Rain is rare in the desert, even in November. That must have been the mantra of Greenbuild's organizers as clouds gathered on Wednesday.

That evening, 24,000 registered attendees were invited to a celebration at an open-air baseball stadium.

Greenbuild's big party at Chase Field in Phoenix.

A fraction of that number -- perhaps 5,000 -- actually attended the celebration to see two very popular headliners. As Greenbuilders amassed on the plaza outside the Arizona Diamondbacks' home field, the stadium staff learned how hard it is to herd architects who are ready to party.

Finally, the eager crowd slowly funneled into the field, where the USGBC catered a picnic complete with a bar on the pitcher's mound.

To everyone's relief and delight it was a beautiful evening and the stadium roof stayed open.

Rick Fedrizzi's rallying cries echoed in the huge, mostly empty stadium. He introduced a series of short, stiff speeches by the directors of a dozen World Green Building Council chapters around the world, then got down to the business of introducing the headline speaker, former Vice President Al Gore.

Al Gore: A common thread

Mr. Gore exceeded my expectations. Sure, the same speech would have fit any other audience -- solar manufacturers, or cleantech venture capitalists, say -- with a few minor changes. His references to green buildings came almost verbatim from chapter 12 of his newest book, "Our Choice."

Al Gore thrilled and inspired an audience of Greenbuild attendees in Phoenix on November 11, 2009. (USGBC photo)

But Gore's speech was specific to this audience, he proclaimed definite calls to action, and he was impassioned and energetic for his full 30 minutes.

Gore is no stranger to green building. He and his wife, Tipper, have retrofitted their 100-year-old Nashville home to make it the first LEED Gold residence in Tennessee. Mr. Gore's office in New York is in the first LEED Platinum skyscraper there.

He spends the majority of his time on the road, meeting with leaders and speaking to audiences around the world in support of efforts to avert climate change.

There is no doubt as to whether Gore will be in Copenhagen next month. But tonight he was the person this crowd waited two hours to hear, and they welcomed him to Phoenix with enthusiasm.

He warmed up with the usual anecdotes of former Washington DC residents. (If you've seen former CIA director James Woolsey speak, you've heard his airline prisoner story.)

Maybe it was the Chase Field acoustics, or the smaller crowd here. When I've seen Al Gore before, the same stories have drawn more laughter. But comedy wasn't Gore's main objective tonight.

His very serious goal was to charge up the audience, and he quickly got busy doing just that. Here is a synopsis of his message:

Leading the sustainability charge

"We are in a time now where we have really got to make some big changes," Gore began, "and you guys are making those changes."

"You all are leading this charge on behalf of a sustainable future for our children and grandchildren."

It's time for us to shift to a new kind of infrastructure, where we can depend on renewable resources that are here in the United States... and, most important of all, efficiency and green building.
--Al Gore.

Not everyone has joined the charge because "they don't understand it is good for our economy, good for our national security, and a responsibility we owe to those who come after us."

"We have a climate crisis, at the same time as we have an economic crisis, at the same time we have a national security crisis."

The financial crisis is over and, technically, the recession is over, but unemployment remains high.

"I know where we can get two and a half million new jobs," said Gore: "by building green buildings, and retrofitting buildings up to LEED standards."

New infrastructure investments, such as renewable energy and the smart grid, are the best way to put people to work quickly, Gore said. He compared this to the Marshall Plan and the need to take a long view without being distracted by short-term inconveniences.

Take the long view

"It is time to steer by the stars, and not by the lights of each passing ship," Gore said, quoting World War II Army General Omar Bradley. (This has been one of Gore's favorite quotes for more than 20 years. It appeared in his 1988 campaign speeches, and later in his 2006 book, "Earth in Balance," the title that preceded "An Inconvenient Truth.")

"It's time for us to shift to a new kind of infrastructure, where we can depend on renewable resources that are here in the United States: the sun, the wind, geothermal power and, most important of all, efficiency and green building."

Gore noted the large share of CO2 emissions attributable to wasted energy in buildings. He applauded the USGBC for developing standards and for promoting financial innovations to help people pay the up-front cost of making their buildings more energy efficient. He encouraged more effort in changing policy and building codes.

Political will is a renewable resource

"This is a movement in spite of continuing economic stress, in spite of the old centers of power that continue to benefit from obsolete laws, in spite of ideological extremists that don't want any kind of change and dig in their heels -- but the future is coming, and we have got to accept responsibility for what needs to be done."

We must find the political will so that we can take control of our own destiny and say to our children, "We are not going to let you down."

"When you find greenwashing going on, speak out against it," Gore urged. "Don't put up with that, because they undercut the legitimate people who are doing the right thing."

We have all the tools we need to solve three or four climate crises, and we need only to solve one -- but we need the policies that make it possible.

Rick Fedrizzi, founding chairman of the U.S. Green Building Council, introduced Mr. Gore at the opening celebration of Greenbuild 2009. (USGBC photo)

He called for national legislation to overcome fragmented local building codes and financial barriers to energy efficiency improvements. One of the biggest provisions in S. 1733, he said, is for the financing of green buildings.

"Remember -- the climate crisis, the economic crisis, and the national security crisis are all linked by a common thread. That thread is our absurd over-dependence on carbon-based fuels. If you grab that thread and pull it hard, all three of these crises begin to unravel. And you hold in your hand the answer."

The answer is a shift to renewable energy and efficiency, with policies to support them.

"Yes, it is crucial to change the lights, but it is even more important to change the laws and policies, and that means that we as citizens have to speak out."

Answering now the question of future generations

Young people will move this country forward, but they're depending on us to act today.

"The alternative to failure in Copenhagen is unacceptable. All of us as Americans have to do what we can to make sure our country plays a responsible role."

"The next generation will look back on these first years of the 21st century and, depending on the circumstances they find themselves in, they will ask us one of two questions."

That generation may be perfectly justified in asking us, "What were you thinking? Didn't you see the signs? Didn't you care?"

Or, if they find themselves in a world in renewal, where their prospects are better than ours, they will ask, "How did you find the moral courage to rise up and solve a crisis that so many said was impossible to solve?"

"The answer is one that we have to give with our deeds. And when they ask us, we'll be able to say the change started in Phoenix Arizona."

"I know we are going to solve this," Gore concluded, "because in the United States of America, political will is a renewable resource."

A party hearty group stayed for an hour-long concert by environmentalist Sheryl Crow. Much of the audience spilled out onto the streets of Phoenix. Whether headed for our hotels, the Hard Rock Cafe, or the Suns game down the street, we came away inspired.