Spring 2025 Teams

13. NATURE-BASED SOLUTIONS FOR URBAN SUSTAINABILITY AND RESILIENCE: EVALUATING GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE’S CO-BENEFITS IN MANHATTAN: Sarwat, Anthony, Nursel, and Belkiz

16. Exploring Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDs) for flood mitigation and renewable energy in Nigeria: Tawfiq and Wasiu

7. Optimal Structural Design for Low-Carbon Concrete Structures: Dylan and Carlos

14. Climate Justice Hub Partner Organization and Environment Support Project: Munevver and Aron

12. Assessment of Urban Heat Mitigation Strategies with Precision Remote Sensing of Thermal Signatures in New York City: Amanda, Lisa, and Julia

9. Harlem Retrofit Lab and Design Partnership: Tyler and Barry

Schedule of Workshops and Topics to be Covered

Unless otherwise specified, all will be online over Zoom and will run on Fridays from 5:00 – 6:30pm. Below is the drafted schedule for Spring, 2025 subject to minor changes to reflect the academic calendar. 

• Weekly, Fridays 5PM-6:30PM 
• All meetings will be online, some with an in person option. 

• February 7th (students and faculty)
• Individual introductions: each student please say your name/pronouns, academic background, capstone project, what you hope to get out of the project, what you see as a potential challenge to meeting your project goals, and one item from the readings you found compelling.
• A review of the syllabus and expectations for mentors as well as students
  • Minimum 25 pages in final paper per group member (not including appendices/ bibliographies)
  • Group members may receive different grades 
  • Must produce new deliverables that build on a literature review of existing research (examples of what is and what is not enough)
  • Review of drafted, optional grading rubric for mentors
  • Review of CUNY academic integrity policy
  • Mid Year: Presentation and early draft. 
• Save the Date: Friday May 16th for Mid Year Presentations (all day/evening). 
• Description of Assignment #1: A group PML entry (due the following Wednesday) 

• February 14th
• Back to Basics! Background research/literature review and healthy citation management
• Description of on campus research tools
• The benefits of diagramming your research project
• Assignment #2: Diagram your project for next workshop as a group and be ready to discuss it (see site resources for various software you might want to use)
• Finally, each student will workshop a personal writing sample (no more than one page) from another class with another student selected at random. 

• February 21st
• Diagram discussions from each group and conversation 
• Back to Basics! What makes a good paper? 
• Description of Annotated Bibliographies 
• Description of Assignment #3: Unique Annotation Entries from Each Group Member on Same Source

• February 28th
• Back to Basics! What makes a good presentation?
• Description of Assignment #4: For next class, each student should prepare a 5 minute, scripted lightning talk (with slides) on one of the key resources for their background research/literature review. Students should be prepared to give feedback on presentations next class. 
• Discussion of annotations from each student in breakout groups as teams

• March 7th
• Lightning talks and feedback

• March 14th
• Lightning talks and feedback

• March 21st
• Remaining lightning talks and feedback
• Final paper formatting discussion and description of mid-year expectations

• March 28th
• Back to Basics! Research methods
• Description of Assignment #5: For next class, each group should be prepared to discuss what research methods their project might use and why. Students should be prepared to give feedback. 
• Students bring a personal writing sample (no more than 1 page) to workshop to discuss in small groups of ~3. 

• April 4th
• Research methods discussion from each team and IRB discussion
• Description of Assignment #6: Mid-Year Presentation Drafts. Each group should prepare a maximum of a half hour talk on their work so far (each group member should speak) and we will have one or two talks per week. This is considered a longer “rough draft” of the mid year presentation.
• Final writing workshop: students discuss paper outlining in teams/swap pieces of mid-year report

• Spring Recess, no workshop April 11th or April 18th

• April 25th (faculty advisors welcome)
• Mid-year draft presentations

• May 2nd (faculty advisors welcome) 
• Mid-year draft presentations

• May 9th (faculty advisors welcome) 
• Mid-year draft presentations

Friday May 16th, Mid-Year Presentations (with final presentations–hold all day/evening).

20-30 minute maximum concise presentation from each group, 15-20 minutes of feedback and discussion.

