Spring 2024 on Zoom

Register here or e-mail KGloede@ccny.cuny.edu for the Zoom link.

Schedule

Thursday, May 16th beginning at 1:30PM (30-45 minutes per project)

Mid-Year Presentation: West Harlem Energy Proposal

Mid-Year Presentation: A Comprehensive Examination of Post-Consumer Clothing: Insights from Woodside, Queens, NYC, and Manila, Philippines

Final Presentation: Reducing human health risk and exposure to wastewater spills in urban coastal environments

Mid-Year Presentation: Wildfire Impacts on Coastal Water Quality Collaborative

Friday, May 17th beginning at 3:30PM (30-45 minutes per project)

Mid-Year Presentation: Circular Microgrids: Designing Integrated Energy Infrastructure

Mid-Year Presentation: Impact of solar thermal and heat pumps in the energy savings for residential building in NYC

Final Presentation: Energy Use and Carbon Emissions in the United States Residential Building Sector

Final Presentation: Retrofitting subdivisions for sustainability in an international context: An example from Latin America

Final Presentation: Climate Justice, Climate Gentrification, and Climate Solidarity

Mid-Year Presentation: Community-Centered Hazard Mitigation Planning in NYC

Initial Project Proposals (in presentation order)

May 16th

West Harlem Energy Proposal

Led by Michael Booker (CUNY Building Performance Lab Director)

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. 

Reducing human health risk and exposure to wastewater spills in urban coastal environments

Led by Professor Kyle McDonald (Earth and Atmospheric Sciences)

Objective:
The capstone team will employ remote sensing datasets from Earth-orbiting satellites to improve the understanding of Tijuana River discharge on water quality and associated health impacts in San Diego County, California. This project integrates aspects of remote sensing technology, public health and environmental justice.

Background:

The San Diego County Board of Supervisors recently declared that “pollution from the Tijuana River Valley [is] a public health crisis,” having led to 295 and 160 days of beach closures in Border Field State Park and Imperial Beach, CA, in 2020. In a 2017 case study, it was estimated that nearly 4% of 864,000 swimmers at San Diego beaches were sickened by a south-swell driven plume event containing massive amounts of untreated wastewater (Feddersen, et al., 2021). San Diego County’s Department of Environmental Health and Quality (DEHQ) works to protect beachgoers while preventing unnecessary closures that could negatively affect their beach tourism economy. This project will explore ways in which remote sensing can be used to improve understanding of Tijuana River plumes and enhance this decision process of DEHQ to protectpublichealth. Further,thisprojectaddressobjectivesofdiversity,equityinclusionandaccessibility (DEIA). The coastal zone is considered a common-pool resource and access is becoming increasingly limited due to climate change (i.e., sea level rise, extreme weather), growing population densities, and other factors. This project will help improve access by helping reduce the number of beach closures and by protecting environmental and public health.

Suggested Approaches:

1. Develop and validate Tijuana River plume product suite using optical (Landsat-8, Sentinel-2, Planet, DESIS); thermal (Landsat-8, ECOSTRESS), and synthetic aperture radar (SAR) datasets (Sentinel-1).
2. Evaluate plume product relative to DEHQ Bay and Beach program decisions using previously collect in situ measurements of wastewater contaminants.
3. Evaluate impacts on urban coast access and equity issues in a policy brief.

This project will be carried out in collaboration with scientists from the Earth Science section in the Division of Science at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California.

Students should be comfortable working with computer analysis tools and a GIS analysis framework.

