Spring 2025 in Shepard Hall 375 and on Zoom

Please E-mail [email protected] for the Zoom link.

Schedule

Friday, May 16th, 2025 (30-45 minutes per project)

Mid-Year Capstone Presentations

9:00AM Breakfast and Networking (for those in person)

9:30AM Assessment of Urban Heat Mitigation Strategies with Precision RemoteSensing of Thermal Signatures in New York City

Professor McDonald’s and Steiner’s Team:  Lisa, Amanda, Julia

10:15AM Exploring Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDs) for flood mitigation and renewable energy in Nigeria

Professor Devineni’s Team: Tawfiq and Wasiu

11AM Climate Justice Hub Partner Organization Support Project

Katherine’s Team: Munevver and Aron

11:45AM NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS FOR URBAN SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCE: EVALUATING GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE’S CO-BENEFITS IN MANHATTAN

Professor Zhang’s Team: Anthony, Sarwat, Nursel, and Belkiz

12:30PM Optimal Structural Design for Low-Carbon Concrete Structures

Professor Bolhassani’s Team: Dylan and Carlos

1:15PM Harlem Retrofit Lab and Design Partnership

Professor Bobker’s Team: Barry and Tyler

2:00PM-3:30PM Refreshments and Networking

3:30PM Final Capstone Presentations

3:30PM Biogas in the City: Enhancing Biodigestor Reliability for Urban Sustainability

Professor Bobker’s Team: Cortney, Laura, Narjis

4:15PM West Harlem Energy Proposal (Phase 2)

Professor Bobker’s Team: Gabriel, Claudia, Scott

5PM Assessing Climate Resilience of NYC’s Living Shorelines: Long-Term Data and Remote Sensing Analysis

Professors Merchant and Lakhankar’s Team: Nadia, Angela, Kervin

5:45(ish) Pizza Party!

Initial Project Proposals (in presentation order)

Note these projects have evolved overtime and descriptions may no longer be directly in line with deliverables, but the general focus remains the same.

Assessment of Urban Heat Mitigation Strategies with Precision RemoteSensing of Thermal Signatures in New York City

Led by Prof. Kyle McDonald (Earth and Atmospheric Sciences) and Prof. Nicholas Steiner (Earth and Atmospheric Sciences)

Objective:

This project will assess the effectiveness of heat mitigation provided by the forests, woodlands and greenspace around NYC, and of heat mitigation strategies such as street-tree planting and installation of cool roofs. The team will use precision thermal infrared remote sensing datasets from NASA’s ECOSTRESS sensor, a thermal imaging instrument flown on the International Space Station (ISS) to assess effectiveness of strategies employed to mitigate urban heat in New York City.

Background:

Urban regions in and around New York City (NYC) experience urban heat island (UHI) with impacts that are exacerbated by climate change and heat wave events – phenomena that are increasing in frequency and intensity. Urban heat waves are a leading cause of global weather- related fatalities, and associated heat-related illnesses constitute a leading health problem for NYC and nationally. As urban vegetation is the most important factor in regulation of UHI, urban forest ecosystems can mitigate the negative impacts to health and energy usage from UHI. Furthermore, New York City has benefited from several strategies associated with climate change mitigation, and among these are NYC CoolRoofs and NYC Department of Parks & Recreation’s MillionTreesNYC. NASA’s ECOsystem Spaceborne Thermal Radiometer Experiment on Space Station (ECOSTRESS) is providing precision thermal images of Earth’s terrestrial environments. Primarily intended to examine water use and water stress in plants, datasets from the ECOSTRESS thermal imaging sensor are also proving invaluable in assessing the thermal environment in urban settings. For example, assessments of ECOSTRESS thermal images over Los Angeles, California have demonstrated substantial reduction in neighborhood heating as a result of installation of CoolSeal paint on street surfaces (see Figure 1). As New York City is identified as a priority target for acquisition of ECOSTRESS data for urban regions worldwide, specialized ECOSTRESS products being derived to examine the NYC thermal environment. The goal of this capstone project is to assess UHI mitigation associated with urban forests and the effectiveness of UHI mitigation strategies such as planting of street-trees and use of cool roof technologies. The Team will employ ECOSTRESS datasets in these assessments.