Projects on Offer for a Spring, 2025 Start

1. Understanding and Predicting Dzud Events and Their Impacts in Middle and High Latitude Drylands

Led by Professor Kyle McDonald (Earth and Atmospheric Sciences)

Objective:
Students will characterize dzud event risk and severity, assessing relationships between remote sensing

datasets (e.g. soil moisture, vegetation stress, landscape freeze/thaw state), dzud events, and associated socioeconomic impacts. Based on this analysis, students will develop an assessment framework for use in risk mitigation strategies. The understanding gained supports integration of physical and social sciences into decision making for anticipatory action.

Background:
Drylands in the middle and high latitudes have harsh environments with characteristically cold and arid

climates. The livelihoods of the people inhabiting these areas are threatened by constant climate-related natural hazards. Dzud is the Mongolian term for a natural disaster resulting from harsh winter conditions that reduce availability or accessibility of pastures, leading to an extensive loss of livestock/wildlife from either starvation or cold during the winter-spring. These events occur in grasslands and tundra in significant portions of the mid to high latitudes, covering approximately 45% of Earth’s terrestrial area. In Central Asia, these events have significant humanitarian impacts because they affect local livestock populations, especially in Mongolia where approximately 30% of the workforce is dependent on herding for a substantial part of their livelihoods. In North America, these events are called winter kill, and they can result in massive die-offs of wildlife.

The current dzud early warning system in Mongolia has been in place since 2015 and is developed by the Information and Research Institute of Meteorology, Hydrology and Environment (Mongolia) in collaboration with Nagoya University in Japan. However, fully characterizing summer and winter conditions associated with dzud risk has been a challenge, and false positives associated with prediction of dzud events are high.

This capstone study seeks to employ state-of-the-art remote sensing datasets collected from Earth orbit to develop risk and severity assessments for dzud events and associated socioeconomic impacts to inhabitants of dzud-prone regions. Initial emphasis will be on the dryland steppe of Mongolia where records of dzud events are available. Extension to other parts of the terrestrial high latitudes will include analysis of die-off events in North America.

Suggested Approaches:

1. (i)  Investigate the relationship between dzud event occurrence, non-frozen season soil moisture (SM)conditions, vegetation water stress, and winter/autumn/spring freeze/thaw (FT) state conditions using remote sensing datasets, ground-based station data, and dzud occurrence data. NASA’s Soil Moisture Active-Passive (SMAP) mission provides SM and land surface FT state datasets beginning in 2015. NASA’s ECOSTRESS mission provides vegetation water stress and precision thermal data characterizing surface temperature for approximately the last three years. Explore the role of FT timing and past summer SM for different vegetation zones in Mongolia.
2. (ii)  Produce remote sensing-informed dzud risk maps based on prior summer soil moisture, current freeze/thaw state conditions, and ancillary datasets through an analysis conducted in a GIS framework supporting multi-criteria decision analysis.
3. (iii)  Extend results to the regions of the global middle and high latitudes.
4. (iv)  Conduct risk and socioeconomic impact assessments.

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 Carbon Cycle and Ecosystems group in the Division of Science at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California.

2. Creating Living Biomaterials from Photosynthetic Microorganisms

Led by Professor Lane Gilchrist (Chemical Engineering)

Objective

After researching living biomaterials, propose a sustainable biomaterial design that can solve a bioremediation problem.

Background

New biomaterials with an extraordinary combination of properties can be fashioned from living cells, including the ability to self-heal and adapt to changing environmental conditions. The metabolic functions of the living cells contained within the biomaterial structures can be used for heavy metal and toxic compound bioremediation with the cellular polymers forming load bearing structures that can be grown in place. In suitable designs they can self-assemble autonomously and grow into prepatterned structures, forming novel sustainable and economical biomaterials that harness cellular functions and structural elements.

Suggested Approach

(i) Initiation of the project by undertaking an extensive literature review of photosynthetic organisms and sustainable biomaterials.

(ii) Find a viable application for the engineered living material and compare with other abiotic systems currently applied.

(iii) Select different base microorganisms from different photosynthetic species based on biomaterial forming potential. Determine their growth characteristics and potential viability within renewable polymer matrices. Design an starting living biomaterial combination of organism and matrix and assess the performance characteristics in the desired application. Perform a comparative sustainability analysis of the living biomaterial, using life cycle assessment.

(iv) Time permitting, work with a bioengineering lab to collaborate on the implementation of the design.

3. Community-Centered Hazard Mitigation Planning in NYC 

Led by Katherine Gloede Silverman (Sustainability) with support from NYCEM 

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. 

