Project Itinerary
Michael Ford

Summary:

Under the supervision of Dr. Wiesner, a group of students will undertake a project evaluating the environmental systems of Rice University and their impact on the local environment. The undergraduate research team will consist of students from a variety of academic disciplines. The product of the course will be a publishable case study of the environmental systems of Rice and their effect on the local environment.

The team will meet weekly at a time most suitable for the enrolled students. Most likely, each student (or pair of students) will tackle one aspect of Rice's impact (i.e. a pair of students will model the energy inputs and outputs, another pair will look at the water balance, and yet another at the material balance of the university).

The final product will be presented to the University Administration with recommendations as to how to improve both the cost-effectiveness and the environmental performance of the university.

Objectives:

1. To explore the different techniques used in analyzing different environmental systems within a bounded area.
2. To apply these analytical techniques to real data -- using Rice University as the laboratory.
3. To attempt to uncover innovative ways to both cut costs and decrease the environmental impact of these different systems.
4. To synthesize all of this research and analysis into one publishable case study on the environmental impact of the university.

Scope:

The first task of the team will be to define an "audit". We'll have to answer the following questions: What function does an audit have? How does one go about conducting an audit? What data is necessary to conduct an audit? What analytical devices are there to model these flows of materials and energy?

Next, the group will develop a plan to conduct the audit. At this time, the group will delegate responsibilities to different individuals.

There are various levels of breadth and depth that the team will explore. On the first level, the research team will analyze the broad picture. The group will explore the natural resources that are brought to the university campus (enter the system). This includes but is not limited to energy, water, solid materials, and hazardous chemicals. Likewise, the group will decipher what resources leave the campus (exit the system). This includes but is not limited to energy, wastewater, solid materials, hazardous waste, air pollutants, and water pollutants.

The next level of depth explores where the resources go once they enter the system. Likewise, where do the materials come from when they leave the system. For example, how is the energy consumed within the university? Where does all of the energy go -- to which buildings? We also need to ask and answer these questions regarding water, solid materials, and hazardous chemicals.

The final level of depth that we will explore in this project is within this next subsystem (i.e. one building). How is the resource used in that building? For example, within one building where does the energy (or water, solid materials, hazardous chemicals) go? Where can this resource be conserved?

Obviously, the quality of the final product of the project (a publishable case study on the environmental impact of Rice University) is a function of both the number of individuals on the team and the effort exerted by each individual within the group. I currently expect the team to consist of about twelve students. Given this number, I would expect the team to reach at least the third level of depth regarding energy, water, solid waste, and hazardous waste.

Group Mission Statement:

• To fully understand and model the environmental systems within the Rice University Campus including the energy, water, solid waste, and surface water components.
• To find innovative alternatives that are both cost effective and environmentally superior.
• To apply this knowledge to future operations and expansion of Rice University.
• To educate the members of the Rice community about their individual impact on the natural environment.

• To examine the production, storage, and removal of solid waste from campus.
• To delineate any differences between solid waste production, storage, and removal within the residential colleges versus the academic and administrative buildings.
• To compare Rice's solid waste management to those from other institutions of higher education.
• To create cost effective proposals for increasing the environmental friendliness of Rice, with a concentration on improving the future environmental performance of the university via superior design techniques for the building and operations of the two new residential colleges and other future buildings on campus.

• To conduct and present an objective study of the present energy use and efficiency on campus.
• To assess the environmental and economic implications of current energy systems and provide options for action to improve the energy efficiency of the present and future campus and a cost-benefit analysis for these options.

• To analyze current water usage at Rice and investigate alternative systems to conserve water and minimize costs.
• To educate the members of the Rice community about individual impact and ability to conserve.

• To model the system of surface water and runoff on the Rice University campus.
• To study the effects of future buildings on this model.
• To evaluate alternatives concerning the campus flooding and drainage problems.