Suggested Approaches:

1) Assemble salient ECOSTRESS data into a data base focused on NYC and vicinity to support multi-year times series (2018- present) thermal environment assessment.2) Assist project mentors with deployment and maintenance of monitoring stations that characterize meteorology and biophysical processes in trees. Stations will be deployed in several urban forests in and around NYC. Employ data collections to assess water use and water stress in trees as related to, e.g., heat stress and heat waves. 3) Examine time series ECOSTRESS thermal signatures at the local, neighborhood, and city scale, and coordinated with timing of installation of white and green roofs, and with street planting. Examine urban forest response to heat stress and heat waves observed with ECOSTRESS. 4) Assess changes in the spatio-temporal thermal signature across scales associated with mitigation strategies and urban forests. 5) Examine these results in the context of addressing environmental justice concerns in NYC. Students should be comfortable working with computer analysis tools and a GIS analysis framework. This project will be carried out in collaboration New York City Parks, the New York City Mayor’s Office of Environmental and Climate Justice, and with scientists from the Earth Science Section in the Division of Science at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California.

Exploring Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDs) for flood mitigation and renewable energy in Nigeria

Led by Professor Naresh Devineni (Civil Engineering) 

Objective

This project aims to explore the use of Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) in Kogi, Nigeria, not only as a flood mitigation strategy but also as a means to harness flood water for renewable energy generation. The goal is to assess the feasibility and effectiveness of implementing SUDS that integrate renewable energy technologies, such as hydroelectric systems, to reduce flood risks while generating electricity to power local infrastructure, including water management systems, nearby structures, or irrigation systems. This will involve designing a comprehensive SUDS plan tailored to Kogi’s unique hydrological and energy needs.

Background

Kogi State, located in central Nigeria, faces persistent and severe flooding due to the confluence of the Niger and Benue Rivers. These floods have caused widespread damage to homes, infrastructure, and agricultural areas, and with the increasing unpredictability of rainfall patterns caused by climate change, the situation is likely to worsen. Traditional flood control measures, such as channeling and damming, have proven insufficient in mitigating the impacts of these floods. As urbanization grows, surface water runoff has intensified, exacerbating flood risks. Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) offer a green infrastructure solution to urban flood management. These systems are designed to manage rainfall by allowing it to infiltrate, store, and be slowly released back into the environment, mimicking natural water cycles. In addition to managing stormwater, SUDS offer multiple co-benefits, such as improved water quality, enhanced urban green spaces, and increased resilience to climate change. A promising innovation in this project is the integration of renewable energy systems into SUDS. Specifically, floodwater could be harnessed using small-scale hydropower systems or other energy-generating technologies. This renewable energy could power the SUDS infrastructure itself, such as solar-powered pumps or water treatment systems, and provide electricity for nearby buildings or agricultural irrigation systems. By capturing and utilizing floodwater to generate energy, this project will not only reduce flood risks but also contribute to sustainable energy access in flood-prone areas. 

Suggested Approaches:

– Conduct background research on the flood history, hydrology, and existing drainage infrastructure in Kogi

– Review global case studies on the implementation of SUDS with integrated renewable energy solutions, particularly in areas with similar climates and urbanization patterns. 

– Design a hybrid SUDS system and develop hydrological and energy generation models using software tools to simulate the effectiveness of proposed SUDS and renewable energy systems.

– Collaborate with local government and stakeholders to evaluate the feasibility, cost and community impact of implementing SUDS with integrated energy generation in Kogi. 

– Write up project design, implementation guidelines, cost benefit analysis and results, with recommendations.

Climate Justice Hub Partner Organization Support Project

Led by Katherine Gloede Silverman or Professor Lauren Wang (Environmental Justice) and an NYC EJA Organization (TBD)

Objective

A team of graduate students will produce research-driven deliverables set forth by an NYC Environmental Justice Alliance Organization through the NYC Climate Justice Hub to support organizational needs and goals. Examples could include (but are not limited to): an NYC Open Data mapping project, a toolkit of relevant financial resources, a framework for a necessary Citizen Science endeavor, a curriculum guide for working with local schools. 

Background

Launched in September 2023, the NYC Climate Justice Hub is a partnership between the City University of New York (CUNY)—the nation’s largest public urban university—and the NYC Environmental Justice Alliance (NYC-EJA)—a coalition of grassroots organizations who have led the fight for climate justice in NYC since 1991. By uniting CUNY and NYC-EJA, the Hub strengthens and fortifies just transition efforts led by frontline communities of color across NYC.

