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2012: Year in Review

Duquesne Unviersity Center for Green Industries

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During the first year of our EDA-funded University Center for Green Industries and Sustainable Business Growth grant, we initiated and completed several activities as follows:

Identification of and Marketing to program participants by reaching out to partner organizations

  • Established mailing lists in target industries and regular email blasts to the list. 
  • Established social media visibility; Developed a robust website
  • Met quarterly with partners and collaborators including Pittsburgh Green Innovators, Green Building Alliance, Sustainable Pittsburgh, UrbanInnovation21, DCED
  • Conducted 3 discussion sessions with community businesses and organizations

Develop/compile materials to assist firms in expanding or opening new

markets

  • Published six manuals/guides which enhance our consulting capabilities:
    • "Top International Markets for Environmental Management Companies"
    • "Top International Markets for Renewable Energy Companies"
    • "Top International Markets for Green Building Companies"
    • "Guide to Sustainable Business Growth"
    • "Trade Financing -Including Green Industries Opportunities"
    • "Federal Government Procurement of Green Products and Services"

      Guides

  • We began transforming our 2nd Version of the Sustainability Planning Assessment tool into an online assessment

Conduct International Trade and specialized consulting assistance to firms in target audience

  • Consulted with twenty five (25) businesses in the green sectors who wish to export-30% are in distressed areas. Consulted with thirty one (31) firms in other specialized areas-40% are in distressed areas
    •  This resulted in: Export Sales of $1,000,000; 12 New Business Starts; 21 Firms Implementing Sustainability Improvements; $200,000 in Capital Formation: 25 Newly Hired Workers; and 17 New Technologies Developed.

Conduct Professional & Business Development Conferences 

  • Introduced new Center at the November, 2011 Sustainability Conference

    Brent Workshop

  • Conducted Sessions at the 1st TCOMM Event for Technology Companies in October, 2011
  • Conducted 3 forums for students/ faculty with Center for Energy and Environment
  • Conducted 8 International Trade Seminars in Spring, 2012
  • Presented International Trade Opportunities at NASBITE national conference
  • Conducted 5 Workshops on Sustainable Business and Marketing Green Products including a session in the Entrepreneur's Growth Conference
  • Planned and conducted Award Process for the 1st Annual Pa. Sustainable Small Business Award to be presented at the fall forum for Sustainability.