Page 6 - April 2015 Issue

FIELD REPORT

4

News About Sustainability Issues and Green Products

Oak Ridge National
Lab Wants Ideas
A new crowdsourcing website is and enhance U.S. competitiveness in manufacturing.
www.greenbuildermedia.com 04.2015 soliciting ideas for improving Ideas are organized into three categories: Energy-Efficient

Tenergy efficiency in buildings. Buildings R & D, Tech-to-Market Ideas and Commercial Building
HE BUILDING TECHNOLOGIES OFFICE (BTO) Products. Examples include ways to mainstream newer technolo-
invites innovators, building scientists, designers gies, such as heat pump water heaters, and ORNL’s own attempt
and anyone else interested to send ideas, to develop a high R-value vacuum insulated panel at half the cost.
comments and votes to the new ORNL Buildings
Crowdsourcing Community. Administered by The ORNL Buildings Crowdsourcing Community
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), the will accept submissions, comments and votes until May 31,
website has been launched as part of the Energy Department’s 2015. The best ideas will be recognized during the Energy
efforts to reduce energy consumption in homes and buildings Department’s BTO Industry Day in September.

Learn more and register: www.buildings.ideascale.com

Coming Soon: Schlage Sense

With the development of the
company’s Sense lock and app, Schlage
expands its keyless entry options.

Sense may be the genius kid in Schlage’s line-up of smart
locks. It’s Bluetooth enabled, so a smartphone can act as
the key. The lock is also compatible with Apple’s HomeKit,
and can be voice-activated using Siri. Users can set and
delete codes, check status and change settings through the
Schlage Sense app. An optional bridge will even translate
Bluetooth into Wi-Fi, extending the range of control. The
lock doesn’t need to be part of a home automation system,
and there is no monthly subscription fee. The only problem:
it’s not available quite yet. According to Schlage, the product
will launch later this year.

Learn more: http://bit.ly/1E8b3In