A Comprehensive Examination of Post-Consumer Clothing: Insights from Woodside, Queens, NYC, and Manila, Philippines

Led by Professor Urs Jans (Chemistry)

1. ObjectiveThe purpose of this study will be to characterize post-consumer clothing, in terms of material composition, brand attribution, manufacturing origin and garment classification, at select points of disposal in Woodside, Queens, NYC and Manila, Philippines. The findings from this study will then inform the design and development of an Extended Producer Responsibility policy proposal for textiles.
2. BackgroundThe fashion industry, as reported by McKinsey, is valued at around $2.5 trillion and produces goods utilized by diverse global demographics. In recent times, major fashion brands have strategically reduced their price points while incorporating lower-grade synthetic materials. This shift encourages consumers to purchase cheap garments more frequently, thereby perpetuating a throwaway culture. Notably, an estimated 85% of all textile waste ultimately ends up in landfills and incinerators, with approximately 20% of it never being worn.
   The lack of producer responsibility shifts the burden of end-of-life textile management onto local governments and communities in New York City and Manila, rather than fashion brands, exacerbating environmental and social issues associated with the fast fashion industry. With the objective of shifting primary management responsibilities to fashion brands, this study aims to identify post-consumer clothing elements, including material composition, brand attribution, manufacturing origin, and garment classification, at designated disposal points in Woodside, Queens, NYC, and Metro Manila, Philippines. The results of this study will shape the creation of a proposal for an Extended Producer Responsibility policy regarding textiles.
3. Suggested Approaches
   1. Literature Review: Review existing studies on post-consumer clothing and textile recycling programs, with a focus on material composition and end-of-life management.
   2. Quantify post-consumer clothing in Woodside, Queens and Manila, Philippines: Collect data on post-consumer clothing from a clothing swap in Woodside, Queens, and from collection bins at laundromats and residential buildings. Data will also be collected on second-hand clothes sold at public markets in Manila, Philippines.
   3. Gather Qualitative Data on Clothing Waste Culture: Conduct interviews and surveys in select communities to identify gaps in waste education.
   4. Analyze Data: Characterize post-consumer clothing by material composition, brand attribution, manufacturing origin and garment classification. A comparative analysis will be conducted on sample post-consumer clothing data between New York City and Manila, Philippines.
   5. Recommendations: Brands, recyclers, and communities can use the findings from this research to inform their systems and processes related to clothing design, textile recycling and environmental advocacy. The findings from this study will then inform the design and development of an Extended Producer Responsibility policy proposal for textiles.

Wildfire Impacts on Coastal Water Quality Collaborative

Led by Professor Kyle McDonald (Earth and Atmospheric Sciences)

Objective:

The capstone team will assess impacts of the increasing prevalence of wildfire on coastal water quality and examine the intersection of associated wildfire impacts and stakeholder needs in California. This effort supports integration of remote seeing technologies, coast process science and social sciences related to climate change.

Background:

Wildfires in the western United States are expected to increase in frequency and intensity under a changing climate. There is an urgent need to quantify and anticipate wildfire impacts on aquatic ecosystems through changing watershed hydrology and nutrient transport, with coastal ecosystem response being particularly not well understood. This limited understanding of post-fire impacts on coastal water quality and infrastructure have resulted in challenges in local agency response and management. This project will help identify and explore post-fire monitoring protocols through the lens of space and airborne remote sensing, with the goal of improving understanding of watershed scale changes due to fire impacts after an event as well as supporting coordination efforts for monitoring post fire conditions and hazards.

Suggested Approaches:

1. Develop and document understanding of stakeholder monitoring needs for post wildfire conditions and coastal impacts, in terms of datasets and technical capabilities.
2. Review remote sensing assets that can complement and resolve coastal processes impacted by fires and develop exemplar case studies to show case capabilities.
3. Report on opportunities at the intersection of remote sensing and post wildfire coastal monitoring and assessments in California.

Students should be comfortable working with computer analysis tools and a GIS analysis framework.

This project will be carried out in collaboration with scientists from the Earth Science section in the Division of Science at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California.

Friday May 17th

Circular Microgrids: Designing Integrated Energy Infrastructure

Led by Professor Ahmed Mohamed (Electrical Engineering)

Objectives

Produce a schematic design for (a) a scalable set of synergistic renewable technologiesand distributed energy resource systems, and (b) investigate their potential widespread application and economic feasibility. Use the results to propose a sustainable and cost-effective collection, storage, and distribution system of renewable energy resources.

