Oregon BEST Commercialization Grants
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October 1
Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus is coming to Portland October 1 to host the Yunus Social Business Challenge, presented by the Oregon University System.
October 4-7
Int'l. Association for the Study of Traditional Environments Conference
Hosted by the University of Oregon in Portland this biennial conference attracts international participants interested in the built environment. Speakers from dozens of countries are scheduled to present. Last held in Beirut, Lebanon, this year's gathering will examine the role of myth in the creation and endurance of traditions of space and practice. Portland, OR
October 3
Winning Technical Proposals Webinar
Join ARPA-E Program Directors Dane Boysen and Ilan Gur, who will share their five best practices and five deadly sins for writing technical proposals. Learn about ARPA-E's mission and unique role in funding energy innovation. Free.
October 3
Northwest Clean Tech Open Awards Expo
Tradeshow exhibition of CTO semifinalist and alumni ventures, partner and sponsor organizations, thought-leadership talks, and the presentation of Finalist Prizes for the 2012 Pacific Northwest Cleantech Open. Exhibits by more than two-dozen cleantech ventures from throughout the NW, including 2010 Nat'l. Grand Champion and 2011 National winner in the Efficiency Segment (both from Oregon!). Register HERE to use the discount code arranged for individuals with ties to Oregon BEST. Portland, OR
October 11
A one-day, interactive sustainable business learning experience featuring tactical how-to sessions, solutions-centered deep dives into new ways of thinking, and a showcase of regional business leaders and their stories. Bringing together leaders from across industries, GoGreen builds networks and cross-pollinates sustainability best practices throughout the regional business community.
October 15, 2012
(submission deadline)
Submit to present at next year's National Solar Conference - Solar 2013, which takes place in Baltimore, April 16-20, 2013. Solar 2013 will focus on overcoming challenges, rapid and flexible solutions, and quick-to-market opportunities for implementation in the renewable energy environment. This annual event is produced by the American Solar Energy Society (ASES).
October 17, 2012
Oregon Tech has consolidated its Portland campuses to a single location at 27500 SW Parkway Ave. in Wilsonville, where tech companies are forging close ties. Ceremony starts at 10 a.m.
October 23 - 26
EcoDistricts Summit
The world's leading professionals gather to discuss projects, share best practices, explore innovative topics, and connect. See some of the most inspiring global projects and the people who are making them happen. Portland, OR
October 26
This 2nd annual conference hosted by the CUB Policy Center focuses on the past successes and bright future of energy efficiency in the Pacific NW and its impact on the regional economy. Topics include: Smart Grid, Demand Response and Energy Efficiency; Commercial Buildings: Challenges and Successes; Creative Financing; Behavior and Engaging Customers in Energy Efficiency, etc. Portland, OR
November 7 - 9
With a world population of seven billion, global challenges like energy, climate change, water, health, transportation, housing and food are inspiring new approaches from start-ups to global firms. This 6th annual conference will explore scalability as a business imperative for a healthy economy, society and planet. Portland, OR November 13
From energy cropping systems to drop-in biofuels, anaerobic digestion to pyrolysis to numerous value-added co-products, this symposium offers an in-depth exploration of the full scope of bioenergy research efforts. Keynote address by Frank Boteler, Director, USDA Institute of Bioenergy, Climate and Environment. Seattle, WA Nov. 13 Oregon BEST and the International Living Future Institute will host this Forum (part of Oregon BEST's ongoing Agenda Development Forum Series) in San Francisco the day before Greenbuild to identify areas of materials science and product design that would provide the greatest boost for projects attempting to eliminate toxic chemicals from their buildings, and seeking to improve energy performance of their materials in both the production and the performance phase of the materials' life cycle. San Francisco. November 13-15 Cosponsored by Oregon BEST! Held for the first time in Oregon, this conference will draw more than 600 entrepreneurs, businesses, government agencies, innovators, universities, and community partners to learn how to compete for $2.5 billion in federal and government funding annually. The conference theme is 'Crack the Code,' because attendees will learn strategies from past SBIR/STTR award recipients, hear from experts with successful commercialization techniques, meet one-on-one with experts, and receive critical information about seeking start-up funding. Portland, OR. Early-bird discount of $100 off ends September 30th.  December 4-5
Designed to provide environmental and operations managers and their companies with information needed to compete and thrive in today's economy, the NWEC is the largest, most comprehensive environmentally-focused conference and tradeshow in the Northwest. Oregon BEST Members receive a $75 discount off of the standard two-day conference registration (use discount code BEST12). Portland, OR
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CONTACT US
Oregon BEST
P.O. Box 212
Portland, OR 97207
Tel. 503-725-9849
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Executive Director's Report
A Great Event, a New Competition
Greetings!  The 4th annual Oregon BEST FEST was a great success! Our signature event attracted more than 275 cleantech researchers, entrepreneurs, and others, including a growing number of out-of-state investors.Thanks to those of you who attended!
