The following have been endorsed by SOW groups as topics of research interest for the university. Research is encouraged to expand beyond the listed topic. Questions on research topics may be routed through Lissa Larson (lissa.larson@utah.edu) to be forwarded to Operations contacts.
If researchers would like to submit a research topic that is not listed below, it may be considered by the appropriate SOW group. SOW groups meet throughout the year and will need to endorse the operational usefulness of the research project. To attend a SOW group session and propose a research topic, contact Lissa Larson to confirm the upcoming SOW group schedule.
We anticipate funding projects as listed below; however, larger proposals may be considered as $500,000 is available for FY23.
The SOW group developed the following goal, which was endorsed and passed to the Sustainability Office for consideration: “By 2040, we will reduce, reuse, recycle, or compost 100% of our nonhazardous and nonmedical waste.” (Although this excludes hazardous and medical waste, 100% of every generated regulated waste stream will experience some reduction in volume, toxicity, and/or hazard as compared to 2022 standard University practices.)
The SOW identified three research topics:
Campus Waste Audit
Description/Questions to consider:
- A University-wide waste audit has not been performed.
- Seeking waste audit/analysis of all waste streams that can inform expected annual waste and be used for planning impact of future spaces/building functions.
- Audit to capture accurate representation of all U of U facilities, including U of U Health and Aux. partners.
- Audit plan should address QA/QC process; seasonal variations; special circumstances (e.g. COVID); and/or later regular data reviews to confirm findings
Current Status:
- Previous audits have been performed on a small scale (available upon request); none in the past 3+ years.
Anticipated Budget: $20,000
Operations Contact: Josh James, Chris Shirley
DOWNSTREAM USES FOR SOFT PLASTIC PROCESSING
Description/Questions to consider:
- Soft plastics are currently not recycled on campus (only Plastics 1 and 2). There is little downstream market for soft plastic recycling, and soft plastic is often burned for energy.
- Seeking downstream uses for campus-sorted soft plastics. Expectation that plastics are not burned and are recycled/re-purposed.
Current Status:
- Soft plastics (all except 1 and 2) are sorted out from campus recycling and sent to landfill.
Anticipated Budget: $30,000
Operations Contact: Josh James
Sorting Technologies
Description/Questions to consider:
- Waste sorting on campus is labor intensive and done manually to capture just Plastics 1 and 2.
- Seeking small-scale sorting technologies, processes, or approaches that can be utilized on campus to reduce total waste to landfill and improve operational efficiency.
Current Status:
- Recycling is sorted manually to address contamination then baled with dedicated bailer (250-300lb/month).
Anticipated Budget: $50,000
Operations Contact: Josh James, Chris Shirley
HVAC operations are substantially driven by the U’s Carbon Neutrality goal. The SOW group focused on potential barriers such as purchasing/construction policies; sufficient power supply; redundancy for electrification; climate-resilience and occupant health and comfort; smart controls; and occupant education. They identified three topics:
HVAC Inefficiency Audit
Description/Questions to consider:
- Audit existing HVAC systems for design/construction issues that are creating unnecessary inefficiencies.
- Seeking audit for remaining campus with a scope of main AHU equipment (e.g. CHW valves, preheat valves); economization functions; scheduling; etc.
Current Status:
- Auditing half of campus through MBCx project.
Anticipated Budget: $150,000
Operations Contacts: Isaac Schantz, Sean Nielson, Steven Klekas, Core HVAC
After-exhaust emissions reduction
Description/Questions to consider:
- Research other emissions reductions technologies that can be implemented on campus – preference for technologies separate from the equipment exhaust (e.g. trees; etc.). Emissions monitoring may also be used to review equipment’s operational efficiency.
- Seeking after-exhaust emissions reduction technology that may be implemented on campus (separate from equipment exhaust) or at central plants and boilers if economically feasible.
Current Status:
- No progress to-date. Additional monitoring has been considered but no reduction.
Anticipated Budget: $100,000
Operations Contacts: Scott Hartwig, Bryan Cracroft, David Quinlivan, Chris Benson, Steven Klekas
CAMPUS INDOOR AIR QUALITY MONITORING & IMPACTS
Description/Questions to consider:
Monitoring would be used to initiate operating protocols for different climatic or air quality events, like wildfires.
- Seeking process to monitor, alert, and initiate appropriate action plan for changing AHU operation.
- Interest in quantifying impacts such as health, productivity, etc. due to indoor air quality.
- Operating protocols to be developed with Operations, incl fan speed, filtration, BAS Automation changes with min OA setpoints, econ overrides, etc.
Current Status:
- No progress to-date
Anticipated Budget: $60,000
Operations Contacts: Isaac Schantz, Chris Benson, Steven Klekas, Fred Monette, Environmental Health & Safety
ACCESIBILITY/ WALKABILITY AUDIT
Description/Questions to consider:
- Audit accessibility/walkability of campus walkways and roadways.
- Seeking audit, including plan for future audits, to identify issues with accessibility and walkability of campus walkways and roadways.
- Develop as an educational module for other campus uses and to train students as student-volunteers.
Current Status:
- Students’ walkability audits from Urban Ecology courses
Anticipated Budget: $10,000
Operations Contacts: Ginger Cannon, Scott McAward, Erin Sullivan, Dave Quinlivan
CAMPUS DELIVERY STRATEGIES
Description/Questions to consider:
- Quantify emissions and develop strategies to address daily campus deliveries.
- Seeking summary of emissions from on-campus deliveries along with proposals to reduce emissions via routes, alternative vehicles, etc.
- Pilots would be assumed to be a separate project.
Current Status:
- No progress to-date; external delivery data is currently unavailable
Anticipated Budget: $50,000
Contacts: To be finalized based on project plan, May include Purchasing, Print & Mail, Facilities
TRAVEL MODE HEAT MAP and model
Description/Questions to consider:
- Continuous assessment of campus population’s transportation heatmap, which will be used to identify gaps in transit system.
- Seeking assessment and model, including process to incorporate future data, to understand changing commute heatmap. Model may be used to test the impact of various transportation mode changes to verify effectiveness of policy/infrastructure changes.Continuous assessment of campus population’s transportation heatmap, which will be used to identify gaps in transit system.
- Assessment shall capture all University travel modes, including mode splits by role, especially those traveling to UHealth facilities.
Current Status:
- Bike heat map information is available; transportation survey, HR, and ridership data are available
Anticipated Budget: $125,000
Contacts: Ginger Cannon, Solomon Brumbaugh. May include HR Representative for UHealth; University Registrar
TELEMATIC DATA FOR FLEET VEHICLES
Description/Questions to consider:
- Install telematic sensors on remaining fleet vehicles and analyze results for opportunities in carsharing, etc.
- Seeking data analysis and modeling for telematic data on fleet vehicles. 155 sensors are currently installed; 640 fleet vehicles total for potential sensor expansion.
Current Status:
- Geotown data on already installed sensors
Anticipated Budget: $150,000
Contacts: Dave Rees
EMISSIONS MONITORING/ MEASURING
Description/Questions to consider:
- Use TRAX mobile air quality measurements to explore how traffic patterns around campus could impact pollutant emissions and air quality. Data will be used to quantify existing negative externalities and inform policy/operational changes.
Current Status:
- Existing monitors are owned by researchers
Anticipated Budget: $80,000
Contacts: To be finalized based on project plan