Projects Feed

Campus Rain Gardens

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 15:29:26 -0500

UIESW is helping to design and install rain gardens across the University of Iowa campus. The rapid development of campuses and cities across the country has caused a substantial increase in stormwater runoff from impervious surfaces. Working with the UI Office of Sustainability, UI Facilities Management, and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, UIESW is working to develop a sustainable stormwater management plan for the University of Iowa. As part of that plan, UIESW will be designing and constructing rain gardens at several locations throughout campus. UIESW will work to identify and evaluate potential rain garden sites, design the rain gardens for each site, complete construction of the rain gardens, and develop a maintenance plan to ensure the rain gardens will continue to work properly. UIESW hopes to complete 2-3 rain gardens each semester.

Net-Zero Home Energy Project

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 13:11:31 -0500

Habitat for Humanity Net-Zero Energy Home Project

The Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity and the University of Iowa Engineers for a Sustainable World are collaborating to design and build an ultra energy efficient home. It is hoped that a net-zero energy home (one that produces as much energy as it consumes) can be built using off the shelf technology with the project’s current budget. UIESW is presently researching solar photovoltaic panels, domestic solar water heaters, home energy monitoring systems, and possible grants or contributions to assist in meeting the project’s net-zero energy goal. In May, UIESW will present their recommendations based on their research and project constraints. The construction of the home is scheduled to be completed in November 2012. To become involved, please contact Hudson Francis at hudson-francis@uiowa.edu.

SunEdison funnel cake project

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 09:20:13 -0600

The Sun-Edison funnel cake project is a collaborative effort with the national chapter to build a functioning solar-powered funnel cake/smoothie stand which we will use for fundraising and club activities. The Iowa Chapter has received approval for grants which include solar panels, batteries, a charge controller, a power inverter, and a monetary donation from Sun-Edison and AutoDesk. Addison Ardolino and Meghan O'Connor are the project leaders, but all help is welcome. If you wish to be a part of the construction or design crew, please contact Addison Ardolino at addison-ardolino@uiowa.edu. If you wish to help with marketing or organizing fundraising opportunities, please contact Meghan O'Connor at megnoc@hotmail.com.

Campus Lighting Audits

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 15:43:53 -0500

Roughly 30% of the energy consumed by a traditionally built commercial building is for the purpose of interior lighting. Noting that many of the buildings on the University of Iowa campus are relatively old, a team of UIESW students are performing lighting audits to encourage the University to retrofit these buildings with updated lighting schemes. The audits themselves are basic in nature; the team records light intensity with a lighting meter, the purpose of the space, and the lighting fixtures used. This data is then compiled and presented to the University to show the actual usage versus the ideal usage with the associated monetary savings.

Wind Energy Assessment

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 13:29:50 -0500

UIESW will facilitate the measurement and analysis of wind energy at the Quaker Oats facility in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Sustainability Road Show Demonstrations

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 15:44:13 -0500

UIESW has developed a series of Sustainability Road Show Demonstrations featuring topics such as introduction to sustainability, dynamic systems, and alternative energy. UIESW members are responsible for giving the demonstrations at a variety of events both on campus and in the community in addition to continuing the development of new demonstrations. The Sustainability Road Show Demonstrations provide a valuable outreach and education opportunity through which UIESW can increase community participation and education in topics related to sustainable engineering.

Habitat for Humanity Home Energy Monitoring

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 15:45:45 -0500

UIESW, in a partnership with the Iowa Valley Habitat for Humanity (HfH), researched and installed home energy monitoring devices into three HfH homes. The purpose of using these monitoring devices is to provide the homeowners with a means to see real-time financial feedback of their energy usage providing an incentive for reduced energy consumption. The project itself moved forward in stages. First, coordinating with the HfH and generating a comprehensive sheet detailing the pros and cons of various monitoring devices. Based on the research, the energy monitoring device the UIESW team recommended was The Electronic Detective (TED) 5000. The second step was purchasing and field testing the devices. The third step was to install the devices into the HfH homes and to instruct homeowners on their use. The participating families are enthusiastic and are eager to utilize the devices as a money-saving tool. UIESW plans to perform a follow-up study on each family’s energy consumption after six-months of use.