Funded Projects 2007–2008
Business Instructional Facility Green Roof
Civil and Environmental Engineering Professors Art Schmidt and Charles Werth measured the effectiveness of the Business Instructional Facility’s green roof. While it is generally known that green roofs remove pollutants, this study quantified the amount of particles and pollutant load the green roof captured by measuring polyaromatic hydrocarbons. The research involved undergraduate and graduate student participation.
Campus Prairie Design
Restoration Ecology students in NRES 420 prepared the Campus Prairie Design under the direction of Professor Tony Endress. The design is an interpretive prairie restoration that enhances the student educational experience by providing a tranquil area for contemplation, revitalization, and inspiration. As a “green incubator” located between the Business Instructional Facility, Huff Gym, Krannert Art Museum and the Art and Design Building, the prairie plan integrates elements of its neighbors by combining ecologically sound practices with artistic design features.
BioCube
This experimental design project focused on spreading awareness, opportunity, and participation. Under the direction of NRES Professor Tony Endress, Industrial Design student Raffaele Stuparitz planted native forbs and grasses in twenty wooden boxes called BioCubes and placed them throughout the campus. To promote interaction, the artist invited campus organizations and departments to “adopt” the BioCubes and encouraged them to decorate the BioCubes in a way that represents their respective groups. He documented the project on an internet blog.
Littering Advertising Campaign
Professors Patrick Vargas and Diana Mincyte challenged their ADV400/590: Environmental Consumerism students to design advertising campaigns that encourage students, faculty, and staff to stop littering on campus. Additionally, the campaigns intend to inspire the audience to be environmentally conscious consumers. The students presented their campaigns at an April 4, 2008 workshop. The best campaigns will be implemented on campus.
Conference
One of the 2008 Environmental Horizon’s Sustainability Summit keynote speakers was Majora Carter. A dynamic urban revitalization strategist, she creates new opportunities for transportation, fitness, and green-collar economic development via the group she founded, the Sustainable South Bronx. She is a MacArthur “Genius” Fellow and one of Newsweek Magazine’s “25 to Watch”. During her talk, Carter expanded the image of who is an environmentalist and what are sustainable issues. She challenged the campus to look beyond operational issues to greater social concepts.
Greening Green Street
Community Organized Recycling Efforts (CORE) is a student organization that is designing a plan to create a “Greener Green Street” campaign under the direction of Professor Bruce Hannon. The campaign raises awareness and participation in environmentally responsible consumerism in campustown. The end goal is to develop a formal, city-run, green business certification program. CORE's role in developing this campaign is to promote initiatives, events, and products focused on sustainable living.
Green I-Book
The I-Book is a popular campus appointment book with annual production in the thousands. Professors Eric Benson and John Jennings challenged students in ARTD 499: Ethics of a Designer in a Global Economy (EDGE) to make an eco-conscientious I-Book. The results were inspiring. EDGE students designed books produced from sustainable materials and with less paper. The book design contains tips promoting a healthy, environmentally conscientious lifestyle, and encourages local consumerism. The committee responsible for the I-Book’s production received a class summary report.
