2008 Woodie Awards
Engineering students rise to Ecomagination Challenge
Kate Augusto
Issue date: 12/6/06 Section: Campus Life
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With hydrolic innovations, two teams of students from Northeastern hope to rise to mtvU and General Electric's Ecomagination Challenge and make Northeastern's campus a little bit greener along the way.
The two teams, Team Payne and Team Miller, comprise students from Dr. Vladimir Novonty's hydrological engineering class. Their projects were selected for submission to the nationwide student competition to create solutions for environmental issues last Friday at an all-day Urban Hydrological Sustainability Workshop, called Enviropolis.
During a presentation, Team Payne explained their project proposed to implement a system of permeable pavers, green roofs and green walkways.
Permeable pavers are porous materials used to cover either walkways or parking lots. They work to control storm water and collect contaminants to hinder bad water from seeping into the ground.
Green roofs and green walkways are essentially types of gardens. Storm water can collect in these gardens and return water into the natural water system. Green roofs also work to control building temperature to help save energy costs.
Team Payne predicted these elements would reduce water runoff by up to a third, and the project would cost about $10 million to implement.
Jessica Fosbrook, a senior civil and environmental engineering major and member of Team Payne, said she was unsure of the groups chances.
"Our projects were specific to hydrology and I don't know if they [mtvU and GE] are looking for a more broad presentation," she said. "We might have an advantage since our projects are more professional since we had to do it for a class."
Another member of Team Payne, senior civil and environmental engineering major Kevin Crowder, said this project was beneficial because "if nothing else, it raises awareness of the issues."
Team Miller also presented their project at the workshop.
Will Miller, a senior civil and environmental engineering major and member of Team Miller, said along with the permeable pavements and rain gardens, Team Miller proposed adapting campus parking garages to be able to collect rainwater.
The two teams, Team Payne and Team Miller, comprise students from Dr. Vladimir Novonty's hydrological engineering class. Their projects were selected for submission to the nationwide student competition to create solutions for environmental issues last Friday at an all-day Urban Hydrological Sustainability Workshop, called Enviropolis.
During a presentation, Team Payne explained their project proposed to implement a system of permeable pavers, green roofs and green walkways.
Permeable pavers are porous materials used to cover either walkways or parking lots. They work to control storm water and collect contaminants to hinder bad water from seeping into the ground.
Green roofs and green walkways are essentially types of gardens. Storm water can collect in these gardens and return water into the natural water system. Green roofs also work to control building temperature to help save energy costs.
Team Payne predicted these elements would reduce water runoff by up to a third, and the project would cost about $10 million to implement.
Jessica Fosbrook, a senior civil and environmental engineering major and member of Team Payne, said she was unsure of the groups chances.
"Our projects were specific to hydrology and I don't know if they [mtvU and GE] are looking for a more broad presentation," she said. "We might have an advantage since our projects are more professional since we had to do it for a class."
Another member of Team Payne, senior civil and environmental engineering major Kevin Crowder, said this project was beneficial because "if nothing else, it raises awareness of the issues."
Team Miller also presented their project at the workshop.
Will Miller, a senior civil and environmental engineering major and member of Team Miller, said along with the permeable pavements and rain gardens, Team Miller proposed adapting campus parking garages to be able to collect rainwater.
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