Proposal Ideas
In past semesters, we’ve hosted some brainstorming sessions and have come up with some great ideas for potential RESET projects. These ideas were submitted by RESET committee members, Facilities, Engineering, and Planning, or Housing and Dining.
Please let us know if any projects interest you! We can help you develop your idea as well as connect you with the proper contacts on campus. We can be contacted at ricereset@gmail.com.
Housing and Dining is currently working on:
– Installing or replacing solar film on windows
– Low-flow shower heads (piloted at Wiess and Hanszen)
– Motion sensors and LED lighting on outsides of buildings
Other Ideas:
Install A/C sensors in buildings across campus
- This has already been done in Herzstein by a RESET proposal last year, so extending it campus wide would be relatively easy and cheap (see previous proposals for more details).
Replace fluorescent lighting in Fondren Library, classrooms, colleges, or anywhere!
- LEDs are many times more efficient than fluorescent lights. Although they are initially more expensive, they save money over time due to their reduced electricity use and longer lifespan.
Capture A/C unit waste heat at Masters’ Houses
- An ideal location to analyze would be the Wiess Masters House. It is already a green building and was just constructed.
Solar Panels
- The price of photovoltaics (PVs) has been dropping constantly and projects that might not have worked a couple years ago could now be profitable.
- Consider investigating putting solar panels on Masters’ Houses.
Duncan/McMurtry College Classroom
- Try to take a College classroom completely off the grid using various technologies (solar panels, rainwater collection, etc).
- Matching funds could probably be arranged, maybe through the Duncans (the family who donated the building in the first place).
Rec Center pools
- Heating water requires huge amounts of energy. Try to make them retain heat better or to find a more efficient method of heating the pools.
Green roofs
- There are several buildings on campus that already have green roofs. Check the feasibility of retrofitting existing flat roofs with green roofs (would have to check roof structure and analyze runoff).
White roofs
- A simple white coating on a flat roof could lead to significant energy savings.
- A white or light-colored roof reflects more sunlight and absorbs less heat than a dark-colored roof. This means that less heat is transferred into the corresponding building, therefore reducing the amount of energy required to cool the building.
Storm water capture and reuse
- This project is currently in progress on campus! Email us for more information.
- Was originally considered for OEDK; would make it fully sustainable.
- There may be health considerations due to standing water and how it can be used.
- You would need to run rainfall projections based on the size of the roof being considered to determine the most reasonable tank size.
Inner loop buses
- Help reduce fuel consumption on campus!
- Convert buses to biodiesel (specifically Biodiesel-20) or other alternative fuel.
Biodiesel manufacture
- There is a reactor to convert cooking oil to biofuel in a little room on the first floor of Sid Rich that used to work.
- Continuously labor intensive project (was started by an intense group of students that graduated, so it needs to be more sustainable).
- The servery already recycles oil.
- This diesel was used to run some of the lawnmowers. Don’t forget the possibility of talking to your professor about getting class credit for more involved projects!
Do you have an idea that’s not on this list? Let us know!