4. Climate Justice, Climate Gentrification, and Climate Solidarity

Led by Professor Zihao Zhang (Landscape Architecture)

Objective

This proposed research examines the intersection of climate justice and urban design/planning in cities like New York. 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

This is a continuation of a 2023-24 capstone project. Through literature review, attending public forums and community advisory group meetings, and talking with experts, the current team has unpacked the notion of climate justice through the lenses of decoloniality, community engagement, and environmental/climate gentrification. This year, the new team will continue the research to deepen our understanding of the complexity of climate justice issues. This project will contribute to the College-wide Research Vision –  Climate Solidarity.

Approaches/Methods

•     Literature review

•     Participate in community advisory group meetings and public forums

•     Interview with experts

•     Geospatial analysis and GIS Online story mapping

5. An analysis of the economic and environmental impact of the U.S. EPA’s Brownfields and Land Revitalization programs in New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. 

Led by Professor Angelo Lampousis (Earth and Atmospheric Sciences)

Objective

Perform research evaluating the costs for environmental assessments, site characterization, and ultimate clean up and remediation of New York’s and New Jersey’s most contaminated sites.  Make recommendations for prioritizing the selection of candidate sites for environmental clean-up and redevelopment based on the estimated benefits in the annual household income of communities surrounding these sites.  

Background

A brownfield is a property where expansion, redevelopment or reuse may be complicated by the presence or potential presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant or contaminant.  

EPA’s Brownfields Program supports land revitalization by providing grants and technical assistance to help communities clean up and sustainably reuse brownfield sites. The program distributes funds appropriated annually by Congress through competitive grants, non-competitive funding and technical assistance.

EPA’s Land Revitalization Program goes beyond site assessment and cleanup to support local community efforts to identify practical reuse options, remove barriers to site reuse, integrate sustainable and equitable approaches and attract resources. Land revitalization includes several different types of site reuse planning activities that can help communities understand local market conditions, financial feasibility and site design reuse scenarios.

This project will begin by analyzing the history of EPA funding in New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands and its economic and environmental impact effect on the surrounding communities. Finally, the study will focus on specific sites, and for each will propose site design reuse scenarios. 

Suggested Approaches

Understand the science of Phase I and Phase II environmental site assessments, site characterization, environmental clean-up and remediation. Create visualizations of the economic and environmental impact of the U.S. EPA’s Brownfields program in New York and New Jersey over time using GIS.

Identify practical reuse options, remove barriers to site reuse, integrate sustainable and equitable approaches and attract resources.

Pre-requisites/Ideal Team

The ideal team would be interdisciplinary including environmental engineering, architecture, economics, planning, and policy. 

Recommended Reading

• ASTM E1527-21 Standard Practice for Environmental Site Assessments: Phase I Environmental Site Assessment Process
• ASTM E1903-19 Standard Practice for Environmental Site Assessments: Phase II Environmental Site Assessment Process
• The Brown Agenda by Richard Fuller and Damon DiMarco. 

6. Affordable Housing, Climate, and Environmental Justice

Led by Professor Yana Kucheva (Sociology) 

Objective
The objective of this project is to couple microscale measures of climate and environmental
risks, building-level and neighborhood-level analyses of vulnerability, and quantitative and
qualitative research of current responses to climate risk to develop a new framework for
affordable housing resilience in the face of climate change and environmental harm. Climate
modeling and data visualizations will be built into policy scenarios that place housing justice at
the forefront of repairing past urban planning harms and identifying actionable climate and
environmental solutions.

Background
Housing is a critical element of any infrastructural investment strategy as safe and affordable
housing provides the needed security and stability for residents – particularly families with
children – to thrive. Affordable housing in high-opportunity neighborhoods with good schools,
good jobs, and healthy environments supports vibrant communities, connects workers to jobs,
and helps families climb the economic ladder. Due to the projected increase in the duration and
intensity of extreme weather events, such as heat waves and flooding, the U.S. affordable
housing infrastructure might soon face catastrophic losses to its availability and habitability.
According to current estimates, as much as a third of the housing stock in the U.S. is at risk from
disasters related to climate change. Nationally, more than 2.1 million federally assisted
affordable housing units are in what the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
considers high-risk areas, or areas that are expected to have high economic losses due to
environmental hazards. By 2050, the number of affordable housing units vulnerable to regular
flooding will triple. As the costs to adapt the current infrastructure to climate change are already
high, cities continue to focus both their affordable housing policy and disaster responses on
short-term solutions at the expense of socially equitable long-term planning that addresses the
dual slow-moving crises of unaffordability and climate change.

