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Carbon Footprinting Team
Ila Swier
icswier@mtu.edu
Zach Graves
zjgraves@mtu.edu
Aidan Bustos
aebustos@mtu.edu
The Carbon Footprinting Team is responsible for gathering and analyzing data determining the official Greenhouse Gas (GHG) inventory and subsequent carbon footprint for Michigan Tech annually. The first annual footprint was calculated for the fiscal year 2008 and resulted in the formation of the Green Campus Enterprise. Data utilized in determining the GHG inventory includes various sources both directly on Michigan Tech property and outside sources. Data includes such aspects as energy (gas, propane, electricity), fertilizers and refrigerants, solid waste, as well as commuting associated with the university via car and airplane. The results from determining the carbon footprint can help to elucidate high sources of GHG emissions and potential areas where reduction can be achieved.
Location Based Results
Aquaponics
Raymond Buenzli
rpbuenzl@mtu.edu
Joey Gannon
jrgannon@mtu.edu
Emily Johnson
jemily@mtu.edu
Erin Loeschmann
ekloesch@mtu.edu
The aquaponics team has a goal of creating a small-scale aquaponics system to be located on the Michigan Tech campus. The team is developing a mass balance model of the biological, chemical, and physical processes that impact the health of the model ecosystem.
Campus Bioretention and Rain Gardens
Anna Kavanaugh
aekavana@mtu.edu
Allison Dolan
aedodd@mtu.edu
Paige McKean
pemckean@mtu.edu
Lydia Minzey
leminzey@mtu.edu
Katherine Schneider
kmschne1@mtu.edu
Addison Jeltema
akjeltem@mtu.edu
The Bioretention team formed in response to the many spots around campus that accumulate water during heavy rain events. A lack of ground infiltration and insufficient storm water conveyance creates puddles around the sidewalks of Michigan Tech. Rain gardens, or bioretention swales, can be constructed in these areas to increase infiltration and enhance water quality. These rain gardens will reduce the amount of storm water that gets conveyed into storm drains and ends up in the Portage Canal and will alleviate the issue of puddles forming around campus sidewalks.
Composting
Paige Wilde
pawilde@mtu.edu
Claire Mattern
cematter@mtu.edu
This team is evaluating the current state of composting on campus and developing an implementation plan for Facilities Management that will support the advancement of composting initiatives on campus. Planning will allow for future investment in sustainable operations and better position the organization for funding opportunities and sufficient allocation of operational resources.
EERC Solar
Mohammad Safwan
masafwan@mtu.edu
Lauren Denzin
ljdenzin@mtu.edu
The EERC Solar team is conducting a feasibility study on installing solar panels on the sides and roof of the EERC.
Forestry Waste Audit
Hawanatu Bangura
hbangura@mtu.edu
The Forestry Waste Audit team is assisting CFRES in reducing their waste by performing a waste audit on all the forestry buildings around campus. The team is also assisting in the creation of a sustainability plan to support the college-wide sustainability effort.
Hancock GHG Audit
Elizabeth Amoah
eaamoah@mtu.edu
Victor Ogunyemi
ovogunye@mtu.edu
The Hancock GHG Audit team is performing a green house gas emissions audit for the Hancock area. They are also creating a standardized tool for other communities to use to preform their own GHG Audit.
SDH Heat Pump
Lola Mull
lgmull@mtu.edu
Collin Wisniewski
cmwisnie@mtu.edu
Leah Komarzec
lkomarze@mtu.edu
This team is partnering with the Sustainability Demonstration House to replace the house’s furnace with a heat pump that will be more energy efficient and will not burn fossil fuels.
SDH Green Roof
Justin Marshall
jumarsha@mtu.edu
The SDH Green Roof team is working to design a green roof for the Sustainability Demonstration House.
Waste Heat
Olivia Amash
oramash@mtu.edu
Caroline Brown
cdbrown3e@mtu.edu
Owen Stauffer
owstauff@mtu.edu
This team is working on designing a system that will capture waste heat from various buildings on campus, and redirecting it. Their current project revolves around capturing waste heat from the Chemical Sciences building’s chillers to help heat and cool the building. They have also completed projects in the EERC, capturing waste heat from the server room to heat sidewalks and in the Dow building’s chillers to deliver cold water to labs as well as research heat extraction methods. Removing the heat from the server room will also cool the space down, cutting on air conditioning costs. They are working with Facilities’ Energy Management Team and a fast-paced construction schedule to implement changes.
