Sustainability Fund: Grant Recipients

Native Biodiversity - An Undergraduate Outdoor Classroom

University of Maryland Golf Course | $68,510.00

The Golf Course was awarded funding to convert part of the golf course into an outdoor classroom featuring native and pollinator friendly plants. This area was severely damaged in a storm in 2022 so they are looking to repurpose the space while providing educational opportunities. This project will be led by Jeff Maynor, Director of Golf.

DSA Sustainability Collaborative

Student Affairs | $74,762.00

The Division of Student Affairs wants to create a Student Sustainability Collaborative. The Collaborative offers undergraduate students internship opportunities in divisions such as Residential Facilities, Good Tidings Catering, Dining Services, Resident Life and Conferences and Visitor Services. This project will be led by Colleen Wright-Riva, Assistant VP for Student Affairs.

Bike and Scooter Parking Expansion Plan

Department of Transportation Services | $73,750.00

Micromobility vehicle usage on campus has rapidly increased since the pandemic. DOTS was awarded funding to purchase and install 80 new bike racks, adding 640 more parking spaces to campus by the summer of 2026. This project will be led by Marta Woldu and Valerie Goubeau; Assistant Directors of DOTS

ENES 100 School Store

Department of Engineering | $3,324.00

ENES 100 is an introductory course required for all engineering majors. As part of the course, students purchase parts and construct a robot. Each semester, parts and leftover materials are thrown out. The engineering department wants to significantly expand their store so students can recycle parts from their robots at the end of the semester to be reused by future students. This project will be led by Michael Galczynski; Engineering Professor, Keystone Program.

Getting at the Root of Mangrove Resiliency

Department of Atmospheric and Ocean Sciences | $3,861.20

Mangrove forests are one of the most productive ecosystems in the world, storing 3-5x more carbon per hectare than tropical rainforests. A senior AOSC student wants to research the below-ground carbon storage capabilities of mangrove forests. He plans to travel to Florida to obtain soil samples in mangrove forests in Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve and conduct analysis with support from a lab at Florida International University. This project will be led by Jonah Pereyra, Senior Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences Student.

Arboretum Summer Internship

UMD Arboretum and Botanical Garden | $44,912.00

After a successful internship program thanks to surplus funding from the Institute of Applied Agriculture, the Arboretum is looking forward to expanding their internship program to offer 7 full-time internships for the summer of 2024. This project will be led by Meg Smolinski, Outreach Coordinator for UMD Arboretum & Botanical Gardens.

Algal Terp Scrubber

Department of Environmental Science and Technology | $49,540.00

This project was awarded funds before COVID then experienced issues with overturn. The group wants to utilize algal turf scrubbers to reduce pollution in stormwater drainage. The system would be installed next to Terrapin Trail Parking Garage. This project will be led by The UMD Student Chapter of the American Ecological Engineering Society.

University Libraries Graduate Assistantship Proposal

University Libraries | $36,878.00

The libraries were awarded funding to support a graduate assistant who would conduct a sustainability audit and develop strategies to make the libraries more sustainable with a flexible amount of undergraduates assisting. This project will be led by Gary White, Senior Associate Dean, Research and Academic Services.

Incorporating Students in the Evaluation of Insect Feed as a Viable Methane Mitigating Supplement for the UMD Dairy

Department of Entomology | $36,878.00 

This project will incorporate cricket protein into the diet of UMD dairy cows to measure the relationship between insect-based feed and methane production. The Lamp lab’s graduate student, Helen Craig will be taking the lead on this project and there are a few extension staff members in the animal science department who have agreed to help with the project as well.

Terrapin Works - PLA Scrap Stock Sheet Mold for Capstone

Terrapin Works | $9,876.39

Terrapin Works 3D prints designs for students, classes, and clubs, operating in 17 labs with over 213 machines throughout the Clark School of Engineering. They will use their awarded funds to build a PLA Scrap Stock Mold which would allow them to melt and reuse their scrap plastic. They anticipate recycling at least 160 pounds of PLA waste yearly with the involvement of 20-50 students. This project will be led by Terrapin Works, Engineering Information Technology.

Maryland Agrivoltaic Demonstration for Research, Education, and Outreach

University of Maryland Extension | $100,000.00

AGNR faculty want to develop an agrivoltaic system at two extension centers to reduce energy costs and support renewable energy research. The systems would research the optimal arrangement to maximize energy production and crop yield on the same plot of land. This project will be led by Drew Sciavone, Extension Specialist.

IBBR Riparian Habitat Restoration

IBBR Facilities and Operations | $24,940.00

This project will rehabilitate a stormwater retention pond on the Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research campus in Rockville. The drainage pond encounters many issues like impervious surfaces and regular algae blooms. This project will reduce nutrient inputs into the watershed and support biodiversity. This project will be led by Stephen Reid, Assistant Director for Facilities and Lab Services. 

IoT-enabled, a hyper-local stormwater living laboratory at UMD

Department of Urban Studies and Planning | $69,962.00

 This project would allow for improved stormwater management, climate resilience and weather reporting through the installation of monitors and sensors around campus. This project will be led by Marccus D. Hendricks, Associate Professor of Urban Studies and Planning.

Educating and Empowering UMD Students on The Importance of Insect Biodiversity in Sustainability 

Department of Entomology | Amount: $7,000

An insect population drop published in 2017 has caused alarm for researchers.  This project aims to use $7,000 to educate the UMD community about the value of insects in sustainability. The LAMP Lab plans to use this funding to install cased insect displays in several campus locations. The displays will be used by paid interns and volunteers to educate the UMD community on the ecological impact of insects.

Empowering Students through Sustainability Engagement and Leadership

Office of Sustainability | Amount: $53,000

Launched in 2022 as a one-year pilot, this paid internship program will be expanded this year, training students to help lead and support a variety of student sustainability programs on campus, such as Green Terp and Green Office.

Terp to Terp

Department of Resident Life | $30,000

The Terp to Terp Campus Restore is an expansion of the Resident Life Move-Out Donation Drive, formerly known as the ‘Trash to Treasure’ program. The project aims to create a "free reuse store" for UMD students, supporting sustainability goals by cutting down on waste and the cost of waste removal, as well as shifting donations from off-campus organizations to the student community. This grant supports part-time program assistants through spring 2024. The remainder of the funds will be used for storage units and other supplies.

Sustainability Internship Scholarship

Student Government Association and Career Services | $50,000

Subsidizes students in low- or no-paid internships in sustainability fields, including nonprofit organizations and government agencies, affording opportunities to explore work in environmental justice, conservation and more.

Community Learning Garden (CLG) ADA-accessible raised bed renovation

Community Learning Garden and UMD Arboretum and Botanical Garden | $23,000

A much-needed upgrade to CLG’s raised beds between the Eppley Recreation Center and the School of Public Health will improve functionality, food output and accessibility for students.

Planting Red Clover

Department of Entomology | $14,000

New research at Terp Farm in Upper Marlboro, Md., will explore the use of red clover as a “living mulch” for crops like the pest-prone cantaloupe, and track its ability to reduce infestations and disease, attract pollinators and enhance soil composition. The grant will cover the salaries of undergraduate interns for the first year of the research project. 

Sustainability Conference

Student Government Association's Sustainability Committee | $13,000

Organized by the Student Government Association’s Sustainability Committee, this new, in-person and virtual conference highlights research and work at UMD in all facets of sustainability and engage the broader community (including high school students, community colleges and universities nationwide) in environmentally focused topics.

Expansion of Glass Recycling Infrastructure

Facilities Management - Recycling and Solid Waste | $13,000

To add six purple bins to the three now on campus available to recycle glass outside Annapolis Hall, Maryland Stadium (Gate E) and Mulligan’s. 

Hybrid Renewable Energy

Mechanical Engineering | $13,000

This project will investigate wind-solar systems to determine the required energy density and storage capacity needed to power an off-grid, 24-hour EV charging station. The funds will be used to cover the cost of essential tools, sensors and supplies for students involved in the project. 

Assessment of How Floral Additions Can Offset Negative Impacts of Land Management Practices to Support Pollinators and Other Beneficial Organisms  

Department of Entomology | $32,000

Native wildflower “strips” flanking food crops at UMD’s Beltsville Agricultural Research Center will explore how continuous blooms might attract the bees, butterflies and other insects essential to pollination and pest control, but also potentially impact native plants in surrounding landscapes. The grant will cover the salaries of undergraduate interns and car rental. 

UMD Wye Research Center and Campus iTree analysis 

UMD Wye Research Center | $15,000

This project will engage students in conducting an iTree inventory and analysis within a portion of the WREC. The students will develop Tree Identification knowledge, learn to use Tree Scale sticks, GPS units and the iTree software. This project will culminate in contributing to a living tree map document of the property and recommendations for the Wye Campus Director on where to site new trees for maximum energy savings and other ecosystem services benefit.

Empowering Students through Sustainability Engagement and Leadership

Office of Sustainability | Amount: $49,869

This grant to the Office of Sustainability funds a one-year pilot to expand student sustainability engagement programs. The paid student intern positions support a network of peer educators and student facilitators. The goal is to provide the interns more in-depth training, leadership, professional development, and service learning. The funding would allow the Office outreach programs to expand capacity, increase staffing support, and pilot new programs.

Future of Sustainable Food

Dining Services | $40,296

UMD Dining Services will use this grant to further their progress in sustainable food. Dining will add local grains to their current offerings of local fruits, vegetables, meats, and seafood. Dining will also introduce more plant-based burgers and seaweed to the dining halls and campus retail locations. In doing so, Dining may achieve their goal of replacing 20% of beef burgers with plant-based alternatives and 100% of oats and grits with locally sourced products.    