Suggested approaches
The project aims to answer the following research questions:
1) What is the exposure of federally assisted affordable housing to heat, flooding, and air pollution?
How does this risk vary by program type? How does it compare to the respective climate and
pollution risks in low-income communities in general? What is the contribution of the federally
assisted affordable housing program to the concentration of low-income renters and renters of
color in communities with the greatest exposure to heat, flooding, and pollution?
2) How are local housing authorities, housing policy makers, and communities living in federally
assisted units preparing for climate change? What are their data needs in terms of preparing
actionable plans for climate change and rectifying past environmental injustices?
3) In what ways does federal housing policy aimed at low-income renters need to change to redress
the inequitable exposure of low-income communities and communities of color to environmental
injustices and to protect the affordable housing stock from the effects of climate change

To answer these research questions, we will first develop a database that combines housing data,
climate data, pollution data, and land use data from a variety of national-level public sources. We will
then establish a web-based platform with interactive visualizations and develop a Hazard Risk Score
(HRS) for every federally assisted building in the U.S. We will test and validate the national Hazard
Risk Scores (HSR) with local New York City data. As we integrate our data on heat and flooding
with administrative data on housing and data on environmental exposures to unhealthy environments,
we will examine organizational practices of local housing authorities and other public stakeholders as
models for adaptive responses to climate change with respect to affordable housing.

Notes
Parts of this project require some prior knowledge of statistical and GIS applications (e.g., R,
Stata, ArcGIS).

7. 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.

8. Assessing Water Security in Ukraine:
Monitoring Changes in Fresh Water Resources and Associated Societal Impacts with Remote Sensing Datasets

Led by Prof. Kyle McDonald, Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences

Objective:
The objective of this project is to develop remote sensing-based assessments of fresh water resources in Ukraine from time periods extending from pre-conflict to the present, quantify changes in those resources resulting from the on-going war in Ukraine, and assess societal impacts associated with effects of the war on Ukraine’s water resources. Project efforts will focus on the Dnieper River basin and regions of conflict therein.

Background:
The current war in Ukraine drives an urgent need for actionable information to address response and recovery issues associated with damage to Ukraine’s infrastructure and environment. This includes assessments of damage to infrastructure associated with Ukraine’s fresh water resources. The Dnieper River basin provides Ukraine’s primary source of fresh water for human consumption and agricultural irrigation. Much of this water is stored (impounded) in reservoirs, ponds, and lakes., many of which are artificial, having been constructed in the 1960s. Individual water bodies range in size from a few to several hundred hectares. Remote sensing imagery from Earth-orbiting Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) is well-suited to monitoring surface water and changes in surface water associated with such water bodies over broad regions. This project will employ remote sensing data from multiple sources to assess areal changes in lakes, ponds and reservoirs associated with the war in Ukraine, and relate this change to associated threats to Ukraine’s water security. Regional-specific analyses will consider changes in occupied territories and assessment of water use through census records.

Suggested Approaches:

1. Develop annual and seasonal maps of water reservoirs, lakes, and ponds using multiple sources of radar and optical remote sensing image data including SAR remote sensing imagery from the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Sentinel-1 satellite, the Japanese space agency (JAXA) ALOS PALSAR and ALOS-2 PALSAR 2 satellites, and USGS Landsat and ESA Sentinel-2 satellites.
2. Using these remote sensing products, assess distribution and change in distribution of reservoirs, lakes, and ponds across multiple years extending from pre-conflict time periods to the present.
3. Assess societal impacts related to, e.g., water resources for consumptive use and irrigation, associated with the war in Ukraine.
4. Assess improvements to remote sensing products provided by the NASA-ISRO SAR (NISAR) satellite (https://nisar.jpl.nasa.gov/) as datasets come available \ after its operation begins (presently expected before the end of 2024), and from NASA’s Surface Water Ocean Topography (SWOT) satellite (https://swot.jpl.nasa.gov/), launched in December 2022.

Remote sensing analyses will be carried out using tools available on-line, such as ESA’s SNAP toolbox, Google Earth Engine, and QGIS. Students should be comfortable working with or motivated to learn computer analysis tools and a GIS analysis framework to support analysis of remote sensing data.