The Hub’s mission is to support NYC-EJA’s efforts to advance climate justice for New York City’s underserved, working-class Black and Brown communities. The Hub accomplishes this through the creation and the activation of new and existing trans-disciplinary systems and cross-sectoral networks that ensure CUNY robustly supports NYC-EJA—and the coalition of organizations and campaigns it brings together—in their efforts to accelerate “just transitions” in NYC. Through the creation of research teams, educational platforms, and a leadership development “vine,” the Hub prepares a generation of CUNY students to enter the workforce as climate leaders, operationalizes climate justice infrastructure at CUNY, and advances NYC-EJA’s transformative research agenda.

The NYC Climate Justice Hub is the largest of several “hubs” that have been created around the nation through a series of generous grants from the Waverley Street Foundation. This initiative supports minority-serving universities to work with place-based environmental justice organizations to advance the interests and aspirations of frontline communities most impacted by climate change. The current grant under which the NYC Climate Justice Hub is operating is for a 2-year pilot (2023-2025), with opportunities for future funding. See more information here: https://centerforthehumanities.org/programming/nyc-climate-justice-hub. 

Suggested Approaches 

-Work with a partnering NYC Environmental Justice Alliance Organization and point person to establish project goals and deliverables that meet the needs of the Organization and the interests and strengths of the student team. 

-Learn about the Organization’s work and develop an interdisciplinary, engaged approach to producing deliverables.

-Meet with the Organization’s point person monthly to keep process of producing deliverables informed and iterative. 

NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS FOR URBAN SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCE: EVALUATING GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE’S CO-BENEFITS IN MANHATTAN

OBJECTIVE. Evaluate the feasibility of green infrastructure (e.g., rooftop gardens, urban gardens, green streets) in Manhattan to enhance urban sustainability and resiliency through co-benefits (e.g. energy conservation, water retention, carbon sequestration, public health, and urban agriculture. Quantify the benefits of these interventions to demonstrate their value in alignment with ONENYC 2050 and the UN’s SDGs.

BACKGROUND. Nature-based green infrastructure offers substantial environmental and social benefits that can simultaneously advance many of NYC’s resiliency and sustainability goals. However implementation is often limited due to a lack of comprehensive shared data—both qualitative and quantitative—that demonstrates its full potential for multiple stakeholders. Additionally, challenges arise from fragmented communication and coordination between city agencies, as well as unclear guidance for private entities and homeowners. This project seeks to integrate nature-based green infrastructure into the city’s broader sustainability framework by identifying opportunities for synergies—investments that can address multiple city goals, such as stormwater management, urban cooling, and food system resiliency—thereby maximizing return on investment. Rooftops, sidewalks, and courtyards in Manhattan represent prime but underutilized opportunities for green infrastructure integration.
This project aims to address these challenges by creating a framework for evaluating the co-benefits of nature-based green infrastructure in urban areas. The study will use mapping to identify optimal sites for various green infrastructure types. This process will align the goals of diverse stakeholders—from city agencies to developers to home-owners—using a shared vocabulary and clear metrics, enabling collaboration and coordination to maximize the impact of these projects.

SUGGESTED APPROACHES

Comparative Analysis: Analyze findings to identify synergies in the implementation of green infrastructure and opportunities to share resources across city budgets for more efficient spending.
● SDGs Addressed: Goal 3-Good Health And Well-Being, Goal 8- Decent Work and Economic Growth, Goal 11-Sustainable Cities and Communities, Goal 13-Climate Action
● OneNYC2050 Goals Addressed: A Livable Climate, Healthy Lives, Thriving Neighborhoods,

GIS Mapping: Identify high-potential sites across Manhattan for nature-based green infrastructure, applicable to new constructions and retrofits, based on spatial and environmental factors.

Data Review & Matrix: Review literature to create a matrix of green infrastructure types for new developments and retrofits, including costs, benefits (stormwater retention, cooling, health), and any precedents across the five boroughs (e.g., DEP Grant for Brooklyn Grange).

Scorecard Development: Develop a preliminary, publicly accessible scorecard to quantify
quantify the long-term benefits of green infrastructure, comparing feasibility and aligning with ONENYC 2050 and SDG targets.