Including Estimates of Campus Forest Carbon in UMD's Climate Action Plan (renewal)

Department of Geographical Sciences | Amount: $29,392

Funding for year three of a three-year project supported by the Sustainability Fund. The project aims to add annual forest carbon sequestration in the university’s annual carbon accounting and inform future land-use planning. The research team is also working on establishing a new afforestation/reforestation carbon offsetting protocol with plans to submit the protocol in 2022. The Department of Geographical Sciences is providing matching funds.

Terp to Terp

Department of Resident Life | $27,020

Terp to Terp is an existing pilot project under the Coordinator of Sustainability Programs at Resident Life. The proposed Terp to Terp Campus Restore is an expansion of the Resident Life Move-Out Donation Drive, formerly known as the ‘Trash to Treasure’ program. The project aims to create a "free reuse store" for UMD students, supporting sustainability goals by cutting down on waste and the cost of waste removal, as well as shifting donations from off-campus organizations to the student community. This grant supports part-time program assistants through Fall 2022. The remainder of the funds will be used for storage units and space, carts, and ancillary supplies.

Repurpose Farm Plastic

Department of Entomology | $18,800

This grant funds a prototype machine to help clean drip tape from the Wye Research Center in an effort to reduce plastic waste. It also funds a competition to determine what to do with the granulated plastic if the machine is successful. If the machine works it could be scaled up and applied to other UMD agricultural stations and to farms in the community.

Building Hope: A Podcast about Projects of Possibility

School of Architecture | Amount: $11,230

This project funds the first six episode season of a podcast series on sustainability. The podcast will use student designed case studies and conversations with experts to convey a message of hope around building for sustainability. Students will support the development of the podcast and several courses are prepared to incorporate the podcast into coursework. 

Passive Solar Heating and Grape Waste

UMD Extension | $10,000

The grant will support a project to reduce the use of chemical pesticides used by UMD agricultural locations. The project will measure the effectiveness of a system of bisolarization and cover crops to use food waste and plastic coverings to kill pests, enhance soil health, and increase crop yield. It is expected that the project will engage several undergraduate students in the research and harvest, and offer the potential for individual research projects.

reACT Living Laboratory

UMD Solar Decathlon Team | Amount: $120,000

The UMD Solar Decathlon team will bring the award-winning reACT house back to life as a living lab for sustainability, to be installed next to the Architecture building. This grant will support the cost of materials and student/faculty labor.

Office of Sustainability COVID-19 Support

Office of Sustainability | $65,000

The Office of Sustainability received this grant to maintain staffing and programming through the period of budget reductions that have occurred during the COVID-19 pandemic. The grant will allow OS to retain a Sustainability Associate position and four paid internship positions, which are critical for managing base workload, supporting student projects and programs, and making progress toward achieving UMD’s Sustainability Goals.

Green Dining COVID-19 Support

Dining Services | Amount: $62,800

This grant supports student staff positions at Terp Farm and for the Cool Food Pledge during a period of budget reductions due to COVID-19.

Campus Creek Restoration Phase 2

Facilities Management | $50,000

Continuing off the success of the Phase 1 project, this second phase will complete a fully restored Campus Creek from University Blvd. through the campus to the stream's confluence with the Paint Branch river. Completing the remaining 2,329 ft of restoration will provide an estimated 46.6 acres of impervious area treatment and reduction in 174.7 lb. of N, 158.4 lb. of Phosphorous, and 35,237 lb. of sediment.

Mobile Sustainability Outreach Center

Office of Sustainability | $30,172

This grant will allow several campus groups collaborate to: 1) outfit a low-speed electric vehicle with green features and educational displays for SustainableUMD outreach activities, 2) work with the MESA lab to install a solar powered sound system and low-voltage chargers for handheld devices, and 3) work with students to design and build educational features for the mobile outreach center.

Including Estimates of Campus Forest Carbon in UMD’s Climate Action Plan (renewal)

Department of Geographical Sciences | $26,453

After successfully completing year 1 of a 3-year research project, this team from Geographical Sciences received this grant for year 2 to complete calculations of carbon sequestration in university-owned forests/trees and develop with State partners an innovative carbon offset program for UMD.

Virtual Global Sustainability Internships

School of Public Health | $22,100

The School of Public Health recently launched an internship program that offers project-based opportunities with international organizations and researchers on cutting-edge projects at no cost to students. This grant will scale up the program and create a focus on sustainability projects, using the UN Sustainable Development Goals as a guide, and create a Gen Ed course that offers academic credit to students who work in virtual global internships.

Global Citizenship Program

Education Abroad, Office of International Affairs | $17,550

This grant will fund 100 students to participate in a new program designed by Education Abroad oriented around leadership skills development for related to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

Engineering for One Planet

School of Engineering | $5,990

This grant will help the School of Engineering develop a parts “library”/“store” for engineering students to collect used parts from the student projects at the end of the semester and make these parts available to future students. The aim of this parts library is to minimize waste generated from student projects and help undergraduate engineering students think about reusing materials in their systems as an integral part of their design process.

Gemstone Team PISO

Gemstone Honors Program | $5,000

This Gemstone research team seeks to develop an efficient and clean method of collecting energy from foot traffic. Research focuses on the development of a piezoelectric generator capable of harvesting power out of the force applied by the footsteps of passers-by. The project aims to refine current technology into a viable source of clean energy and create a working prototype.

The Sustainability Curriculum Project

Office of Sustainability | Amount: $66,000

The Office of Sustainability will fund a UMD faculty member to take lead on sustainability curriculum initiatives and work with other faculty members to develop new sustainability General Education courses. This project seeks to increase sustainability education opportunities for thousands of UMD students while improving UMD’s national rankings as a sustainability leader.

Monitoring Effects of Campus Creek Stream Restoration on Water Quality

Department of Geology | Amount: $47,200

This project monitors water quality to determine the environmental impacts of the Campus Creek Restoration project. Project leaders already collected 3 years of data at sampling points directly downstream of the Campus Creek and at Paint Branch prior to the restoration. This study will compare pre- and post-restoration water quality and lead to recommendations for either continuing to use regenerative stormwater conveyance (RSC) or changing the way that UMD uses RSC in the future.

Including Estimates of Campus Forest Carbon in UMD’s Climate Action Plan

Department of Geographical Sciences | Amount: $27,861

This project advances UMD’s goal to become climate neutral by using the latest remote sensing techniques to estimate and include land-based carbon sequestration into UMD's greenhouse gas inventory.

Energy Utilization Index (EUI) for UMD Campus Buildings

Department of Mechanical Engineering | Amount: $27,327

This project will perform energy simulations for 220 UMD buildings to establish an energy use intensity target for each building. A database of building characteristics including enclosure properties, mechanical system types, and schedules for all of UMD buildings will be created. Further, these building characteristics will be inputs into energy models for every building, and the model results will form a basis of target energy use. Such a database will allow for setting ambitious but realistic target goals for the energy efficiency of buildings at UMD.

Rain Barrels for Sustainable Greek Living

Department of Fraternity and Sorority Life | Amount: $15,065

This project includes the purchase of 42 rain barrels, two per each of the 21 university-owned fraternity and sorority houses, as well as student-led installation of the barrels and involvement of student residents. Two student employees, trained by Facilities Management, will carry out each installation and demonstration of rain barrel benefits with chapter members.

Gemstone Team PISO

Gemstone Honors Program | Amount: $5,000

This Gemstone research team seeks to develop an efficient and clean method of collecting energy from foot traffic. Research focuses on the development of a piezoelectric generator capable of harvesting power out of the force applied by the footsteps of passers-by. The project aims to refine current technology into a viable source of clean energy and create a working prototype.

Food Recovery Network

Food Recovery Network; Dining Services | Amount: $4,541

Food Recovery Network received this Sustainability Fund Grant to cover the cost of operations for the first 60 days of the semester, so that it may request greater than $1500 per month from the SGA in order to expand operations. This expansion will be sustained by the ability to request greater amounts of funding from the SGA, and further requests from the Sustainability Fund Grant for this reason will not be necessary.

Campus Arboretum Reforestation Project

Facilities Management | Amount: $3,400

This project will add more trees in select wooded areas on campus, increase the number of understory plants in those areas, increase biodiversity on campus, and serve as a living laboratory for coursework in entomology, plant science, and other classes.

Building the Foundation of the AgroEcology Corridor

College of Agriculture and Natural Resources | Amount: $3,000

This grant will support the implementation of a stakeholder workshop designed to bring all campus partners together to explore the next steps to launching the AgroEcology Corridor project.

Compology Collaboration on Waste and Recycling Sensor Data

QUEST; Facilities Management | Amount: $3,000

This project could improve waste and recycling on campus and improve the experiential learning of our students in data science. By installing two Compology Starter Packs on UMD dumpsters, students will collect and analyze real-time data on dumpster contents. Through data analysis, the students can advise UMD on how to better manage waste and recycling on campus.

Ocean Friendly Campus: UMD Plastic Waste Reduction, Phase 2

Dining Services | Amount: $150,000

Dining Services will replace 1.3 million plastic bags, utensils, and straws in Dining Services cafes with compostable or recyclable alternatives while aiming to reduce purchasing of single-use items by 25% to 75%. This grant helps cover some costs of that transition and provides a reusable bag for each student who lives on campus.

Algal Terp Scrubber

Environmental Science and Technology | Amount: $61,570

The Algal "Terp" Scrubber is an algae-based water filtration device designed by undergraduate students that aims to enhance sustainable stormwater management practices on campus. This project is pending approval by the Facilities Council.

Eliminating the Climate Impact of Undergraduate Student Commuting Emissions

Student Government Association | Amount: $50,000

Undergraduate students produce roughly 12,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MTCO2e) each year while driving their personal vehicles to and from campus. A new Carbon Neutral Undergraduate Commuters program will use a portion of the Sustainability Fund money each year to purchase carbon offsets to neutralize 100% of greenhouse gas emissions associated with undergraduate student commuting.