Background

Most spaces in our built environments rely on a standard set of assumptions. One such assumption being that the inflow of raw energy resources (e.g., natural gas, electricity, and oil) to energy consumption systems (e.g., boilers, electric stoves, and vehicles) stands independent to the stream of waste products generated using the same. In other words, the still usable waste products (e.g., heat, natural gas, and oil) generated by typical energy consumption systems are assumed to be of no immediate use at their current site and are designed to be shipped off and stored in landfills, flushed down the drain, or recycled in distant central locations. 

However, in recent decades there has been an increased interest in “closing the loops” or connecting the outflows of still usable waste products to the inflows of raw energy resources. In theory, a circular use of resources would enhance the overall efficiency of a given system by increasing the proportion of energy into it while reducing the wasteout. Due to a reshuffling of technologies and laws in the built environment the speed at which this practice has been incorporated has slowed. For example, new local laws 92 and 94 in New York City require green or solar roofs, two seemingly separate systems with disparate inflows and outflows that have only begun to be implemented as scale. 

Updated design practices connecting the energy outflows and inflows of the built environment and account for new technologies and laws will be crucial for rapid wide-scale adoption of closed loop systems. The aim of this project is to produce a schematic design for a scalable set of synergistic renewable technologies and distributed energy resource systems, connect and close their loops, and investigate their potentialwidespread application.

Suggested Approaches

(1)  Identify a scalable set of synergistic renewable technologies and distributed energy resource systems relative to the most common energy consumption and waste systems in the built environment. 

An analysis of the energy inflows and outflows of the most common building and system types and the most common and relevant distributed renewable energy system typeswill help create a holistic model of the energy inflows and outflows of those systems.

(2)  Identify synergies between the various productive and consumptive systems. 

From the model created in step 1, synergies between productive and consumptive systems can be identified. For example, a green roof below raised solar panels may increase efficiency of the panels and yield bio-mass suitable for compost and generation of biogas to be used on site. 

(3)  Conduct a product and economic feasibility study. 

Impact of solar thermal and heat pumps in the energy savings for residential building in NYC

Led by Professor Nicholas Madamopoulos (Electrical Engineering)

Objective

The objective of the project is for the first time to quantify the impact of

1. Solar thermal domestic hot water and 

2. Heat pumps

in NYC.

Background

NYC has set very challenging goals for energy reduction and carbon footprint reduction (https://www.nyc.gov/assets/sustainability/downloads/pdf/publications/New%20York%20City’s%20Roadmap%20to%2080%20x%2050_Final.pdf  ).  Decarbonization is intended to be driven by the  of replacement of gas/oil heating systems with heat pumps. However, removing all fossil fuel from the equation may not be viable, since current and proposed Photovoltaics and Wind power plans may not be able be able to cover the needs.  Hence, any reduction in the energy requirements in domestic buildings will offer opportunities to meat the goals.  

Solar thermal is very underrepresented in the east coast. However, we do get a lot of sunny days in NY metropolitan area.  Solar thermal domestic hot water solutions have offered great benefits in many countries.  The interplay between solar thermal for hot water and heat pumps for space conditioning should be quantified in terms of energy content, monetary impact for the user and carbon footprint for the state.

Suggested approaches

A study of the available residential stock in New York city will be performed based on the existing Department of Energy databases.  Different simulation scenarios for 1-, 2-, 3-, 4- family homes will be developed in Energy Plus (or other simulation platform) and comparison among the reference (i.e., existing HVAC systems) and the introduction or only solar thermal, only heat pumps and both will be performed.  

The results will be analyzed to provide technical feedback on the performance of the instruments as well as serve as a guide to develop guidelines and incentive programs from the city.

Energy Use and Carbon Emissions in the United States Residential Building Sector

Led by Professor Ben Leer (Architecture) 

Objective: To calculate and compare the overall energy use of several realized residential building projects across the United States. 

