RT to help someone win $5.5 million in total prizes for solving Lithium-Ion Battery Recycling Prize. Students and Faculty are eligible to apply. See www.herox.com/BatteryRecyclingPrize

SUSTAINABILITY OPPORTUNITY – FUME HOOD ENERGY CONSUMPTION REDUCTION

Laboratory fume hoods capture and move hazardous materials away from workers and out the building and as such these protective devices present a significant energy saving opportunity. In Colorado, a single open fume hood can consume as much energy as one home. The high energy use is due to fresh, conditioned air constantly being exhausted through them to the outdoors. Most fume hoods at Mines are variable air volume (VAV). That means they are designed to vary the air flow based on how wide open is the sash height. An easy way to reduce the energy consumption of a fume hood is to SHUT THE SASH when not in use.

Fume hood sashes provide an important SAFETY barrier between the experimental hazard(s) and the worker. Only open hood sashes to setup or modify an experiment, then close them again. Don’t store chemicals in a fume hood. Chemicals belong in a safety cabinet, which do not require huge volumes of air.

STAY SAFE. SAVE ENERGY. SHUT THE SASH!

EPA's P3 - People, Prosperity and the Planet – Program is a unique competition that is open to teams of college/university students working to design solutions for a sustainable future. P3 offers students hands-on experience that brings their classroom learning to life, while also allowing them to create tangible changes in their communities. This annual, two-phased research grants program challenges students to research, develop, and design innovative projects that address real world challenges involving all areas of environmental protection and public health. Phase I serves as a “proof of concept,” where teams are awarded a one-year grant of up to $25,000 to develop their idea and showcase their research in the spring at EPA's National Student Design Expo (NSDE). These teams are then eligible to compete for a Phase II grant of up to $100,000 to implement their design in a real world setting. P3 aims to foster progress towards environmental awareness by achieving the symbiotic goals of improved quality of life for all people, economic prosperity, and protection of the planet - people, prosperity and the planet.

A data center and technology campus that takes advantage of the cool, dry climate at 10,300 feet was the winning idea in the inaugural Henderson Sustainability Challenge. Colorado School of Mines students worked with Climax Molybdenum, a Freeport-McMoRan company, and community members for an entire semester to envision innovative ways to sustainably repurpose the Henderson Mine property following the eventual depletion of the mineral resource. Read more