A Smart, Connected, and Sustainable Campus Community

National Center for Smart Growth | Amount: $42,710

Faculty from the National Center for Smart Growth will install sensors to monitor stormwater characteristics on campus and provide critical data to help improve stormwater management practices. The project will provide real-time data that can inform both short term responses and longer-term adaptations to stormwater surface runoff.

Net Zero Energy Retrofit Initiative

School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation | Amount: $29,000

Net zero energy (NZE) buildings – those that produce as much energy as they use over the course of a year - stand to transform how energy is generated, used and conserved in the built environment. The Net Zero Energy Retrofit Initiative is a research, design and implementation program that will provide a holistic and comprehensive framework for optimal net zero energy retrofits on existing UMD buildings.

Weather Technology HVAC Strategy for Stamp

Adele H. Stamp Student Union | Amount: $25,000

Stamp Facilities, UMD Energy and Engineering, and UMD researchers are partnering in a continued effort to meet sustainability goals and improve building efficiency. This project will implement a novel technology to adjust HVAC scheduling based on weather forecasting to reduce energy consumption in the Stamp Student Union.

Pro Moss Treatment of ERC Cooling Tower, Cold Water & Hot Water Loops

University Recreation and Wellness | Amount: $24,000

This project will install sphagnum moss in the Eppley Recreation Center cooling towers, combined with an additional implementation into the buildings cold and hot water loops. The proposers anticipate removal of dispersants, removal of anti-corrosion additives, an increase in blowdown settings to save water, less cleaning/service of scale in cooling tower, and reduced levels of scale and corrosion in chillers and throughout the pipes within cold and hot water loops.

Terps vs. Pros Sustainable Food Challenge

Nutrition and Food Science, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources | Amount: $20,000

This project will produce a student-created educational web series and cooking competition aimed to help UMD students to develop sustainable behaviors and skills to decrease food waste, promote better use of campus resources, and increase food security.

Lewisdale Elementary School Flooding Prevention and Courtyard Restoration

Maryland Sustainability Engineering | Amount: $13,500

Maryland Sustainability Engineering (MDSE) Local Project Team is proposing to solve two problems at Lewisdale Elementary School in Prince George’s County: (1) address flooding in the Lewisdale facility by implementing a storm-water management device and (2) restore an existing courtyard at Lewisdale into an outdoor classroom space that can be used to educate Lewisdale students about sustainability and environmental science.

Maryland Food Collective Dishwasher

Maryland Food Collective | Amount: $6,206

This project would purchase an energy-efficient commercial dishwasher for the Maryland Food Collective’s kitchen. The addition of a dishwasher would provide a sustainable alternative to the current hand-washing method used in the kitchen, which uses excessive amounts of water, electricity and labor.

Hydraze

Department of Mechanical Engineering | Amount: $5,000

Hydraze (formerly FlushX) is a sustainability driven social venture that aims to save buildings, universities, and cities millions of gallons of water every year by eliminating unnecessary “phantom flushes” from automatic toilet sensors, thus reducing water waste and improving facility maintenance.

Creating A UMD Sustainability Video

Office of Sustainability; Office of Strategic Communications | Amount: $5,000

The Office of Sustainability and Strategic Communications will create a campus sustainability video that will further tell the story of our sustainability successes as a university. The video will highlight efforts in all areas of campus life: education, research, operations, community, and culture.

South Hill Exterior Water Bottle Fill Station

Residential Facilities | Amount: $5,000

This project will add an outdoor water bottle fill station to the Washington Quad, to provide an easily accessible space for students to refill a water bottle as students come and go from their residence hall, and allow anyone using the Quad area for study, volleyball, grilling, etc. to refill their water bottles.

Gemstone Team NO SALT

Gemstone Honors Program | Amount: $3,722

Current methods of desalination used in commercial seawater desalination plants are energy intensive and therefore, expensive. Gemstone Team NOSALT is a team of eight undergraduate students researching biological alternatives to traditional desalination in order to decrease energy requirements and thereby reduce cost.

Bicycle Recycle Program

Department of Transportation Services | Amount: $3,500

This project will refurbish and redistribute abandoned bikes on campus to UMD students to foster a culture of donation and to reduce the environmental waste associated with abandoned property. Refurbished bikes would be sold at the Transportation Fair..

Banners to Bags

Office of Strategic Communications | Amount: $3,000

The project involves repurposing retired campus light pole banners to create promotional grocery tote bags. The bags can be used for any type of University outreach purposes and promote a culture of bringing your own reusable bag in order to decrease plastic bag consumption.

Using Macro Algae to Remove Heavy Metals from Water

Gemstone Honors Program | Amount: $855

This project will support 4-year research project research to improve water quality through the removal of excess nutrients and heavy metals from aquatic effluents with the use of macroalgae harvested from on-campus sources.

Green Terp and Green Chapter

Department of Resident Life; Department of Fraternity and Sorority Life; Office of Sustainability| Amount: $121,728

These programs, collectively called the Green Housing programs, were developed with the intent of engaging residential students in dynamic and interactive programs that promote personal and collective sustainability action. The programs support and reward students that embed sustainability into their daily actions and activities.

Student Leadership in Campus Community Expanded

College of Information Studies; National Center for Smart Growth | Amount: $50,000

Student Leadership in Campus Community Expanded (SLCCE) builds on Year One of the Campus Community Connection pilot, and more specifically on the Student Leadership in Greater College Park Sustainability and Resiliency.  SLCCE will fund graduate assistants and undergraduate hourly to implement parts of at least 60 projects that were developed last year in the municipalities of College Park, Hyattsville, Riverdale Park, University Park, Berwyn Heights and unincorporated Prince George’s communities near the University of Maryland such as Adelphi, Beltsville, Langley Park, and East.

Next Generation Technologies for Sensing, Actuation, and Control of ReACT

A. James Clark School of Engineering; School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation | Amount: $47,500

For the fifth time in the history of the competition, the University of Maryland participated in the 2017 US DoE Solar Decathlon. Named reACT, for resilient Adaptive Climate Technology, Team Maryland’s design was driven by the goal of producing a modular house that can adapt to its uncertain and dynamically changing environment. The house ranked first among U.S. teams and will be rebuilt with upgraded systems next to the other solar decathlon house to create a Sustainability Park for research and education.

Aquaponics Research Center

Environmental Science and Technology; Green Roots Club | Amount: $36,800

Aquaponics​ ​is​ ​a​ ​form​ ​of​ ​food​ ​production​ ​that​ ​integrates aquaculture​ ​(fish​ ​production)​ ​and​ ​hydroponics​ ​(soilless​ ​crop production).​ ​The​ ​fish​ ​are​ ​fed​ ​and​ ​excrete​ ​waste,​ ​which​ ​is​ ​broken down​ ​by​ ​bacteria​ ​into​ ​plant​ ​nutrients.​ ​Plants​ ​remove​ ​nitrates​ ​and other​ ​nutrients​ ​from​ ​the​ ​reservoir​ ​to​ ​be​ ​utilized​ ​for​ ​growth​ ​and development​ ​while​ ​simultaneously​ ​improving​ ​water​ ​quality.

Environmental Justice Symposium

Community Engagement, Environmental Justice and Health (CEEJH); 17 for Peace and Justice| Amount: $17,000

The CEEJH program and 17 for Peace and Justice will be hosting a symposium on May 4th-5th with a full day of activities on May 5th. This symposium connects UMD students, community activists, environmental advocacy groups, academics, health practitioners, policymakers, and other stakeholders in order to identify and address environmental justice and health issues in and around College Park, Prince George’s County, the state of Maryland, and Washington, DC.

Stamp Vertical Garden

Adele H. Stamp Union – Center for Campus Life; TerpVert Student Team | Amount: $15,000

The Adele H. Stamp Student Union at the University of Maryland features an enclosed patio (Room 0467) that the university staff would like to utilize to provide students, faculty/staff, and visitors with a welcoming and productive environment as well as providing a space for awareness towards sustainable issues. This provides an opportunity for an innovative sustainability solution by incorporating a biowall on the main 10’ x 90’ wall of the enclosed patio.

Understanding and Navigating Environmental Justice

Community Engagement, Environmental Justice and Health (CEEJH) | Amount: $14,000

This project is being run under the Community Engagement, Environmental Justice and Health (CEEJH) program in the School of Public Health with the goal to improve campus knowledge about environmental justice issues. This grant will go towards funding a speaker series, incorporating environmental justice into classes, and establishing a Summer Scholars Program for students doing environmental justice work over the summer.

Gemstone Team Sunny D/Purify

Gemstone Honors Program | Amount: $6,372

This Gemstone research team is working with the University of Maryland Solar Decathlon team to develop a sustainable water filtration system that can be implemented in any new residential house being constructed. The goal for the system is to achieve net-positive water usage through a complex filtration system that incorporates greywater recycling and rainwater harvesting. This system distinguishes itself from other filtration systems by using strictly non-chemical filtration methods, thus increasing its environmental friendliness.

Gemstone Team CAPTURE

Gemstone Honors Program | Amount: $4,070

As carbon dioxide acts as a greenhouse gas, accelerating global warming, technologies that capture CO2 from the atmosphere offer the remarkable potential to mitigate some of the worst effects of climate change, potentially alleviating decades of damage.

Gemstone Team OMEGA

Gemstone Honors Program | Amount: $2,500

While omega-3 fatty acids are an important nutrient, they are not synthesized by the human body and must be obtained through a well-rounded diet. Climate change and ocean acidification threaten the forage species (i.e. sardine and anchovies) that are vital to the production of U.S. fish oil and may lead to decreased production of omega-3 in the future. One suggested solution to this concern is genetic engineering, which is the approach Team Omega will be taking. The goal of Team Omega is to create a novel source of omega-3 fatty acids using genetic engineering techniques.