Background: The building sector accounts for almost 40% of the total energy consumed in the US (2021 EIA).  Of this total about 21% is consumed by the residential sector. This total reflects the “operational energy” use of the buildings, and it does not account for the energy used to construct the building nor the amount of “embodied energy” used to extract, produce, and deliver building materials to site. For reference, the production of cement alone accounts for 8% of the total global CO₂ emissions (IEA 2020). The combination of operational and embodied energy in the residential building sector makes it one of the largest contributors to global CO₂ emissions. 

In the hopes of combating this trend, many designers and builders are trying implement better building practices to reduce both operational and embodied carbon emissions. One of the most successful building practices to reduce energy use is the Passive House Standard. The Passive House Standard is an international building certification that relies on building science and state of the art energy modeling to reduce a building’s energy consumption by up to 75%. 

This project aims to study several real-word Passive House projects across the United States. The team will analyze buildings across different climate zones comparing the energy use of each building against the current energy code. They will then study the embodied carbon associated with the materials used in construction, comparing different material choices. The final results will be a review of overall energy use for the different scenarios, both in material choice and performance targets.

Suggested Approach: 

1. Research energy use and emissions in the building sector. Including latest trends in energy modeling and embodied carbon calculations.
2. Review the current residential building energy code as it compares to the Passive House Standard.
3. Identify key projects from across different climate zones in the US.
4. Use the Passive House Energy modeling software to calculate the operational energy use of each building. 
5. Model each building in reference to the residential energy code and compare it to the energy use of the PH standard. 
6. Calculate the embodied energy associated with modeled building system
7. Compare different building materials and their effect on carbon emissions
8. Present the findings of each building, material type and energy use compared to code

Retrofitting subdivisions for sustainability in an international context: An example from Latin America

Led by Professor James Biles (International Relations/Geography)

Objective
Understand challenges to urban sustainability in an international context; Identify potential strategies to promote sustainability in low and moderate-income housing developments in the Global South; Assess sustainability of a large subdivision of social housing in the city of Mérida, Mexico; Co- create, with the participation of residents and other local actors, a strategy/ plan to remediate the challenges to sustainability in the project location.

Background
Since the early 1990s, urbanization in Mexico has been driven largely by the construction of mass- produced social housing for working poor and middle-income families. This policy agenda prioritizes development of large subdivisions of small tract houses on tiny lots, frequently on the outskirts of cities. Recent scholarly and societal debate has identified numerous shortcomings of this strategy, including urban sprawl, spatial mismatch between housing and centers of employment, and large numbers of vacant and abandoned properties. Notwithstanding these limitations, for a significantshare of Mexico’s urban population subsidized social housing is the only viable means of achieving home ownership. However, in pursuit of the efficient and profitable provision of social housing, the federal government and private-sector home builders have prioritized the construction of massive quantities of housing units at the expense of creating sustainable communities.

As part of this capstone project, I would like to work with students in the M.S. Program in Sustainability, as well as residents of the subdivision (fraccionamiento) of Jardines del Norte and other stakeholders in Mérida, a large city in Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula. This project builds on my ongoing praxis-oriented research in Mexico, which highlights the fundamental challenges of sustainability that confront cities attempting to provide “decent housing” for all. The objective is to promote sustainable community development within the large subdivisions of mass-produced tract housing that are now prevalent in Mexico’s largest urban areas. This project does not require Spanish language skills; however, capstone students should have an interest in working on an applied research project in the Global South. Potential participants will have an opportunity to apply both their theoretical knowledge and practical skills.

Suggested Approaches
(1) Review scholarly, policy and applied resources on urban sustainability, especially in the Global South (with particular emphasis on Latin America and Mexico).
(2) Gather and assess background information on social, economic and environmental conditions of the study location. Evaluate characteristics of the built environment of the subdivision.
(3) Review critical appraisal and recommendations of residents and other local stakeholders.
(4) Using combination of background information and primary data, identify most significant challenges to sustainability in study location.
(5) Using background information and feedback from local residents, identify realistic strategies to promote sustainability within the subdivision.
(6) Create a formal strategy/plan with explicit proposals to promote sustainable community development in the study location.

