denver, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, and San Jose, as well as at a special international energy matchmaking event in Detroit. 

Read the complete Green Build wrap up at the ITA's official blog, Tradeology. 

Testimonials

Daniel Harris
Minister Counselor for Commercial Affairs
U.S. Embassy Paris

"The U.S. Commercial Service and Hannover Fair have a long standing relationship. We have worked together successfully over many years. For the 2010 show we have particularly close corporation centered around green technologies. The U.S. Commercial Service will be bringing a major trade mission of American companies in the green technologies space to Europe starting the week of April 11th. We have timed this to connect with the opening of Hannover Fair the following week. We will be strongly encouraging companies who come on the trade mission to stay and participate in the U.S. green technologies pavilion at the Hannover Fair. We think that 2010 will see a recovery in the market, we don't know how strong the recovery will be, but we are really encouraging our companies to get out there and position themselves in important European markets. We believe and hope that Europe will see an expanding economy in 2010."

Daniel Harris is the Minister Counselor for Commercial Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Paris, France. Prior to his current assignment, he was the U.S. Commercial Service's Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Operations in Washington, D.C., where he supervised Foreign Service operations in 80 countries.

Ruben Hernandez
Director
Greater San Jose Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

"We are very excited to have signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Deutsche Messe to use HANNOVER MESSE as our European trade platform. Our Chamber of Commerce, through its membership, has travelled all over America and Asia as well as some parts of Europe. However, never before has an official trade mission been organized by our Chamber of Commerce to Europe. Our members will benefit tremendously from this opportunity to showcase their products and services at a global event. We are certain that the HANNOVER MESSE will establish a link between our Chamber, Europe, Latin America and the United States. Because of our bicultural and bilingual roots we can connect European, Latin American and U.S. companies in Hannover. Also, our members that are active in renewable energy, recycling of waste energy and green construction will greatly benefit by building European ties from within these booming industries in both Latin America and the United States. The HANNOVER MESSE provides a great opportunity for our members to partner with European and global companies. Furthermore, the HANNOVER MESSE offers us a forum for meeting with other international delegations."

Thomas E. Moore
Counselor for Commercial Affairs
U.S. Embassy Rome

"In Italy, the emergence of more unified national guidelines and incentives for green building will help to reenergize the construction sector. Going forward, Italy offers the best potential in Europe for solar power."

Thomas E. Moore is Counselor for Commercial Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Rome, Italy where he oversees the U.S. Commercial Service's offices in Rome, Milan, and Florence. He previously served as the U.S. Commercial Service's Deputy Director General, the highest-ranking career manager in the agency, overseeing 2,000 employees in more than 250 offices in 80 countries.

George F. Ruffer
Minister Counselor for Commercial Affairs
U.S. Embassy Berlin

"This is an excellent time for U.S. companies to be looking at the European market. The current situation is such that our firms are very competitive. The world is looking towards the United States where we have been a leader for years in the field of technology. Now we are focusing on renewable energy. We know that there are going to be exciting developments in this field, and the fact is that HANNOVER MESSE is one of the world's greatest platforms for new technologies. We can bring our firms over to Hannover and use the fair to reach out, not just to Germany, but to markets around the world --and that is important! For some companies Germany will be the best market, for others it might be the United Kingdom, Bulgaria or the Middle East. One of the things the U.S. Commercial Service will do is help our companies determine where the best markets are for each product or service so that they get the best results possible from their participation in the HANNOVER MESSE."

"he partnership we now have with the HANNOVER MESSE is truly unique. We have been working together for many months ahead of the exhibition, also together with other strategic partners such as FEDEX, to ensure that our companies -- the ones that are interested in getting into these new markets -- can come over to Germany, be fully prepared even before they get here, and gain maximum benefit."

"nce the show has come to an end we will continue to work with our companies following up on leads received, to ensure that they are in the market for the long term."

George F. Ruffer is the Minister Counselor for Commercial Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Berlin, Germany. He assumed his current position with the U.S. Commercial Service in September 2006 after previous assignments as the Senior Commercial Officer in Singapore and the Philippines, and as the Commercial Officer in Milan, Italy and Amsterdam, the Netherlands.