Gemstone Team Oysters

Gemstone Honors Program | Amount: $1,616

Team Oysters is a University of Maryland Gemstone Honors program affiliated student research team. Our project focuses on research of oyster restoration in the Chesapeake Bay for the declining population of the eastern oyster. The goals of our research are to create ecologically beneficial, cost-efficient, and more successful methods for future oyster   restoration efforts.

Master’s Degree in Sustainability

Cluster for Sustainability in the Built Environment (CITY@UMD) | Amount: $90,000

The University of Maryland’s Climate Action Plan identifies an interest in the establishment of a New Sustainability Graduate Degree and Certificate Programs. The new Master Degree in Sustainability will initially target students in four different schools/colleges with future campus-wide offerings. University of Maryland already offers many courses relevant to the proposed Master Degree in Sustainability. However, the courses are scattered, not regularly offered, and missing interdisciplinary interactions required for a graduate who would be practicing in the field of Sustainability.

Terps Heart the Tap, Part 3

Office of Sustainability | Amount: $67,250

Through the first two Terps Heart the Tap projects, 102 filtered water filling stations were installed on campus, encouraging Terps to reuse and refill, instead of consuming single-use bottled water. In the three years since these stations were first installed, the fountains prevented 3,000,000 plastic single use bottles from being used and disposed of on campus! In Terps Heart the Tap III, the Office of Sustainability will purchase 85 Halsey Taylor brand water coolers, retrofit kit equipment, filters for 1 year, and a $300 per unit contribution toward installation.

Solar Decathlon 2017

UMD Solar Decathlon Team | Amount: $60,000

The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon challenges collegiate teams to design, build and operate solar-powered houses that are cost-effective, energy-efficient and attractive. The 2017 Solar Decathlon Competition challenges teams to demonstrate the best blend of affordability, consumer appeal, and design excellence with optimal energy production and maximum efficiency. The University of Maryland’s 2017 entry features innovative engineering and design elements.

Student Leadership in Community Sustainability and Resiliency

National Center for Smart Growth; College of Information Studies | Amount: $50,000

Student Leadership (SL) in Greater College Park Community Sustainability and Resiliency is a project that will accelerate undergraduate and graduate student leadership in the development and implementation of sustainability and resiliency projects on campus and in the communities surrounding the University.  Engaged students will help design trans-disciplinary project strategies that respond to needs of incorporated and unincorporated communities of Prince George’s County.

Sustainable Technologies Project at UMD

Design Cultures & Creativity Program | Amount: $33,645

The Design Cultures & Creativity (DCC) Program in the Honors College will develop a series of "repair and maintenance" workshops for students, faculty, and staff that will guide them through repairing their technologies as a way to intervene in e-waste and encourage participants to hold on to their devices for a longer period of time.DCC will work with participants across campus to provide the needed repairs and replacement parts, free of charge, in order to incentivize involvement with this initiative.

LED Light Controls in Ritchie Coliseum

University Recreation and Wellness | Amount: $11,078

This project is a pilot of a Building Management System manufactured by Daintree for the lighting of the gym area of Ritchie Coliseum as University Recreation & Wellness (RecWell) transitions the space to LED lighting. Additionally, the system would allow RecWell to track the actual consumption of energy within the lighting system. Students working on academic projects often contact RecWell or the Department of Facilities Management regarding Ritchie Coliseum utility consumption to evaluate consumption and assess if opportunities for reduction exist.

Adaptive Reuse of Existing Buildings

School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation | Amount: $9,490

This project will generate three renovation and adaptive-reuse strategies for three worst performed buildings on campus. The environmental impact reduction benefit of adaptive reuse will be quantified and used as a benchmark for any future projects. A comprehensive building performance improvement plan will be proposed for each building with the aim to improve the energy efficiency, materials conservation, carbon emission reduction, and occupancy wellbeing.

Recycling Receptacles for RecWell

University Recreation and Wellness | Amount: $7,800

The Eppley Recreation Center alone services on average 4,500 students, faculty, staff, and alumni every day. Additionally, both Eppley and Ritchie Coliseum are estimated to touch the lives of 70% of the student body. Additionally, outdoor spaces have 600-1,200 scheduled participants daily, not including the informal participants who also use those locations. Each person will produce waste while using the areas. University Recreation & Wellness (RecWell) plans to repurpose trash receptacles in an effort to sustainably reduce the amount of waste being produced.

Voices of Social Change Spring Speaker

Voices of Social Change, Leadership and Community Service Learning Office | Amount: $7,000

The Voices of Social Change spring 2017 lecture served as a launch-pad to invigorate student curiosity and individual research into the intersections between the environment and environmental activism. The Jean-Michel Cousteau Voices program on April 18, 2017 addressed how students could use their voice and vote in powerful ways exercising  their civic duty to best represent their individual positions on the salient issue of climate change.

Erosion Control for Pollinator Habitat Wall

Entomology Department | Amount: $5,700

The Entomology Department’s pollinator habitat wall located near the Arboretum Outreach Center and Byrd Stadium provides ample nesting substrate for Maryland’s 430+ species of wild bees. The majority of local bee species build tunnels below ground or in vertical clay surfaces such as the habitat wall. Because of this practice, the wall is in need of extensive erosion control to continue the environmental and education benefits of maintaining the habitat.

Carbon Management Course

Environmental Science and Technology | Amount: $5,000

This project will create a new course, ENST 499X: Carbon Management. The University of Maryland does not currently offer a course that introduces students to greenhouse gas reduction strategies and opportunities to work in the field of carbon management. The proposed course would introduce students to the full range of carbon mitigation techniques including energy conservation, renewable energy generation, carbon capture and sequestration, etc.

Gemstone Team BACTERIA

Gemstone Honors Program | Amount: $5,000

This project will look at the use of three enzymes in preventing the clumping of hydrocarbons called asphaltenes during the oil refinement process when heavy crude oil needs to be transported through pipelines. Enzymes are easier to standardize experimentally, and potentially, easier to add in an in-situ application. This biological refinement of crude oil is also potentially more sustainable and can reduce the need for harsh chemical and heat treatments that result in tailings waste.

Gemstone Team OYSTERS

Gemstone Honors Program | Amount: $4,034

The current population of the Chesapeake Bay’s eastern oyster is rapidly declining, endangering the ecology of the bay and posing great economic risks for relevant stakeholders. Team Oysters will research a promising method known as electrolysis mineral accretion in generating artificial reef structures for oyster restoration. Undergoing a multi-stage process, the team will test oyster recruitment and growth rates and observe the ecological effects of artificial reef placement in the Chesapeake Bay.

Whole Earth Exhibition

College of Computer, Mathematics and Natural Sciences | Amount: $4,000

This project brings the “Whole Earth” exhibition to the University of Maryland. As part of the Hard Rain project, the exhibition was launched in 2015 in the UK and Scandinavia by photographers Mark Edwards and Lloyd Timberline, and based on Bob Dylan’s poetic song “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall.” The exhibit highlights our planet’s environmental problems and potential solutions.

Recycling Receptacles in Old Town

Department of Fraternity and Sorority Life | Amount: $3,415

This project seeks to enhance recycling behavior for University of Maryland students by installing recycling receptacles at five locations: Knox Road, Yale Avenue, Princeton Avenue, College Avenue, and around Old Town. Recycling receptacles at these locations will establish a much needed recycling infrastructure for over 5,000 students who walk these highly populated intersections of Old Town. Surrounding these intersections in Old Town are 12 sorority chapter houses and around 30 fraternity chapter and satellite houses that generate heavy traffic up and down the areas of focus.

Gemstone Team MELTS

Gemstone Honors Program | Amount: $1,440

Road salts are used wholesale to make roadways safer during the onset of winter storms. While sodium chloride in staple road salt is cheap, effective, and readily available, its use is associated with negative impacts on both the surrounding environment and infrastructure. As awareness of these issues continues to increase, the past few decades have seen a shift in perception, inspiring conscious efforts to decrease the amount of road salts applied.

Transforming Student Culture through Green Housing

Department of Resident Life; Department of Fraternity and Sorority Life; Office of Sustainability | Amount: $112,458

The Department of Resident Life (DRL), the Department of Fraternity and Sorority Life (DFSL), and the Office of Sustainability (OS) received a grant that has funded a Green Housing associate who coordinates the Green Terp (DRL) and Green Chapter (DFSL) pilot programs.

Anytime Dining: A Residential Dining Transformation

Dining Services | Amount: $50,000

Dining Services received a grant for $50,000 to fund a dish conveyor belt in the North Campus Diner. This renovation was part of the department’s switch to “anytime dining.” In anytime dining, students have unlimited access to all three residential dining halls (replacing the point-based plans with an all-your-care-to-eat setup). Disposable products have been eliminated from the dining halls completely. In the past, 6.3 million disposable products from the dining halls ended up in the waste stream and as landfill trash. The dish conveyor belt helps facilitate an easy transition to disposable-free dining and assists in making composting easier.

Living Wall in University Libraries

University Libraries | Amount: $30,000

University Libraries received funding to build a "living wall" in McKeldin Library. Living walls, indoor surfaces covered with live plants, improve indoor air quality and can reduce the need for air conditioning. The McKeldin living wall will be designed by students in the Department of Plant Sciences and Landscape Architecture. With so many people passing through the university's largest library every day, the McKeldin living wall will expose countless people to a new sustainability concept.

MDSE Wellness Way Vegetated Swale

Maryland Sustainability Engineering | Amount: $25,325

A local project team from the student group Maryland Sustainability Engineering was given a grant of $25,325 to retrofit of an existing stormwater management system on Wellness Way. The retrofit will transform concrete runoff channel to a vegetated swale. The swale will absorb runoff that currently flows directly into Campus Creek, and eventually the Chesapeake Bay. The proposed vegetated swale will be engineered to slow down stormwater by reducing the impervious surface area and placing densely rooted vegetation to absorb water.