Climate Justice, Climate Gentrification, and Climate Solidarity

Led by Professor Zihao Zhang (Landscape Architecture)

Objective

This proposed research aims to examine the intersection of climate justice and urban design/planning in the Lower East Side of New York City (NYC). The research will provide insights and recommendations for policymakers and practitioners working to achieve climate justice and social equity in densely populated diverse cities.

Background

The effects of climate change are not evenly distributed, and vulnerable populations, such as low-income communities and people of color, are disproportionately affected by the consequences of a changing climate. The Lower East Side community, including several NYC Housing Authority (NYCHA) campuses, has witnessed the severe impacts of climate change, including flooding and storms. In response, cities like New York are implementing strategies, including green infrastructure, renewable energy, sustainable transportation, and ecological economic development. Are these strategies implemented equitably? Are the benefits of climate action distributed fairly among all members of society? 

The intersection of climate justice and urban design is critical to ensuring that vulnerable communities are not left behind in the transition to a more sustainable future. This requires an interdisciplinary approach that brings together experts from a range of fields, including urban planning, public health, social work, engineering, economics, and environmental science. This proposed project will adopt a climate justice framework to study urban planning and design efforts to mitigate climate impact in the Lower East Side of New York City, focusing on the NYCHA community, the East River Park flood wall project, and the Seward Park Extension Urban Renewal Area. 

Approaches/Methods

1. Review literature on climate justice and summarize their key concerns and concepts to construct our an analytical framework to evaluate NYC urban design proposals;
2. Use the framework to analyze published documents by city agencies and urban design firms through the lens of climate justice. 
3. Conduct GIS spatial analysis focusing on the uneven impact of climate change to NYC neighborhoods;
4. Consult with experts, activists, and designers and join public engagement meetings to observe and analyze how climate injustice manifests in the design and engagement processes. 
5. Propose alternatives and improved modes of climate adaptation practices prioritizing the well-being and desires of frontline communities

Community-Centered Hazard Mitigation Planning in NYC 

Led by Katherine Gloede Silverman (Sustainability) and the New York City Office of Emergency Management

Objective  

Evaluate community risk and vulnerability of NYC neighborhoods to increasingly severe weather events as a result of climate change to create a neighborhood-specific Hazard Mitigation Plan.  

Background  

New York City Emergency Management (NYCEM) routinely updates its Hazard Mitigation Plan. The Hazard Mitigation Plan, mandated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, breaks down hazards facing NYC, strategies that New Yorkers can use to mitigate these hazards, and strategies for reducing the impact of disasters to come. 

NYCEM is looking to better engage NYC communities in the planning process by partnering with academic institutions to create hazard mitigation planning projects for specific neighborhoods that match the needs of each selected community. Hazards impact NYC neighborhoods differently, and having a plan tailored to a community’s specific needs can mean more effective responses to disasters. 

One focus area could be inland areas of Brooklyn and Queens that were heavily impacted flash flooding during 2019 Post-Tropical Cyclone (PTC) Ida, which came with little warning and late in the evening. The historic flooding event occurred late in the evening with little warning, resulting in 13 deaths (mostly in homes with basement units) and over $781 million in damages across the city. However, community organizations would need to be located in these areas. 

Working closely with NYCEM and local community organizations, students will have the opportunity to apply urban planning skills and analysis to a multidisciplinary effort to combat the ever-growing threat of severe weather to historically underserved communities and play an integral role in creating a safer, better-prepared city.  

Suggested Approaches  

• Empower and support local community organizations to create neighborhood hazard mitigation plans that address urban planning challenges as they relate to hazardous events, climate change, and environmental justice.  

• Utilize existing preparedness and mitigation tools and resources in combination with planning skill and knowledge to support the development of a local hazard mitigation plan. 
• Document the planning process via a planning guide that details challenges, successes, and personalization added while developing the hazard mitigation plan.