Optimal Structural Design for Low-Carbon Concrete Structures

Led by Professor Damon Bolhassani (Architecture)

Objective

Investigate innovative approaches in the design of structures with a focus on minimizing material usage, carbon emissions, and cost. The primary objectives include:

1. Achieving environmentally friendly structures while maintaining structural integrity and performance using advanced computational tools and optimization algorithms.
2. Evaluating the performance and feasibility of proposed designs through analytical modeling, simulation, and practical experimentation.

Background

The construction industry significantly contributes to global warming with concrete production being a major source of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions (Jyosyula et al, 2020; Labaran et al., 2021). Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop sustainable alternatives that minimize environmental impacts. Efficient structural design plays a crucial role in the sustainability of concrete structures by optimizing material usage, reducing construction waste, and minimizing environmental impact. Traditional design approaches often prioritize safety margins and over-engineering, leading to excessive material consumption and higher carbon emissions. By adopting a holistic approach to structural design, which considers factors such as load paths, material properties, and construction techniques, it is possible to achieve significant reductions in material usage without compromising structural performance. Moreover, efficient structural design has economic benefits, as it can lead to cost savings through reduced material purchases, construction labor, and maintenance expenses. By optimizing designs for material efficiency, architects and engineers can deliver projects that meet performance requirements while staying within budgetary constraints.

Suggested approaches

Incorporating lightweight design principles, such as minimal surfaces for optimized member sizes and efficient structural systems, minimizes materials required for construction, maximizes energy efficiency, and reduces environmental impact throughout the entire life cycle of a building which offers lower CO2 emissions and contributes to enhanced sustainability. Advanced computational tools, such as finite element analysis and parametric modeling, offer opportunities to explore a wide range of design options and identify optimal solutions that balance structural efficiency with environmental sustainability. These tools enable engineers to simulate complex structural behavior, analyze performance under different loading conditions, and adjust their designs to achieve the desired outcomes.

Besides, 3D concrete printing has emerged as a transformative technology (Khan et al. 2021; Wangler et al. 2017) that enhances construction efficiency by optimizing material usage and minimizing waste. Precise layer-by-layer concrete deposition notably reduces the need for formwork and minimizes material waste, consequently contributing to a significant decrease in carbon emissions linked to concrete production. While these innovative techniques show potential in reducing carbon emissions and enhancing sustainability, it is crucial to acknowledge that, at the current stage, ensuring the safety of 3D-printed structures requires thorough structural design and analysis. Additionally, the anisotropy resulting from the layered nature of 3D printing introduces complexities that require careful evaluation (Wolfs et al. 2019). As the construction industry seeks to utilize the benefits of these advancements, this project aims to keep the balance between innovation and ensuring safety to fully realize the potential of 3D concrete printing in sustainable construction practices.

Notes

– Students with interest in architectural and structural design, environmental architecture, or sustainable architecture and structural optimization are well-qualified for this project.

Harlem Retrofit Lab and Design Partnership

Led by Michael Bobker, Founder of the CUNY Building Performance Lab 

Objective

This project will develop a specific retrofit that is key to the affordable housing stock in NYC.  The retrofit is the conversion of steam heating systems to hot water circulating systems with an objective of achieving cost and carbon reductions while leaving the building “heat pump-ready.”  The project will investigate alternative methods and equipment as applicable to particular building scenarios with a goal of having a well-articulated retrofit package with documentation of costs, benefits and construction procedure for typical apartment buildings and rowhouses.

Work will be done as part of on-going work at the Harlem Retrofit Lab and Design Partnership and the CUNY Building Performance Lab’s new Building Technology Assessment Center (BTAC) with Syracuse University.  

Background

Much of NYC’s housing is in pre-1950’s buildings still operating with their original steam heating systems (although the boilers may have been changed at least once). These systems pose significant operating challenges to both comfort and energy efficiency.  Circulating hot water heating is thermodynamically more efficient and controllable and has been shown to consistently achieve energy reductions on the order of 30%.  Difficulty, disruption and expense have been cited as the reasons that such conversion has not been broadly implemented outside of gut rehabs.  

In today’s environment attention is focused on electrification of building heating via heat pumps.  Steam systems cannot be directly retrofitted with heat pumps.  The dominant approach of replacing central heating with apartment-level air-to-air heat pumps faces several kinds of difficulties.  However, heat pumps with hot water outputs in the appropriate temperature range for heating are beginning to become available with on-going government and industry R&D nearing market-readiness.   

