UP 504 -- Final Project Proposal
Joshua Brugeman / Nate Geisler

Title
 Emerging Patterns in The Growth of LEED Certification 
Overview
 This study evaluates the steady increase in LEED certified buildings and U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) membership in recent years.  Investment in LEED projects can stem from economic, social, and politial forces among investors, building owners and end-users.  This analysis looks to identify commonalities within states or regions and how they are driving the increase in LEED construction.  This study will be careful to not draw false conclusions or cause-effect relationships related to the rise of LEED popularity.
Research Question
 What are the common factors that correlate with increased LEED building certification?
Hypothesis
 LEED certification will correlate accros a variety of factors including: population growth, building permit activiity, progressive political climate, and energy costs.   
Unit of Analysis
 States
Data Required and Sources
 1) State level data provided by USGBC (number of certified projects)
2) Population Growth by state -- U.S. Census
3) Number of building permits per state -- U.S. Census
4) Political preference by state (Presidential and state results)
5) Enery and water cost data by state -- E.P.A or D.O.E.
6) State level incentive policies driving LEED projects -- USGBC (if available)
7) State level rankings for environmental or sustainable performace -- Sierra Club or other environmental organization evaluations/reports
Methodology
 1) Evaluate all fifty states -- If strong patterns emmerge, explore specific performance of a small group of states
2) Collect data and organize in an Excel spreadsheet.  Identify missing cases and other variables needed.  Examine LEED on a variety of levels including absolute, per-capita, and type of LEED project.
3) Evaluate variables using charts, graphs and bi-variate correlation
4) Cross-tabulate variables of interst to detect patterns among states
5) If correlation exists and if enough variation is present, run multi-variate regression analysis with obtained variables
6) Communicate analysis in written form.  Include discussion of hypothesis and initital research question along with conclusions and ways of improving the results
Anticipated Results
 Common factors between states experiencing rapid LEED certification growth will exist.  These factors will be tempered by the contraints of this analysis which cannot control for many variables which may also contribute to the increased incidence of LEED certification.
Bibliography
 U.S Green Building Council, LEED Certified Project List
U.S. Cencus Bureau, Housing Units Authorized by Building Permits.  December 2007 Year-to-date.
Population Division, U.S. Census Bureau.  Cumulative Estimates of Pupulation Change for the United States, Regions, State, and Puerto Rico and Region and State Rankings: April 1, 2000 to July 1, 2007.
Other to follow