Partnership for Action Learning in Sustainability

National Center for Smart Growth | Amount: $25,000

The Partnership for Action Learning in Sustainability (PALS)program received a grant to fund their continued sustainability projects in cities and towns across the state of Maryland. PALS is a campus-wide initiative that enlists faculty expertise and student ingenuity to offer fresh solutions to sustainability challenges facing Maryland communities.

Sustainability Mini-Grant Requests for Permanent Appropriation from the Sustainability Fund

Student Government Association Sustainability Committee | Amount: $20,000

This project provides a permanent, annual allocation from the Sustainability Fund to support the Sustainability Mini-Grant program; it also raises the minimum request for Sustainability Fund grants to $2,000. The SGA Sustainability Committee, an all-student group, reviews Mini-Grant proposals on a rolling basis and is able to award small grants more quickly than the Sustainability Fund process allows. This change will allow more small grant projects to be quickly reviews and approved, enhancing the opportunity for all members of campus to design and implement their sustainability ideas.

Plug Load Management Pilot Study

Facilities Management | Amount: $19,000

This goal of this project was to study plug load management controls during the HJ Patterson (HJP) Wing 1 renovations. Plug loads include computers, copiers, printers, refrigerators, laundry machines, vending machines, task lights, space heaters, and other electronics. Much of this plug load energy is consumed when users are not utilizing the devices.

How to Increase Commuting by Mass Transit

National Center for Smart Growth; Department of Transportation Services; Office of Sustainability | Amount: $19,000

A professor in the National Center for Smart Growth will collaborate with DOTS and the Office of Sustainability on the proposed study to determine effective ways of increasing the number of student, faculty, and staff commuters who choose transit as their primary means of commuting to and from the UMD campus. The results of the study will help the campus respond to its forthcoming parking shortage and further reduce carbon emissions associated with commuting.

Recycling Bins for Greek Life

Alpha Omicron Pi; Facilities Management | Amount: $17,331

This project seeks to improve recycling behavior for students in the two housed councils, the Panhellenic Association (PHA) and the Interfraternity Council (IFC). The grant will provide one standard recycling bin for each of the 65 satellite houses and two standard and two fire-rated bins for each of the 33 chapter houses.  This project was developed by the Greek Sustainability Team, a student group which was formed in September 2015 by two PHA sorority members. The team includes 19 members of Greek life, many of whom are the Sustainability Chairpersons for their chapters.

Employing Wind Power Harnessing Technologies

Department of Mechanical Engineering | Amount: $14,200

Dr. Navid Goudarzi in the Mechanical Engineering Department will lead this project to study the potential for installing micro wind turbines at Maryland Stadium. The project will conclude with determining the locations with the best wind energy density, the optimal turbine designs, and the most economically-efficient ways to harness this power. Increased use of renewable energy on campus, such as with micro wind turbines, helps reduce the university's carbon footprint and promotes greater visibility for renewable energy overall. Inter-Collegiate Athletics has approved the study.

Using Red Clover to Reduce Greenhouse Gas and Increase Pollinator Services

Department of Entomology | Amount: $11,000

Researchers in Entomology will conduct field studies during two separate growing seasons to evaluate the use of red clover to reduce GHG emissions and enhance the number, diversity, and effectiveness of pollinators. The research will be done at the at UMD Upper Marlboro Facility, a research and education center used by UMD Extension and the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Due to Extension's educational mission, one outcome of this research is the potential to share conclusions with state farmers and gardeners, widening the environmental reach of the study.

Off-Grid Small Scale Wind Turbine

Department of Aerospace Engineering | Amount: $9,000

The Wind TERPines student group received a grant to developing a 0.5m diameter turbine, as well as creating actionable plans for the marketing and deployment of a turbine that serves a real-world application. The turbine construction is for the Department of Energy’s 2016 Collegiate Wind Competition, but the team is looking to extend its competition efforts to make an on-campus impact. The turbine will be displayed near the manufacturing building during deployment to introduce the campus to wind energy.

Trash: The Problem of Waste in Our Lives and World, A Scholars Theme for 2015-16

College Park Scholars Program | Amount: $7,500

Trash: The Problem of Waste in Our Lives and World is a project of education and outreach being undertaken this academic year in College Park Scholars. It is a theme giving shape and focus to curricular and co-curricular activities in and across the 12 living-learning programs that comprise Scholars

Rooftop Garden on South Campus Dining Hall

Cluster for Sustainability in the Built Environment (CITY@UMD); Department of Mechanical Engineering | Amount: $6,197

This project aims to revitalize and augment existing infrastructure for food production on the roof of South Campus Dining Hall building. The augmentation will involve construction of a dozen of raised beds for food production as well as a greenhouse facility to support production of plants. Faculty from three different colleges are collaborating in an effort not only to revitalize the existing infrastructure, but also to outline a joint sustainable vision that includes both continuous educational and research activities.

Increasing Campus Bicycle Parking

Department of Transportation Services | Amount: $5,823

The Department of Transportation Services received $5,823 from the Campus Sustainability Fund to purchase 10 new bike racks. Each rack had capacity for eight bikes, increasing the campus bike parking supply by 80 parking spots. Originally the scope of this project included installing bike racks at McKeldin Library, Kim Engineering, the Chemistry Library, and the UMD Golf Course. Implementation of the increase in bike parking supply required close consultation with the campus Facilities Management department. This process began in the Fall of 2016.

Clarice Water Filling Station Project

The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center | Amount: $5,000

The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center received $5,000 from the Sustainability Fund to install four filtered water filling stations in the various wings of the building. Currently, The Clarice has one water station closest to the School of Music. With thousands of students, artists and patrons who come to The Clarice each year, there is a strong demand for additional water stations throughout the building and a desire to decrease the amount of waste created by single-use water bottles.

Gemstone Team BREATHE

Gemstone Honors Program | Amount: $5,000

Gemstone Team BREATHE is an undergraduate team of eight students are investigating the potential of bio-walls to filter volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from indoor air. Phase one of the team’s research will look at  the presence of microbial communities on the roots of plants on the bio-wall. A particular genus of bacteria, Hyphomicrobium, has been found to increase in concentration when exposed to VOCs, indicating the ability to biologically filter the VOCs. The second phase will involve redesigning a passive bio-wall system to improve its air filtration abilities.

Shower Meters to Reduce Water Consumption

College Park Scholars — Environment, Technology, and Economy | Amount: $4,260

Team Shower Power, a group of students in the College Park Scholars - ETE program, received a grant to install shower meters in the residential hall bathrooms. The meters will collect data on student water consumption. The data will then be used to structure an educational initiative that will utilize the shower meters to actively encourage water conservation in dorm showers.

Modeling Organic Landscape Practices on Campus Lawns

Student Government Association Sustainability Committee | Amount: $4,228

The Student Sustainability Committee seeks to compare current traditional lawn treatment and organic alternatives in an experimental study. One patch of lawn will be set aside for the existing landscape treatment used by Facilities Management. A second patch will receive an organic treatment that is already used on the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center’s lawn. Finally, a third patch will be treated with synthetic-free, organic methods. The project ultimately seeks a financially feasible and environmentally responsible model for landscape treatment on campus.

Solar Umbrellas for the Outdoor Aquatic Center

University Recreation and Wellness | Amount: $4,000

University Recreation and Wellness installed several solar paneled umbrellas at the Outdoor Aquatic Center. The solar panels power USB chargers for up to 3 devices and work independently from any power source. They create 54 Watts of electricity and the unit is fully charged with 5.5 hours of sunlight. In addition to sustainability, the umbrellas are a great way to promote skin safety and skin cancer awareness on the pool deck as part of a greater focus on total wellness.

Nano-paper Applications to Universalize Renewable Electronics

Gemstone Honors Program | Amount: $1,631

As part of the Gemstone Honors Program, Team Nature has explored the use of cellulose nano-paper (CNP) as a potential alternative to plastics in electronic applications, such as solar cells and smartphone touchscreens. While CNP has comparable properties to plastics, it has shown promise as an alternative as cellulose is highly sustainable (naturally abundant, biodegradable, versatile, and inexpensive).

Bolstering Organics Collection Infrastructure

Facilities Management | Amount: $50,400

Facilities Management (FM) is committed to expanding waste diversion opportunities throughout the University of Maryland, College Park campus.  The money received from this grant allowed FM to make specific infrastructure investments that has allowed the university to increase the collection of organic material for composting.  Specifically, the grant money was used to purchase a compactor, Toter-tipper, and 60 Toters.

Campus Creek Restoration

Facilities Management | Amount: $50,000

Facilities Management has been working with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources to restore the quality and stability of Campus Creek. The $50,000 grant will contribute toward the design costs for the project. The expected outcome is a more stable stream system with reduced storm flows, improved water quality, and improved aquatic habitat, all of which are beneficial to the environment and can also provide research opportunities for the University of Maryland community.

Real-time UMD Campus Energy Water Monitoring, Mapping, and Management

Department of Mechanical Engineering | Amount: $20,100

Faculty members in the Department of Mechanical Engineering proposed a project that would encourage occupants of select buildings to reduce their energy and water footprint. A $20,100 grant was approved to fund the installation of occupancy sensors that will help collect data on water and energy use in the buildings. This project will ultimately cut costs through the reduction of water and energy consumption, and contribute to the President's Energy Initiatives goal of reducing energy consumption on campus by 20% by 2020.

Student Affairs Waste Assessment

Residential Facilities | Amount: $18,000

In 2001, the University of Maryland’s overall recycling rate was 17%. As of 2014, the university was recycling 78% of its waste. In 2001 and 2008, the Department of Residential Facilities worked with a consultant to conduct a waste audit in order to determine the composition of the university’s waste stream and opportunities to make substantial improvements. In the fall of 2014, Residential Facilities worked with another qualified consultant to measure and analyze the established waste, recycling, and composting programs, and propose further waste reduction strategies around campus.