Capstone Project Focus

Heat pump technology and strategies will be reviewed with the suggestion that an alternative approach based on steam-to hot water conversion is the most rational technology pathway.  Literature review and site visits will document experience with steam conversion, including documented energy savings.  Conversion options will be outlined, based on an understanding of several different types of steam heating systems common in NYC building stock.  Schematic designs and cost estimates will be developed, including possibilities for integrated implementation with other deep energy retrofit elements.  

Suggested Approaches 

• case studies of existing pilot installations
• schematic design, cost estimating, and comparison of alternative piping schemes 
• review of Dutch Energiesprong experience and US adaptations
• preparation of technology briefing and design guidance materials 
• meetings and discussions with contractors, funders, owners

Biogas in the City: Enhancing Biodigestor Reliability for Urban Sustainability

Led by Michael Bobker (CUNY Building Performance Lab)

PROPOSAL 

     Human activity has always generated waste, and each era has had its own treatment method and specific problems. The pollution of water, air and soil by food and agricultural waste is constantly increasing, which is pushing governments and industries to seek technological solutions for efficient and less costly waste treatment.

Agricultural and similar residues are characterized by relatively rapid decomposition, therefore contributing to the emission of unpleasant odors, air, groundwater and surface water pollution and the proliferation of disease-carrying insects. These residues are considered renewable natural resources, which can be used in many areas for many benefits. They include animal waste (manure), crop waste (fruit and vegetable residues) and hazardous and toxic agricultural waste (pesticides, insecticides and herbicides). These wastes are disposed of, if not recovered marginally and traditionally at farm level in soil fertility management and animal feed.

Methanization, also called anaerobic digestion, is a natural biological process transforming organic matter into biogas, consisting mainly of methane (approximately 60%) and carbon dioxide (approximately 40%). This energy production process is now a way of producing green energy, simultaneously allowing the recovery of organic waste. Even if the majority of the deposit comes from animal waste, the waste that can be methanized is very diverse (livestock effluents, crop waste, sewage treatment plant sludge, etc.) and present in large quantities. The biogas formed can be used in different ways. The most widely used avenue currently is cogeneration, i.e. the combustion of methane to produce electricity, and heat. The second avenue, less developed but expanding, is the injection of biogas into the natural gas network.

WHY IS THE TOPIC RELEVANT?

The biodigestores are important for several reasons, primarily related to environmental sustainability, waste management, and energy production. In essence, biodigesters play a crucial role in creating a more sustainable and circular economy by turning waste into valuable resources while minimizing environmental impact. 

While they offer a range of environmental and economic benefits, there are several challenges associated with their implementation and operation. One of the big challenges for the successful implementation and operation of biodigesters is related to monitoring and maintenance. 

This capstone project aims to identify potential solutions to the main challenges related to the maintenance and monitoring of biodigesters through city scale biogas systems in New York City.

West Harlem Energy Proposal (Phase 2)

Led by Michael Bobker (CUNY Building Performance Lab)

Working with manufacturers and vendors will be crucial in developing feasible product selection. Also, a long-term life-cycle cost analysis will be instrumental in determining the feasibility of application at scale and identifying any methods to help speed widespread adoption of circular microgrids.  

Objective

This project will explore the retrofit technologies and processes for a low-carbon and grid-interactive Harlem neighborhood.  The project will initiate work of the newly founded Harlem Retrofit Lab and Design Partnership, developing the basis for a community-governed virtual microgrid, West Harlem Energy.  

The goal of the project will be to have well-articulated retrofit packages for typical apartment buildings and rowhouses, as the basis for presentations to property owners to support their decision-making and planning.  The project will also introduce students to cutting-edge concepts and applications of great value in professional practice and community energy planning.  

Background

West Harlem Energy Proposal – the overall, long-term project

A team coordinated by CCNY with community partners will design, implement, and demonstrate connected energy community and microgrid services for a dense urban community – promoting energy reliability, resiliency, efficiency, carbon reduction, with community engagement and benefits. The project will create a replicable template for community energy services in urban neighborhoods. In addition to technical feasibility and benefits, the project will model organizational relationships incorporating major institutions, community organizations, utility companies, and city government. The benefits of a project of this scope can be measured in terms of resource and energy/cost savings but also in non-energy benefits such as productivity enhancements, health improvements, environmental advancements, energy literacy, and broader benefits to the economy through the development of environmentally focused jobs.

