The Poplar Top 10 - Week of February 19 2015

Rob Freeman
LEED Professional
February 19, 2015

Green Marketing

From LEED certification leaders by state to recycled cardboard furniture to a personalized air-conditioning system from MIT, enjoy our first edition of the Poplar Top 10, a time saving summary of highlights and links to the past week's most compelling articles on green building and LEED.

The DoE has requested more resources to fund energy storage research as companies like Tesla prepare to power our homes with giant batteries.

Credit: Dawn Endico via Flickr

2015 LEED Leaders By State Announced

In it’s fifth anniversary, states now know exactly where they stand in regard to LEED building thanks to USGBC’s per-capita list. Illinois maintained it’s stronghold on first place for the second year, with Colorado a close second.
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World’s First Glow-in-the-Dark EV

Last week, Nissan revealed the world’s first glow-in-the-dark electric vehicle. And while other cars to date have been wrapped in such luminescent paint, this was both the first car to have it directly applied as it’s base paint and to use such paint that was completely organic. Sadly, it won’t be hitting mainstream markets anytime soon, but it does open the door for some amazing possibilities.
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Chicago Releases First Year of New Energy Data

In 2013, the City Council passed a new benchmark for large-scale non-industrial buildings who were supposedly accountable for gobbling up 22% of the city’s building use energy. Last year’s data shows a positive effect as energy use dropped up to 23%, which will likely pave the way for smaller building benchmarks to pass later in 2015.
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Conservation International Finds Success in Multimedia

In the world of marketing, many are turning from text-based content to more visual forms like video and photography. CI has found a particular return in joining this trend, and encourages others to grab hold of such mediums to create transformational relationships with your eco-friendly audience.
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USGBC Looks to Incorporate Biomass Standards

In conjunction with ASHRAE and the Illuminating Engineering Society, USBGC plans to set biomass benchmarks into their green building renewable energy system standards.
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Research & Markets Releases Findings from Global Green Building Outlook Study

Fortune 500 analyst firm ‘Research & Markets’ added an 85-page report covering the next five years of global green building to their library, announcing a growth of 13% by 2020. Findings also suggested that while the US is still the largest marketing for green building, Asia-Pacific markets are experiencing rapid growth.
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DOE Requests More Resources to Fund Energy Storage Research

Late last week, Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz sought more funding for battery R&D at a Senate hearing citing a lack of such solutions as a major hindrance to renewable energy adoption.
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MIT Lab Working on Efficient AC That Will Follow You

A research team recently showcased what could be the world’s most energy efficient air conditioning unit in Dubai. The smart unit follows your every move, misting and cooling the air around you.
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California Pair Sees Recycled Cardboard Furniture as Fun, Impactful Opportunity

The Cardboard Guys will be launching a Kickstarter campaign later this month to help make children’s eco-friendly cardboard furniture a reality. Designed to foster creativity and help save the environment, the line has already gone through an extensive feasibility study.
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University Students Tie Education & Sustainability Together through Fashion

A creative duo from Baylor University have released a line of unique bowties to fund education in Kenya, as well as support other mission work geared toward creating more sustainable buildings and providing humanitarian support in response to negative landscape changes from global warming.
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