Improving Campus Sustainability Through Automated Thermography

Institute for Advanced Computer Studies | Amount: $11,500

Energy audits can detect poor insulation and air leakage, making them an important tool when gauging the energy efficiency of a building. But current data collection processes are labor intensive, do not offer a comprehensive view of buildings, and do not support temporal tracking of building degradation over time. Graduate student Matthew Mauriello will work with Professor Jon Froehlich and other students to pursue a more scalable approach.

Sustainability Mini-Grants Year 2

Student Government Association Sustainability Committee | Amount: $10,000

Sustainability Mini Grants are intended to provide small grants (up to $1,000) to encourage the development or maintenance of projects or programs that improve the sustainability of UMD’s campus. During the 2014-2015 school year, $5,000 was made available to fund mini grant projects. Due to the high number of applicants during the first year of the program, the SGA Student Sustainability Committee (the student group that reviews and approves mini grant applications) has asked to continue the mini grant program next year, and increase the amount of funds allocated to these projects.

Small Scale Vertical Axis Wind Turbine

Department of Mechanical Engineering | Amount: $7,400

This student project aims to create a working vertical axis wind turbine and electrical system to test the effectiveness of the design. Vertical axis wind turbines (VAWT) may be more effective than horizontal axis wind turbines in regards to wind technology, a source of renewable energy. Testing out the VAWT could provide insight on more effective ways to generate renewable energy, and changes that need to be made to future designs. The grant will be used for the design, construction, installation and maintenance of the wind turbine, and an educational display.

Center for Young Children Rain Garden

Center for Young Children, College of Education; Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture | Amount: $6,975

The Center for Young Children (CYC) Rain Garden seeks to address the current drainage issues at the CYC's playground. The garden, designed by students in the Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, would mitigate damage from excess stormwater. Related educational opportunities will also be available for educators at the CYC, as they can incorporate sustainability into their lesson plans. University students are involved with the design and research portion of the project, and plan to meet with faculty to develop lesson plans.

Greek Composting Initiative

Department of Fraternity and Sorority Life; Facilities Management; Greek Life Chapters | Amount: $5,993

The project is an effort to increase composting and recycling in Department of Fraternity and Sorority Life chapter houses. Currently, Facilities Management collects compost from 10 out of the 21 university-owned chapter houses. To create consistency in the indoor and outdoor bins that are used, the grant will be used to purchase composting and recycling bins for each chapter house. A comprehensive educational plan to teach residents about how to properly manage waste will also be developed.

Stamp Napkins - #UMDGreenHacks

Adele H. Stamp Student Union Facilities; Student Government Association Sustainability Committee | Amount: $5,300

The SGA Student Sustainability Committee is working with Stamp Facilities to test out #UMDGreenhacks napkins at Stamp Student Union. The project involves replacing Stamp’s current napkins with ones that are printed with information about proper waste sorting in the food court. Every month, there will be new information on the napkins, and the program will be advertised on social media to generate interest and awareness. These napkins will effectively serve as PSAs to inform people about correct disposal methods that will hopefully lead to less contamination in the waste stream.

Solar Power Charging & Study Station

College of Behavioral and Social Sciences | Amount: $5,000

The BSOS Sustainability Task Force, comprised of 18 undergraduates from different majors, designed a solar-powered, outdoor study area to be installed on campus. The design includes a table furnished with solar-powered outlets and benches. This project will allow students to study in an area where they can minimize their environmental impact by utilizing renewable energy from several nearby solar panels. This space will raise awareness about alternative energy sources while serving as an outdoor gathering space.

Honeybee Haven

Facilities Management | Amount: $3,671

The Honeybee Haven project introduced native shrubbery, ferns, grasses, and herbaceous plants in a space between the Benjamin Building and Knight Hall in order to create a suitable environment for pollinators. Volunteers and Facilities Management collaborated to design the project. This garden continues to be maintained with the assistance of student volunteers.

Strengthening Pollination Opportunities

Counseling Center; Facilities Management | Amount: $3,550

In collaboration with the Counseling Center, Facilities Management made improvements to an outdoor area near the Shoemaker building to improve stormwater management and pollinator habitat. Facilities Management completed installation in 2017.

Sustainability Choices in Maryland: Historical Perspectives

Department of History | Amount: $3,000

A new i-Series course, Sustainability and History: the Maryland Experience, focuses on environmental problems related to agriculture, resources of the Chesapeake Bay, mining, industrialization, energy production, and water and air quality. A key component of this course is a research project that focuses on one of these sustainability-related problems in Maryland. The project will require students to gain a deeper understanding of the geographic and temporal settings of sustainability choices and challenges.

Sustainable Tailgating

College Park Scholars — Environment, Technology and Economy Program; Facilities Management | Amount: $2,130

This project was conceptualized by a group of undergraduate students in the College Park Scholars - ETE program. In partnership with Facilities Management, the goal of the project is to reduce the amount of trash left behind during tailgating events on campus. The grant was used to design and manufacture new signage to encourage tailgaters to dispose of their trash and recycling in the appropriate dumpsters. Dumpster flags were created and are placed on every set of tailgate dumpsters throughout campus. The students were also involved in coordinating volunteers to help gather trash and recyclables from visitors during home football games.

Small Footprint Pledge to Install Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs

Office of Sustainability; LEAF Outreach Team | Amount: $1,500

In 2013, the Office of Sustainability launched its Small Footprint Pledge program. This program encourages students, faculty and staff to take a pledge, and commit to at least one of 12 different sustainable actions for a specified amount of time. One of the actions requires participants to commit to replacing one incandescent light bulb in their residence with a more energy-efficient, compact fluorescent bulb (CFL).

Piezoelectric Sensing and Energy Harvesting in Touchscreens

Gemstone Honors Program | Amount: $1,400

Team Piezo investigated the increasing demands on smartphone batteries by developing a touchscreen prototype that integrates piezoelectric materials to sense touch location and generate energy for the battery. The touchscreen prototype uses a piezoelectric element with patterned electrodes that extract a current when touched. The team designed several prototypes and conducted testing to evaluate performance and electrical response. Methods of extracting and storing energy were investigated, however storage was not successful enough to integrate into the prototype. Phone usage data was collected with surveys and was compared to power output of the touchscreen system to determine the theoretical amount of retrievable energy for future development.

Terp Farm

Dining Services; College of Agriculture and Natural Resources | Amount: $124,400

The Department of Dining Services, in collaboration with the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources proposes to establish “Terp Farm," a University of Maryland sustainable farming operation to be located at the university’s Upper Marlboro farm facility. The project will establish a three-year pilot program that will result in the construction and operation of a two-acre vegetable farm with high tunnels for season extension.

Edward St. John Learning and Teaching Center

Facilities Management | Amount: $50,000

This project proposes to implement a 30,000 gallon rainwater harvesting system and/or a teaching green roof for the new Edward St. John Learning and Teaching Center (ESJ LTC) at the University of Maryland, College Park. The project is currently in the design phase, and the building is scheduled to open summer of 2016. The new building will occupy a key location on the McKeldin Mall at the heart of the campus. It will incorporate the renovation of nearby Holzapfel Hall and proposes an addition to replace the existing Shriver Lab.

Terps Heart the Tap, Part 2

Office of Sustainability | Amount: $44,200

Through the first Terps Heart the Tap project (Terps Heart the Tap I), 64 filtered water filling stations were installed on campus, encouraging Terps to reuse and refill, instead of consuming single-use bottled water. In the first six months of operation, the fountains have prevented 143,000 plastic single-use bottles from being used and disposed of on campus.

Zero Waste to Landfill Athletic Facilities

Intercollegiate Athletics; Facilities Management; Dining Services | Amount: $40,000

“Drive to Zero Waste,” an Intercollegiate Athletics (ICA) and Facilities Management (FM) program, was launched in the fall of 2014. The goal of this ongoing project is to achieve “zero waste” at all athletics facilities within three years, meaning that at least 90% of solid waste will be diverted from landfills and sent to be recycled or composted instead.

Partnership for Action Learning in Sustainability (PALS)

National Center for Smart Growth | Amount: $25,000

The mission of the Partnership for Action Learning in Sustainability is to build more sustainable communities throughout the state of Maryland. The program is designed to provide low-cost assistance to local governments while creating valuable real-world problem solving experiences for University of Maryland graduate and undergraduate students.

Pilot Anaerobic Digester for Campus Food Waste Conversion

Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics | Amount: $20,000

Professors Stephanie Lansing (Environmental Science and Technology), Steve Hutcheson (Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics), and Rick Kohn (Animal Science) built a small-scale anaerobic digester to test a new process of converting organic waste into energy. Three ENST Senior Capstone teams (16 students total spanning three years of the Capstone courses) utilized this unit as well as 4 summer UMCP interns, 1 Brazilian student and 1 high school student. The facility was originally sited at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center in Beltsville but moved to the UMD Upper Marlboro facility (Terp Farm) due to USDA access restrictions before it was operational.

Maryland Sustainability Engineering Paint Branch Bioretention

Maryland Sustainability Engineering; Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering | Amount: $8,000

Continuing with their stormwater management efforts on campus, Maryland Sustainability Engineering (MDSE) partnered with Facilities Management (FM) to design and build a bioretention facility near the Paint Branch Trail. MDSE received $8,000 from the Sustainability Fund to purchase materials and equipment to successfully implement the project. The project broke ground on November 22, 2014, and was successfully completed on March 28, 2015, as the feature service project for the Good Neighbor Day Initiative.

MESA Mobile Demonstration Robot

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering | Amount: $5,500

The Maryland Educational & Sustainable Activities Lab (MESA) Mobile is a large robot that has been constructed to serve as an outreach and educational tool. It is designed to demonstrate all components of solar power generation, storage, distribution and efficient use along with general technology and robotics.