Capstone Project Focus

Beginning with an understanding of NYC’s Climate Mobilization Act (Local Law 97) as a driver of deep-energy retrofits, students will explore the application of technology options such as Passive House envelopes, heat recovery, EV charging, energy storage, and heat pump electrification.  Retrofits will incorporate sensors and controls for coordinated interaction with the electric grid, applying the concepts of GEB (Grid-interactive Energy-efficient Buildings) and DERMS (Distributed Energy Resource Management Systems) that are currently under development and piloting at US DOE National Labs. 

Suggested Approaches 

• Conduct technology-specific research, connect with specialized designers and vendors 
• Create schematic conceptual designs for retrofits in typical conditions
• Explore project finance methods and meet with institutional “green financiers”
• Apply Urban Energy Modeling techniques for assessing scenario impacts
• Leverage and build upon existing knowledge in building systems, energy, and/or architecture. 

Notes: This is a continuation of a current capstone project ending their first semester.

Assessing Climate Resilience of NYC’s Living Shorelines: Long-Term Data and Remote Sensing Analysis

Led by NOAA CREST Scientists Dr. Shakila Merchant and Dr. Tarendra Lakhankar

Objective:

The objective of this project is to evaluate the long-term impact of climate change on the resilience of New York City’s living shorelines, utilizing historical weather data and remote sensing imagery to analyze shoreline evolution and identify critical areas for conservation and intervention. This research aims to provide actionable insights for enhancing urban coastal resilience and sustainable ecosystem management in response to climatic changes.

Background:

The New York City (NYC) coastline has undergone significant transformations due to urban development, erosion, and rising sea levels, resulting in the loss of over half its tidelands since colonial times. This alarming trend underscores the urgency of adopting resilient strategies to mitigate the adverse effects of these changes. Living shorelines, which include naturally occurring features such as salt marshes, have emerged as sustainable alternatives to traditional gray infrastructure like seawalls, floodwalls, and riprap. Unlike these conventional defenses, living shorelines offer enhanced environmental benefits by providing vital wildlife habitats, sequestering blue carbon, and improving community well-being, especially in BIPOC (black, indigenous, and other people of color) and low-income neighborhoods highly susceptible to flood risks.

This study focuses on the long-term evaluation of these living shorelines, analyzing their role in coastal ecosystems and their effectiveness in urban climate resilience. By leveraging historical Landsat images, this research assesses the evolution of the shoreline and the impact of extreme weather events, such as Hurricane Ida, pinpointing erosional hotspots that need immediate intervention. Further, it examines changes in geomorphological features, soil composition, and flora dynamics of NYC’s protected and restored salt marshes, utilizing both pre- and post-event remote sensing data.

Despite extensive restoration efforts, many of NYC’s marshes struggle to thrive, hindered by urban encroachment that impedes natural marsh migration, nutrient overloads from combined sewer outfalls (CSO), and blocked sediment transport due to infrastructure like bulkheads and levees. The research aims to identify critical factors promoting shoreline stability and ecological functionality through comprehensive field surveys, geospatial mapping, and thorough data analysis. Ultimately, this study seeks to provide actionable insights for sustainable urban planning and infrastructure development, aiming to bolster environmental preservation efforts and improve the resilience and health of coastal communities against future climatic challenges.

Suggested Approaches: 

• Remote Sensing and Historical Data Analysis: Utilize long-term weather station data and Landsat images to assess historical changes and impacts of extreme weather events on NYC’s shorelines. This approach includes pre- and post-event analysis of events like Hurricane Ida to identify erosion trends and hotspot areas requiring intervention.
• Field Surveys and Geospatial Mapping: Conduct targeted field surveys in selected high-priority areas to collect data on geomorphological features, and flora dynamics. Employ geospatial mapping techniques to overlay historical data and current observations, thereby identifying factors that contribute to shoreline stability and ecological functionality.
• Stakeholder Engagement and Policy Analysis: Engage with local communities, especially those in high-risk flood zones, to gather insights on the socio-economic impacts of living shorelines. Analyze existing coastal management policies and propose integrated strategies for incorporating natural and nature-based solutions to enhance climate resilience in urban planning.