UPDATE: This blog post and the GreenSpec product entry have been updated to reflect that BrightShelf is now manufactured by Hunter Douglas Contract.

With Black Friday behind us, it's time for my annual Christmas shopping list--ideas for energy-saving and green living gifts this holiday season. Most of these products can be purchased locally--benefiting the local economy. Discounts may be available for both in-store and online purchases.

Concept SL-100 Solar-Powered LED Security Light

I'm just back from Chicago, where I was attending the Greenbuild Conference of the U.S. Green Building Council. Despite the weak economy, some 27,000 architects, builders, developers, and manufacturers gathered for this 9th annual conference.

At Greenbuild, I moderated an interactive session looking at "hype vs. reality" with LED lighting. Indeed, there is a lot of hype out there (more on that below), but the bottom line is that there are some amazing products coming onto the market.

I didn't get to spend as much time at the Greenbuild tradeshow as I would have liked last week, but I did spend three or four hours on 179,000 square-foot exhibit hall floor--that's four acres, by the way--Thursday afternoon with BuildingGreen's product editor, Brent Ehrlich.

Some of the best things about Greenbuild—and there are many—are the educational programs. Covering topics from energy labeling and building innovation to removing embodied carbon from the water supply—there really is something for everyone. The opening plenary which took place this morning, featured General Colin Powell and the closing Plenary on Friday will feature the Honorable Shaun Donovan and Paul Hawken.

Alex Wilson, the founder of our company and our current executive editor (i.e., my boss), is being named the 2010 Hanley Award winner in a special event here at Greenbuild 2010 tomorrow. In recognition of this achievement, and to better understand how this innovative, always-curious visionary looks at the world, I recently asked him 10 questions. Here's the conversation.

Congratulations on being the 2010 winner of the Hanley Award. How would you sum up your feelings on this honor?