Sustainability Mini-Grants

Office of Sustainability; Student Government Association Sustainability Committee | Amount: $5,000

The Office of Sustainability and Student Sustainability Committee of the SGA propose to enhance the reach of the University Sustainability Fund by providing mini-grants to sustainability projects that are unable to receive grants through the existing Fund process. The Student Sustainability Committee of the SGA will administer the mini-grant program by accepting proposals on a rolling basis, reviewing proposals, voting on funding allocations, and issuing grants in a timely manner. Any student, faculty, or staff member can apply. Examples of potential mini-grant projects may include movie nights, lectures, small concerts, campaigns, etc. If this program is successful during the 2014-2015 academic year, then the Student Advisory Subcommittee will consider amending the Sustainability Fund By-Laws to establish a permanent carve out of Sustainability Fund monies to be set aside each year for mini-grants.

Window Treatment - Fraternity Row Pilot

Department of Fraternity and Sorority Life | Amount: $4,000

The Department of Fraternity and Sorority Life proposes to install ceramic window film on all of the existing windows at #1 Fraternity Row. This is an effort to improve the energy efficiency of the building and test a product that may prove to be less expensive than replacing current windows while delivering energy efficiency benefits similar to those of replacement windows.

Building a Campus-Oriented Stationless Bikeshare System

Gemstone Honors Program; Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering | Amount: $4,000

Gemstone Team BIKES plans to create a unique bikeshare system tailored to the specific needs of college students. The team will create a “smart lock” that will be permanently attached to all the bicycles in the bikeshare. The team seeks to create a quality smart lock that achieves a balance between bicycle security and user convenience.

Water Conservation at the Research Greenhouse Complex

Research Greenhouse Complex | Amount: $4,000

The Research Greenhouse Complex (RGC) proposes to implement a method of sub irrigation, called ebb and flow, to reduce water usage. Compared to the common practice of overhead watering with drip irrigation, where you water the plant until the soil is saturated and the excess water drains through the bottom of the pot, the method of sub irrigation is much more water efficient. An ebb and flow system requires a ridged, watertight bench top that plants are grown on directly, a reservoir to store the water, and a pump.

Nest Box Program

Wildlife Society Student Chapter; Environmental Science and Policy; Environmental Science and Technology | Amount: $1,741

The Wildlife Society Student Chapter at UMD, students in Environmental Science & Policy, and students in Environmental Science & Technology proposed a Nest Box Program to increase biodiversity on campus. Twenty nest boxes, scaled to accommodate a variety of native species of birds and bats, will be installed in green spaces on campus and monitored for occupancy. The nest boxes will provide shelter and security for these vulnerable species to reproduce and increase their populations. The nest box program will be integrated into the curriculum of at least one UMD course, ENST462: Techniques in Wildlife Management, which is taught by the project’s advisor, Dr. Jennifer Murrow.

JFarm Improvements

Maryland Hillel | Amount: $1,500

Hillel received a small grant to make improvements at its JFarm, a student-run vegetable and herb garden. The grant will go toward the following supplies needed to expand the garden and turn it into a more robust educational tool.

Armory Rain Garden

College of Agriculture and Natural Resources | Amount: $1,350

Dylan Kletter, a student enrolled in the Sustainability Studies Minor, proposes to construct a small rain garden at the northwest corner of the Reckord Armory. This project would capture stormwater and enhance the aesthetics at a location in the core of campus. Polluted rainwater runoff is as a major pollution source to waterways. A rain garden will allow rainwater to infiltrate into the soil, reducing discharge rates into local creeks and streams and preventing, causing bank erosion and overall deterioration of the natural system.

Terps Heart the Tap

Office of Sustainability | Amount: $62,282

The purchase and consumption of purified or filtered water in plastic bottles has become an issue of concern on university campuses, in public restaurants, by government agencies, and by the public, at large; and this concern is especially strong where potable, public water supplies are available.

Hybrid Electric and Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles Educational Laboratory

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering | Amount: $45,000

Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) and Electric Vehicle (EV) technologies substantially improve the fuel efficiency of vehicles and reduce carbon emissions. This has been an exceptionally critical area of research as the price of gasoline increases, and our nation looks to become more energy independent.

LED Lighting at CSPAC

The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center | Amount: $20,000

LEDs (light-emitting diodes) have been created and tailored for the theatrical industry to solve tangible power use constraints and to reduce expendable use materials such as gels, lamps, extension cables, and bent frames. The industry as a whole is incorporating LED technology into future lighting innovations as much as possible.

Stamp Green Roofs: Living Labs

Adele H. Stamp Student Union | Amount: $20,000

The Adele H. Stamp Student Union received this grant to enhance the existing green roofs on top of the Atrium and Price George’s Room and develop a teaching and research space for students and faculty. The enhanced green roofs will feature better draining soil than what was previously installed.

UMD Innovation Portal

Center for Social Value Creation | Amount: $17,000

The Adele H. Stamp Student Union received this grant to enhance the existing green roofs on top of the Atrium and Price George’s Room and develop a teaching and research space for students and faculty. The enhanced green roofs will feature better draining soil than what was previously installed.

Refrigerator Replacement Program

Office of Sustainability | Amount: $14,000

According to the 2007 Energy Star Partner Resource Guide, “a new Energy Star qualified refrigerator uses less than half as much energy as one made prior to 1993. New models use less energy than a 75-watt light bulb.” In addition, “because they use less energy, Energy Star qualified refrigerators help reduce air pollution and greenhouse gases caused by burning fossil fuels.”

TapRoots Environmental Education Program

TapRoots; Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture | Amount: $13,957

TapRoots engages youth ages 12-18 in outdoor experiential learning through programs including TapRoots in the Classroom, Young Ecological Stewards (YES!), Adventures in Soil Science, and Conversations with TapRoots. With this grant, TapRoots purchased sensing equipment, sensors for the UMD Rooftop Garden, a cistern for the Living Wall Project at Springhill Lake Recreational Center, and computers for running analytics and everyday TapRoots operations.

UMD Apiary

UMD Apiary, Department of Entomology | Amount: $9,600

With the support of Dining Services and the guidance of Entomology faculty, an undergraduate student seeks to create a University of Maryland Apiary consisting of 14 hives, including four observation hives. The Apiary will foster local bee populations and serve as an education tool for all of the campus community. The apiary hives will be installed on the roofs of the South Campus Diner and 251 North, complimenting the hives already in place on the North Campus Diner.

Increased Campus Bicycle Parking

Students; Department of Transportation Services | Amount: $9,300

Bicycle parking can be hard to find as more students, faculty, and staff choose to commute to campus by bike. This project involved adding more bike parking in front of buildings all around campus where bike parking was previously limited during peak times. Student requests, along with Facilities and Fire Marshall involvement, were all weighed when determining locations. The spots chosen were:

• H. J. Patterson Campus Drive entrance (16 space rack)
• Van Munching courtyard area (14 space rack)

Kim Engineering Bicycle Parking

Department of Transportation Services | Amount: $8,400

Bicycle parking can be hard to find as more students, faculty, and staff choose to commute to campus by bike. This project assessed the bicycle parking shortage by adding a concentrated bike parking area at the west entrance of the Kim Engineering Building. Students and Facilities staff were surveyed on the best potential bicycle rack locations; DOTS also consulted with the Fire Marshall. The final spots chosen were:

• Kim Engineering west side entrance
• Bldg. #045 left side of entrance

Visitor Center Sustainability Outreach

Conferences and Visitor Services | Amount: $7,405

The Visitor Center serves as the front door of the university, welcoming more than 80,000 visitors per year. Many first impressions of the University of Maryland are formed here. The goals of the Visitor Center Sustainability Outreach project are to raise awareness of campus sustainability initiatives and educate visitors and students to encourage sustainability practices both on and off campus.

SO GREEN- Suburban Optimization of Green Roof Efficiency and Economic Inquiry

Gemstone Honors Program | Amount: $5,800

Green roofs, defined as vegetation-covered roof systems, are one vehicle for combating the negative effects of stormwater runoff. These vegetative roofs prevent excess stormwater runoff by retaining water and lowering peak flow rates. They also provide a myriad of other benefits, including reducing the urban heat island effect, offering better insulation, and restoring lost habitats.

QUANTUM SEA — Quantum dot Usage as A New Technique to Unleash Maximum Solar Energy Absorption

Gemstone Honors Program | Amount: $5,000

It is estimated that the amount of solar energy that bombards the Earth is about ten thousand times the amount of energy that is currently being used globally. However, a commercial photovoltaic cell can only convert about 15% of the sun’s energy receives. Gemstone team QUANTUM SEA (Quantum dot Usage as A New Technique to Unleash Maximum Solar Energy Absorption) will attempt to increase solar cell efficiency through the use of quantum dots, which are nanocrystal semiconductors whose properties vary based on their size and shape.

Improving Biogas Purification: A Renewable Energy Application for the University of Maryland

Gemstone Honors Program| Amount: $3,543

On a campus that serves over 40,000 people daily, waste disposal poses both environmental and logistical concerns. In an effort to reduce campus food waste, students and staff have turned to composting. However, the composting process produces biogas containing methane, a greenhouse gas that is 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide. Through a proposed purification process, this biogas can be utilized by the university to further increase energy efficiency and decrease harmful emissions.

Sustainable Toxic Gas Use

Graduate Students; Department of Environmental Safety | Amount: $3,033

This proposal funded research done by three graduate students and the Department of Environmental Safety on a more sustainable option for storing toxic gas cylinders. The researchers assessed chemical fume hoods’ engineering controls’ ability to safely contain simulated toxic gas leaks from compressed gas cylinders. If compressed gas cylinders, slightly larger than lecture bottles, could be evacuated within a standard chemical fume hood to simulate a significant leak and no containment breach into the laboratory itself occurred, safe utilization inside a chemical fume hood.

PRESSURE — Piezoelectric Research Enhancing Sustainability through the Systematic Utilization of Renewable Energy

Gemstone Honors Program | Amount: $2,000

In order to advance the field of research in wind energy harnessing, this Gemstone team proposes a methodology for both assembling and testing a piezoelectric wind-energy harvesting device.