This project will be carried out in collaboration with scientists from the NATO Climate Change and Security Center of Excellence (CCASCOE), Montreal, Canada, and the Earth Science Section in the Division of Science at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California.

9. 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

10. Using social justice principles to retrofit a subdivision for sustainability in Mexico

Led by Prof. James Biles (International Studies/Colin Powell School)

Objectives

(1) Identify challenges to urban sustainability in an international context; (2) Understand urban sustainability from a social justice perspective; (3) Evaluate potential interventions to promote sustainability in low and moderate-income housing subdivisions (fraccionamientos) in southern Mexico; (4) Design, in collaboration with residents, city government agencies, and a local community- based organization, several projects to transform the built environment of a subdivision of “social interest housing” in a large city in Mexico based on the principles of social justice and urban sustainability.

Background

Since the early 1990s, Mexico has made a concerted effort to combat housing deprivation and improve access to essential urban infrastructure. The country’s urban development policy agenda during this time has emphasized the construction of large subdivisions (fraccionamientos) of small, “social interest” tract houses on tiny lots, frequently on the outskirts of large cities. This strategy has contributed to a significant decrease in the population living in “marginalized” areas, both in relative and absolute terms. However, the fraccionamiento approach suffers from several serious shortcomings with respect to urban sustainability, including sprawl, excessive automobile dependence, limited green space and access to basic services, and lack of diversity, inclusivity and social cohesion. During the past year, a small team of students and faculty affiliated with the MS Program in Urban Sustainability has collaborated with residents of Jardines del Norte, a fairly typical “social interest housing” subdivision in Mérida, Mexico, and INDAGAR, a local community development organization, to identify potential interventions to improve quality of life in the fraccionamiento. This collaboration has resulted in a detailed report which identifies a proposal to retrofit the main avenue of the subdivision based on the principles of “socially just” urban sustainability. As part of this capstone project, I would like to work with a team of Urban Sustainability students, Jardines del Norte residents, INDAGAR, and government agencies in Mérida to implement the proposed retrofit strategy. Specifically, the Urban Sustainability capstone team will collaborate with local stakeholders on the design of a green pedestrian mall and four pocket parks. 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 gain hands-on experience with urban design software applications (for example CityCAD, GardenCAD and Streetscape Pro) and apply both their theoretical and practical knowledge and skills.

Suggested Approaches

(1) Review and assess background information on social, economic and environmental conditions of the study location. Evaluate characteristics of the built environment of the subdivision;

(2) Review proposed retrofitting strategy for Jardines del Norte subdivision;

(3) In collaboration with local stakeholders, make any final revisions to proposed retrofit strategy;

(4) Identify and evaluate examples of similar retrofit initiatives in Mexico and other contexts;

(5) Based on proposed retrofit strategy, create initial design for green pedestrian mall and pocket parks;

(6) Incorporate knowledge and feedback of subdivision residents and other stakeholders to modify retrofit design features;

(7) Present final design of retrofit features to local stakeholders.

11. Revitalization/Decarbonization of 3 Small Former Coal Mining Cities: A Holistic Approach to Uncovering their Assets, Untapped Resources, and Synergistic Opportunities

Led by Professor Hillary Brown (Architecture, emeritus Program Director)

Objective:  

Economic revitalization of three interconnected small cities through an assessment of local resources, commerce, industry and infrastructure. This project undertakes an initial exploration of various sustainable and synergistic opportunities in parallel with, and in support of a larger ongoing public/private/academic initiative, CPS II AMLER.*

Background:

In Central Pennsylvania, three small post-industrial settlements—Shamokin (pop. 6,803), Kulpmont (pop. 2,703), and Mount Carmel (pop. 5,635)—are closely linked by a main thoroughfare, Route 61, that runs through a valley in the Anthracite coal belt. The percentage of persons below the poverty line averages 18 percent across the three cities. All three have lost population over the last several decades and today the remaining occupants are mostly elderly and retirees. There is a good deal of commercial and industrial building vacancy, and the residential areas are comprised of closely spaced two- or three-story, mostly owner-occupied homes. The cities lack adequate tree coverage, causing summer heat island, and make walking undesirable.  Stormwater is a major problem. However, the valley is surrounded with state forests and has recreational assets. 

Overall, the three towns collectively support several commercial enterprises, share municipal infrastructure, and host industry that begin to suggest opportunities for integration as a circular economy as part of an overall economic revitalization effort.