Gov. John Kitzhaber gave an inspiring speech about Oregon's "Economic Reinvention" and Oregon BEST's role in that. He said the conference theme "Rising to the Challenge" reminds us that "as a state and region, we have what it takes to see this reinvention through, starting with our work in the clean economy field, a growing sector that already employs more than 500,000 people along the West Coast and is predicted to triple in size to $147 billion by 2020."
We also announced a $10,000 international building materials design competition, the Oregon BEST Red List Design Challenge (see story, below) that will advance Oregon's role as a global leader in built environment innovation and position our state as a manufacturing center for green materials. We'll announce the winners at next year's BEST FEST!
David Kenney, President & Executive Director
Oregon BEST
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Red List Design Challenge:
$10,000 Prize for Winning Design
New Green Building Materials Design Competition Announced
In a partnership with the International Living Building Institute, Oregon BEST has launched a new global competition that challenges industrial designers and green building innovators to develop non-toxic, sustainable building materials to replace items on the Living Building Challenge Materials Red List and expand Oregon's role as a green manufacturing leader. The Oregon BEST Red List Design Challenge asks for original-design building products that meet identified critical needs of Living Building Challenge™ projects, using materials drawn from the rich resources of the State of Oregon. The winning entry (to be announced at next year's Oregon BEST FEST) will receive a $10,000 cash prize (second place receives $5,000) and support from Oregon BEST in commercializing the concepts. Learn more about the competition.
Oregon BEST and ILFI will host a Living Building Challenge Materials Forum in San Francisco on November 13, the day before Greenbuild kicks off. Register here.
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5 Commercialization Grants Awarded
Funding advances technologies from industry-university teams
 In the past two months, Oregon BEST has awarded five new Commercialization Grants to companies collaborating with Oregon BEST Member Faculty.
In addition to the Stevens Water Monitoring|PSU sensor project profiled in our July issue, new grantees include clean technologies ranging from green roofs (Columbia Green|PSU) and a submerged wave energy system (M3 Wave|OSU) to a replacement fuel for coal (HM3 Energy|OSU) and an energy storage technology that uses ice slush to store power (Applied Exergy|OSU).
Applied Exergy, a startup based on microchannel technology developed at Oregon State University, uses an ice slurry (pictured above) to capture and store energy, then taps waste heat to release it. The company will use the funding to increase the performance and design-for-manufacturability of the system.
Columbia Green is an ecoroof manufacturer that will work with researchers at Portland State University's Green Building Research Lab (a signature facility of Oregon BEST) to obtain key data about how green roofs can be used in commercial construction to mitigate stormwater runoff. Read the full Sustainable Business Oregon story about the Applied Exergy and Columbia Green grants.
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Oregon BEST FEST '12 a Success!
New venue, new speakers, "economic reinvention"  The 4th annual Oregon BEST FEST drew more than 275 people to the the Leftbank Annex in Portland for a day-long expo aimed at speeding commercialization of collaborative cleantech projects involving industry and academia.
 The $10,000 Oregon BEST Red List Design Challenge was announced, calling for new breakthrough innovations in sustainable building materials (see story, above).
Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber gave a speech about Oregon's "Economic Reinvention" and the role Oregon BEST and cleantech is playing in that process. Keynote speakers Karina Edmonds and Kirk Washington discussed funding strategies for new cleantech ventures and the role university researchers play in successful startups. Pre- and post-events boosted the competitive edge of companies delivering deep retrofits of existing buildings, and offered insights from the SBA into financing for cleantech businesses. Full Overview of BEST FEST.
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Posters Win "People's Choice Awards"
BEST FEST attendees select top research posters
 Three research posters tied for the first ever Peoples Choice Award at Oregon BEST FEST this month. The winning posters feature:
- an anti-reflective coating that mimics moth eye-like structures and has the potential to boost efficiency of solar panels
- a way to reduce the carbon footprint of cement manufacturing, which accounts for 5% of the world's annual CO2 emissions
- a green design for portable classrooms that feature HVAC systems for healthier air, noise reduction, and energy conservation; natural daylighting; non-VOC containing materials; and better portability.
Read about or download all three winning posters. |
Oregon TECH to Open New Campus
Grand opening of consolidated campus set for October 17  Oregon TECH, one of Oregon BEST's founding universities, has completed consolidation of its four Portland-area campuses into a single location, the 132,000 sq.-ft. former headquarters of InFocus in Wilsonville.
The consolidation is helping help meet demand for Oregon TECH's programs, including its rapidly growing Renewable Energy Engineering Program - the first program of its kind in the nation. The October 17th grand opening celebration for the new campus, located at 27500 SW Parkway Ave., will feature speakers and building tours. |
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From wastewater fuel cells to cleaner Plexiglas ...
Oregon BEST Researchers IN THE NEWS...
 ··· University of Oregon associate professor of architecture IHAB ELZEYADI won the Research Excellence Award in the International Research Project of the Year category at the World Congress for Design and Health Academy Awards 2012 for his paper, "The Health Impacts of Daylighting in the Workplace." More.
··· A research breakthrough by HONG LIU, an associate professor in OSU's Dept. of Biological & Ecological Engineering, could enable wastewater treatment facilities to use microbial fuel cells to produce 10-100 times more electricity (per volume) than previous technologies. Read the Scientific American story.  ··· Oregon BEST Board Member and Vice President of Research at Oregon State University RICK SPINRAD has been named chair of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) Federal Advisory Committee. The committee will advise federal leaders on integrating the nation's ocean observing systems that collect and deliver ocean information. More.  ··· University of Oregon chemistry professor DAVID TYLER and other UO chemists have identified a catalyst that could reduce waste in the manufacturing of glass alternatives such as Plexiglas, eliminating a corrosive byproduct and dramatically reducing the energy consumption of the manufacturing process. More.
 ··· OSU mechanical engineering professor and director of the Northwest National Marine Renewable Energy Center BELINDA BATTEN is playing a key role in establishing a new grid-connected wave energy test facility on the Oregon coast. The Center just won a $4M grant from the U.S Dept. of Energy, thanks in part to proposal matching funds from Oregon BEST. More.
 ··· Portland State University mechanical engineering professor and director of PSU's SWEETLab EVAN THOMAS continues his work using low-power, instrumented monitoring systems in developing communities to help development agencies remotely monitor the use and effectiveness of cook stoves and drinking water systems. More.
 ··· PANKAJ JAISWAL, an assistant professor of plant pathology at OSU, will lead a new $1.3M biofuel-based research project focused on two varieties of poplar trees that have been shown to thrive in soil that is high in salt and low in water, making them attractive biofuel feedstock options for land that would not support food crops. More.
 ··· GREG HERMAN, an associate professor in the OSU School of Chemical, Biological, & Environmental Engineering, has found that the same type of microwave oven technology used to heat up leftover food has an important application in the solar energy industry, providing a new way to make thin-film photovoltaic products with less energy. More.
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The nexus for clean technology innovation, Oregon BEST builds capability, convenes collaborations, and accelerates the solutions to environmental challenges that deliver prosperity in all corners of Oregon. Our founding partner universities include Oregon State University, the Oregon Institute of Technology, Portland State University, and the University of Oregon.
Oregon BEST · PO Box 212 · Portland, OR 97207-0212Tel. 503-725-9849 · On the web: oregonbest.org |
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