The end of the year is a time to reflect back on the past and look ahead to the future. One issue that seems to be at the forefront for paint and coatings manufacturers and their suppliers is sustainability. Time and time again, the issue of sustainability and developing more environmentally responsible products comes up.

At this year’s technical conference at CHINACOAT it was announced that the theme for next year’s conference will be “Smart, Eco-Friendly and Functional Coatings Additives.” According to the conference organizers, as technology continues evolving toward environmental friendly systems, a series of new generation ‘smart’ additives has emerged on multiple fronts to solve the performance problems of modern-day coatings.
As this issue went to press, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) unveiled LEED v4, the newest version of the LEED green building program. We take a closer look at the details of LEED v4 and what it means for the construction industry on pg. 36.

Powder coatings have always been a popular choice because they are low in VOCs and solvent-free. “The Powder Coatings Market” (pg. 30) looks at what is driving growth for this segment.
As we enter into 2014 I predict we will be reporting on issues of sustainability a great deal.
As always, please feel free to contact me if you have a suggestion on a topic you think we should be covering. As we come to the end of the year I also invite you to go back through our archives at www.coatingsworld.com to reread your favorite articles from 2013.

Best wishes for a Happy New Year!