A key aspect of this project is the reclamation of abandoned surface mines that once yielded anthracite coal but today contribute to the noxious pollution of “acid mine drainage” (AMD) that has contaminated the waterways of Coal Run and Shamokin Creek that connect the three towns. There have been clean-up efforts, but much AMD remains at large. The project will research new technologies to assist this effort. Moreover, new technologies are also being piloted for valorizing the actual coal waste material and further research could help quantify the benefits of recovered resources. 

Suggested Approaches: 

1. Research area and settlement history and the immediate bioregion; review current strategic plans for revitalization
2. Using google maps and the internet, followed by a site visit, students will undertake a holistic scan and create an account of the town’s industrial, commercial and public works assets that might contribute to a closed loop framework for exchanging and valorizing waste.
3. Research to identify the potential waste streams from these various facilities. 
4. Prepare material illustrating the components and potential exchanges
5. Research new and existing technologies that will complement the cleanup of coal mine waste and acid drainage. Develop conceptual costs.
6. Consider potential synergies across the various assets that could be explored.
7. Write up summary that can be the basis of further study by others.

*The objective of the AMLER-Farmland Program is the reclamation of a surrounding hills comprised of waste coal piles. As part of an economic revitalization initiative, it will also provide infrastructure for a new industry in Pennsylvania. It will reclaim waste coal sites through Industrial Hemp planting below elevated solar arrays producing site- and community energy. Products planned for revenue generation include: hemp seed, biopellets, biomass, Hemp Oil, biodegradable plastic, and other products and research opportunities. AMLER will also provide community development programs, job training and career placement.

NOTES:

Team Qualifications:  

REQUIRED Architect and/or planner; REQ. Science background, Landscape Arch; Engineering background and Social Science background.  

12. Assessment of Urban Heat Mitigation Strategies with Precision Remote Sensing 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.

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

Team: Nursel Bal, Anthony Pearson, Sarwat Yunus, Lisa Bloodgood (needs advisor)

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.

14. 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. 

15. Safety of Large-scale Battery Installations on the Public Grid – Proposal

Team Members: BARRY TUCH (Needs advisor)

Objectives
1) Identify and rate the major safety hazards and risk factors for grid-based lithium battery storage systems.
2) Assess and rate current and planned risk mitigation measures that reduce the risk factors identified above.
3) Propose additional risk mitigation measures or alternatives that are both cost effective and will significantly enhance the safety of these devices.
The goal of this project is to advance the safety controls and protocols used for grid-based lithium battery systems so that communities where it would be installed can have greater confidence in the safety of the technology.
Background
Lithium battery energy storage and energy storage in general on the public grid is a key piece of technology needed to support the large scale roll out of renewable energy. The roll out of lithium battery energy storage has faced real safety issues and concerns in the public arena. In a proposed installation I am familiar with, current advice for managing a fire was to simply let it burn out. A fire could potentially result in meltdown. The residue from a fire is highly toxic. These risks, among others, make technology inappropriate for densely populated areas or areas where the fire management teams are not fully trained and equipped for the kinds of fires that are possible. It’s inappropriate for areas where ground pollution from a disaster has the potential to easily spread out from the site where the battery farm was constructed.
While I am sympathetic to technologies that support the transition to renewables, grid operators must be able to deploy them without compromising the safety of the communities where the installations take place.
In a larger sense, one would not want lithium battery technology to become the pariah that nuclear power has become because providers were not fully prepared to deal with risks of the technology.
Suggested Elements of the Approach
Research and survey the public record, research literature, vendor and documentation for the following:
1) Major safety related hazards and risk factors on grid-based lithium battery storage systems.
2) Risk mitigation measures that are currently used to reduce the major known risk factors.
3) Cases where the risks were realized. What were the lessons learned from those occurrences?
Partner with engineering team members to assess and define the following in detail:
1) Discuss additional risk mitigation measures with members of a relevant community to determine what (if anything) would improve community opinion of this type of project.
2) Identify and discuss new risk mitigation controls in the vendor and research pipeline and assess their effectiveness.
3) Propose additional risk mitigation measures or alternatives that are both cost effective and will significantly enhance the safety of these devices.

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

Led by Professor Naresh Devineni (Civil Engineering)

Team: Tawfiq Zubairu and Wasiu Alimi

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.