The five finalists for the Pitt Sustainability Challenge will make their last pitches and the winner will be selected at an event open to the public from 9 a.m. to noon Sept. 14 at the Petersen Events Center’s Campus View Club,
The Pitt Sustainability Challenge was first conceived in 2019 to find an “integrated, impactful, durable and feasible solution” to move Pitt toward its goal of carbon neutrality by 2037 — the 250th anniversary of the University’s founding. The winning plan will get $300,000 to implement the proposal. Solutions must be integrated with Pitt’s strategies, particularly the Pitt Sustainability Plan and Pitt Climate Action Plan.
Applicants, from inside and outside of the University, had to submit a written application and 90-second video detailing their solution. The proposals were evaluated through a rubric by a panel of external judges.
“We’re thrilled at how the Pitt Sustainability Challenge has actively engaged the creative thinking of both the Pitt community and public,” Aurora Sharrard, Pitt’s Sustainability director, told the University Times earlier this summer. “The challenge supports sustainability as a core value of the Plan for Pitt and the 2018 Pitt Sustainability Plan’s goal to ensure our community has ways to help advance ideas for positive impact.”
Three internal judges — Kenyon Bonner, vice provost for student affairs; David DeJong, senior vice chancellor of business & operations; and Amanda Godley, Vice provost for graduate studies and interim vice provost for undergraduate studies — will select the winner after the teams make their final pitches. Register here to attend.
The finalists are:
"Chill Up" Challenge by Pitt Green Labs: The “Chill Up” Challenge proposal would offer researchers on all campuses freezer upgrade rebates and incentives to share freezers, as well as reduce barriers to “chilling up” with educational efforts. Chill Up also wants to increase engagement with the Pitt Green Labs program.
CO2IReduce by University of Pittsburgh: The CO2IReduce project would collect data and create a personalized dashboard relevant to any student, faculty or staff member on the Pittsburgh campus to demonstrate how they can use space efficiently and reduce their carbon footprint
Anaerobic Digestion Technology by Ecotone Renewables: This project looks to divert carbon emissions by converting local food waste into nutrient-dense, ready-to-use fertilizer.
Panther Tracks by S&B USA Construction: The company is aiming to facilitate regional transportation decarbonization and increase the University’s electric vehicle charging and eMobility infrastructure.
Pitt–Johnstown Geothermal Tunnels Feasibility Study: The team will complete a feasibility study and project management plan to use existing tunnels as a geothermal heating and cooling source; the solution will tie together campuswide systems more effectively. The study will be led by partners at Apex Companies and H.F. Lenz, who both hire Pitt alumni.
For more details about the challenge and the finalists, visit the Pitt Sustainability Challenge website.