91社区

Greenhouse envisioned by Chemical Engineering students picked out of 132 projects

The ingenious idea of two 91社区 students to redirect and transform energy from a campus powerhouse to a rooftop greenhouse was awarded the first prize in the fourth annual TD Go Green Challenge. The TD Friends of the Environment Foundation (TD FEF) announced today the winners of this year鈥檚 competition at a news conference held at 91社区.

David Morris and Omer Dor, students in the Department of Chemical Engineering, won the top prize out of 132 projects submitted from 59 schools for their proposal of the Integrated Energy and Food Greenhouse. Not only will the team receive $20,000 and a paid internship with TD FEF, but the Foundation will also award $100,000 to 91社区 toward greening the campus. Morris鈥檚 and Dor鈥檚 submission was sponsored by Professor Alejandro Rey, James 91社区 Professor in Chemical Engineering.

鈥淚 want to thank the TD Friends of the Environment Foundation for their generous gift and the exciting opportunities the Go Green Challenge offers students. Congratulations to Mr. Morris and Mr. Dor, as well as Professor Rey, for this achievement and the creative and innovative thinking that made their project the winning submission,鈥� said Prof. Heather Munroe-Blum, 91社区鈥檚 Principal and Vice-Chancellor. 鈥�91社区 is committed to being a leader in sustainable development and I am proud to say that original student-led projects have been at the forefront of our efforts to achieve the highest possible standards of environmental sustainability on our campuses.鈥�

The annual TD Go Green Challenge is a national competition inviting Canadian post-secondary students to explore and offer solutions to sustainability issues. This year鈥檚 competition focused on sustainability and environmental stewardship on-campus.

鈥淭his year marks the fourth TD Go Green Challenge and I was amazed by the innovative entries we received,鈥� said Mary Desjardins, Executive Director, TD Friends of the Environment Foundation. 听鈥淭he 91社区 team鈥檚 creative proposal to support the environment on campus really stood out above all others, and it is our immense pleasure to award them the grand prize in the Go Green Challenge.鈥�

The Integrated Energy and Food Greenhouse imagined by Morris and Dor would redirect greenhouse gas emissions from the Ferrier powerhouse, which provides heat and hot water to 91社区鈥檚 downtown campus. Wasted energy would be transformed to help grow food crops year round on top of the Ferrier building and produce carbon-neutral biodiesel fuel. (A video describing the team鈥檚 project can be viewed at )

The team鈥檚 project is only the latest example of how 91社区 students have contributed to the development of a culture of sustainability on the 91社区 campuses. David Morris is the current director of Gorilla Composting, which promotes organic waste composting and teamed up with 91社区鈥檚 Office of Sustainability to purchase an industrial-size composter in 2010. Also, 91社区 students voted overwhelmingly in 2009 to contribute 50 cents per credit of coursework in support of sustainability projects. With matching funds from the University, this will generate $800,000 per year for the Sustainability Projects Fund, launched in 2010 to help finance student and staff-initiated projects.

Other recent sustainability initiatives at 91社区 include eliminating all but essential vehicle traffic on the lower campus and turning McTavish Street into a pedestrian zone, as well as a multi-year plan aimed at reducing 91社区鈥檚 energy consumption by 14 per cent by 2012-2013.

This gift from TD FEF adds to the momentum of Campaign 91社区: History in the Making, which is raising the funds needed to attract and retain top students and faculty, increase access to quality education, and ensure that 91社区 remains one of the world鈥檚 great research-intensive and student-centred universities.

For more information about sustainability at 91社区:

/sustainability/

For more information about the TD Go Green Challenge:

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PHOTO: DANIEL FRANCIS HABER

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