Mobile Applications for Sustainability

College Park Scholars — Science, Technology, and Society Programs | Amount: $1,000

College Park Scholars - STS received funding to encourage the development of a “Sustainability Application” through a campus competition. The app would aid the Office of Sustainability in its efforts to educate students about campus sustainability issues. The specifics of the app are to be created through a campus‐wide competition for app ideas.

Stamp Composting

Adele H. Stamp Student Union | Amount: $32,950

The goal of this program — a collaboration between Stamp, Facilities Management Solid Waste and Recycling, Dining Services Sustainability, and the Office of Sustainability — was to make the Adele H. Stamp Student Union a zero-waste operation by enhancing the building’s compost system and introducing front-of-house compost collection bins. 35 compost toters were purchased to transport communication to a compacter; 10 new trash/recycling bins were added. The compactor was installed and ready for the first day of classes in Fall 2012.

Public Health Garden

Public Health Garden Club | Amount: $26,756

Since the initial grant proposal in Fall 2010, the Public Health Garden has fostered many new partnerships and created a new student group, the Public Health Garden Club. This year, the club was awarded a grant to support Phase Two and Three. These phases include the construction of terraced community garden beds, bioretention area, and orchard. The Public Health Garden is a student-led community and teaching garden demonstrating sustainable agriculture and environmental best practices in support of public, environmental and community health.

Eppley Wind Project

University Recreation and Wellness; Department of Mechanical Engineering; Facilities Management | Amount: $14,200

This project, a collaboration between Campus Recreation Services, the Department of Mechanical Engineering, and Facilities Management, investigated the feasibility of a small scale wind turbine commercial application on the University of Maryland campus. Student research determined that installing wind turbines on Eppley Recreation Center was not economically feasible, and the project was stalled. Grant funds were returned to the Sustainability Fund to be allocated to future year's projects.

Sustainable Energy Teaching and Innovation Lab (SETIL)

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering | Amount: $12,500

The Sustainable Energy Teaching Initiatives Teaching Laboratory (SETIL) is an expansion of the Maryland Educational Solar Array (MESA) project into the area of wind based power generation. The overall concept of the facility is to provide students with hands on experience in the design and use of alternative energy generation and utilization. Project construction and installation was completed. One commercially available design and two experimental designs for vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs) were created.

Green Roof Research

Department of Plant Science | Amount: $12,410

Plant Science graduate students set up two green roof research locations, one at the University of Maryland Research Greenhouse in March 2012 and one on the roof of the Plant Sciences Building in Spring 2013. Between the two locations, a total of 390 green roof modules were built. Over 2 million data points were collected during the 2012-2013 year.

Aquaponics Research

Department of Plant Science; Gemstone Honors Program | Amount: $12,000

A Gemstone team will conduct research involving aquaponics (integration of aquaculture and hydroponics) to utilize fish effluent to grow plants as feedstock to raise fish (tilapia). Phase I researches the best nutrient sources to grow plants (including human waste). Phase II involves construction and research on three aquaponic systems. The grant will be used to construct the aquaponics systems.

Trash to Treasure

Department of Resident Life; Resident Hall Association's Sustainability Committee | Amount: $10,000

The Department of Resident Life and the Resident Hall Association’s Sustainability Committee were able to expand the Trash to Treasure program for the 2012 Residence Hall closing. Four external donation stations and eleven internal donation stations were set up to reach a large number of students. Carts purchased with the grant allowed student volunteers to collect and transport items from residence halls to locations where they were picked up and donated. Items were donated to Goodwill and Capital Area Food Bank, as well as to Terrapin Trader and ACE Recycling.

Green Façade at ENST-Animal Science

Environmental Science and Technology, Animal Science | Amount: $9,500

This project proposed the installation of a green façade system to the South side of the ENST/Animal Science building. The purpose of a green façade is to add a layer of vine-based vegetation on an installed structure that helps to shield a building from solar heat gain resulting in less cooling of the interior space during the summer season, when the plants are in their peak. The green façade was completed in the summer of 2013, after approval from Facilities Management and receiving three other grants for the construction.

Hydrate UMD

MaryPIRG; Student Government Association; Residence Hall Association; Residential Facilities | Amount: $9,000

In a collaborated effort, MaryPIRG, the Student Government Association, Residence Hall Association, and Residential Facilities wished to address the issue of single use bottled water consumption on campus by installing filling stations in residence halls and academic buildings. The students involved in the project agreed to let Terps Heart the Tap, a larger-scale filling station installation project, absorb their grant funds in the following year.

Rooftop Community Garden Phase II

Rooftop Community Garden Club | Amount: $7,450

With the support from the University Sustainability Fund and UMD Dining Services, the South Campus Dining Hall Rooftop has been transformed into the Rooftop Community Garden. During Phase I of the project, planters were built out of reclaimed pallets to grow fruit, vegetables, herbs, and flowers. In Phase II, students purchased a black board, shelving for garden equipment, a scale to weigh produce, and materials to construct a hammock. Gardening tools and construction tools were also purchased to build more planters and a three-bin compost system.

Peace and Friendship Garden Stormwater Project

Maryland Sustainability Engineering; Facilities Management | Amount: $5,000

To commemorate sculptures gifted to UMD by the Chinese Government, the University of Maryland built the Peace and Friendship Garden on the vista of the Old President’s Residence. However, no irrigation system was constructed to service the garden and in the summer months the garden needs to be hand watered to prevent plant death. MDSE students aim to implement a solar powered irrigation system to computerize irrigation while meeting the needs of the plants in the area. The project will include planning, design, implementation, and testing by students. The system’s ownership will eventually pass to Facilities Management.

Food Recovery Network

Food Recovery Network | Amount: $3,302

Growing St. Mary's Garden

St. Mary's Garden Club | Amount: $1,000

The St. Mary’s Garden is a small but productive garden next to St. Mary’s Hall. To expand production, the Garden Club 1) increased garden space by growing vertically in a six-foot arbor, 2) increased the growing season through the construction of a cold frame, and 3) add a rain barrel to collect stormwater. The Club also purchased Biobags to support their indoor compost collection. The grant was used to support all these initiatives.

Sphagnum Moss Swimming Pool Water Treatment System

University Recreation and Wellness | Amount: $64,717

UMD RecWell received a grant to support the installation of a sphagnum moss swimming pool water treatment system for the two indoor pools. This moss-based water treatment system is a patented innovation with proven results - they keep swimming pools clean while using fewer chemicals and reducing water consumption. The project involves installing a series of chambers housing sphagnum moss that will work alongside state-mandated chemical systems.

Maryland Educational Solar Array

Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering | Amount: $30,000

The Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering is developing an alternative energy-based curriculum to train students in the design and use of alternative energy. In conjunction with this new curriculum, the department has received a University Sustainability Fund grant to install a solar array as part of a teaching laboratory at the A.V. Williams building.

Public Health Garden

The Institute of Applied Agriculture; Public Health Garden Club | Amount: $15,460

The garden, located between the School of Public Health and the Eppley Recreation Center, will put into practice its lessons on the importance of environmental stewardship, agricultural sustainability, physical activity and eating a balanced diet. It will serve as a living classroom where faculty, staff, and students can engage in experiential education on issues directly related to community, public, and environmental health.

Guilford Bioretention Facility

Maryland Sustainability Engineering | Amount: $9,000

The student-driven Guilford Run Bioretention Facility helps preserve the Anacostia River Watershed. With the support of the University Sustainability Fund, Maryland Sustainability Engineering students develop a rain garden system that minimizes stormwater pollution from Parking Lot 1.

Watershed Constructed Wetlands

Center for Use of Sustainable Practices, School of Architecture | Amount: $4,500

A multidisciplinary team of students and faculty from the College of Architecture, Planning and Preservation, the A. James Clark School of Engineering, and the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, have teamed together to design, build and promote the University of Maryland’s entry into the 2011 Solar Decathlon. The Solar Decathlon is a biennial event sponsored by the U.S.

"Youngest Terps Go Green"

Center for Young Children, College of Education | Amount: $4,450

The Center for Young Children is a full day lab preschool and kindergarten program for children ages 3 - 6 whose parents are students, staff or faculty. The CYC received funding to “green” the center including replacing paper towel dispensers and installing new low flow faucets. Reducing water and waste, and increasing reuse and recycling are the Center’s first year goals. In the future, education and outreach materials, including videos and website, will be developed to chronicle their “green school journey.”

Rooftop Community Garden

Rooftop Community Garden Club and Dining Services | Amount: $4,450

The roof of the Ellicott Community Diner has become a model of urban agriculture, demonstrating that food can be grown just about anywhere. With funding from the University Sustainability Fund, this project will be duplicated on the roof of the South Campus Diner. Funds will be used for a safety railing, the construction of garden containers and general garden supplies (tools and soil).

Reclaimed/Recycled Costumes and Sets

M.F.A. Candidates in Dance | Amount: $1,500

Masters of Fine Arts candidates in Dance will use renewable, recycled and reused materials in the creation of all sets and costumes for their thesis concerts through 2013. The goal of this project is to boost the production shops’ use of recycled materials and to introduce sustainability measures into the School of Theatre, Dance, and Performing Arts curricula. This project will also consider alternatives to destruction and disposal of these materials at the conclusion of each production.

Compost System Upgrade and Drip Irrigation Installation

St. Mary's Garden Club | Amount: $1,050

The St. Mary’s Garden Club, received $1,050 to upgrade the current composting operation and to install a rain collection and drip irrigation system at the St Mary’s Hall garden. The Garden Club will enlarge the current composting bins; virtually doubling the size of the current system, from 18 cubic feet to 34 cubic feet. New construction will feature pressure-treated lumber which will also extend the life and durability of the bins.