DesignColumbus 2026 Call for Presentations

Design Ohio and USGBC Ohio will host DesignColumbus on Monday, March 16, 2026 in-person at Mitchell Hall, Columbus State Community College, 250 Cleveland Ave, Columbus, OH, 43215. The annual conference and trade show unites hundreds of building industry leaders, experts and professionals for a day featuring inspiring speakers and superb educational sessions covering all aspects of sustainable design, construction and operational practices for buildings and communities, including their impact on people, the environment and the economy - locally and nationally.

The DesignColumbus Planning Committee is seeking education programs that highlight new technologies, regional issues, high-profile projects and enhance the knowledge of attendees about design, construction and operational practices that promote green building. In an effort to promote new and diverse groups of presenters, strong preference will be given to those whose content is relevant to the regional audience. Acceptable presentation modalities include panel discussions, roundtables, project profiles/case studies, interactive lectures or group activities. No sessions that are based on advertising a product or service will be accepted into the program.

Presenters will be assisted in obtaining AIA and GBCI credits for these presentations. LEED-specific presentations are encouraged. A LEED-specific presentation needs 75% or more of the content related directly to the current versions of the LEED Rating Systems and Reference Guides, LEED certification process and/or LEED Online. WELL credits will be applied if applicable. Education sessions are scheduled for 60 minutes in length, allowing time for questions.

Presenter benefits: The presenters for each session selected to be part of DesignColumbus 2026 will receive a complimentary registration to the conference with lunch provided.

Submission and Review Timeline:

November 21, 2025: Proposals submission deadline

December 15, 2025: Selected presenters notified no later than week of

January 30, 2026: Presentations in PDF format due for credit submittal

Equipment provided: Each presentation room will be equipped with a microphone, projector and screen.

What to bring: Presenters will need to bring their own laptop (and cables if using a Mac), presentation and handouts (if desired).

Advertising of presentation topics: Advertising of selected topics will be done throughout the five states in the Heartland and Great Lakes Region: Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, West Virginia and Kentucky.

If you have any questions or need additional information, contact:

Tammie Wareham

USGBC Ohio

[email protected]

614.255.2267

Thad Goodman

DesignOhio

[email protected]

614-214-5666

Monday, March 16, 2026

Mitchell Hall, Columbus State Community College

250 Cleveland Ave, Columbus, OH, 43215

Co-Hosted by Design Ohio & USGBC Ohio

How to Apply: Click "Reserve a Spot" on the right to submit a presentation!

Host or Publisher DesignColumbus