2024 Portfolio — Elizabeth Sit by esitUSC

2024 Portfolio — Elizabeth Sit

elizabeth sit

eco-heights

Remediating decades of environmental injustice in Boyle Heights

Los Angeles, CA

Fall 2024

Julia Sulzer

Pulley System

Algal Photobioreactors

Movable Platforms

Access Bridges Greenhouses

Algae Harvesting Roof

Analysis/Maintenance Labs

Public Terraces

Loading Dock

Algae Growth

Algae capture solar energy through their photosynthetic pigments (such as chlorophyll), which convert sunlight into chemical energy. This energy drives all metabolic processes in the algae, including the growth and pollutant remediation processes.

Algae absorb pollutants such as heavy metals, excess nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus), organic compounds, and other contaminants from the surrounding environment (water or soil). The absorbed pollutants can be actively transported into algal cells, where they are either sequestered or degraded. Some pollutants are detoxiﬁed by enzymatic reactions or by biotransformation into less harmful compounds.

As a byproduct of photosynthesis, algae release oxygen (O2) into the surrounding environment. This oxygen not only contributes to improving water quality but also supports aerobic organisms in the ecosystem.

Algae Harvesting

Once algae have absorbed and sequestered pollutants, they are harvested to remove the contaminated biomass from the environment. Harvesting can be done using various techniques such as ﬁltration, ﬂotation, or centrifugation.

After harvesting, the algal biomass can be processed for various uses. This may include the extraction of valuable bioactive compounds, oils (for biofuel production), or proteins, as well as preparation for waste disposal or conversion into compost.

The byproducts from biomass processing, including residual pollutants, can be safely disposed of or treated further to reduce environmental impact. The processed biomass can be used as a renewable source of biofuels (e.g., biodiesel, biogas) or utilized in other industries, such as agriculture or pharmaceuticals.

Loading/Unloading

Train Platform

Train Public Courtyards

Train Entrance

Vehicle Entrance

Pedestrian Entrance

The ﬁnal products (biofuels, algal biomass, or processed byproducts) are packaged, transported, and shipped to various destinations for distribution or utilization. This may involve shipping biofuels to reﬁneries, energy plants, or commercial buyers, or transporting algal biomass for further industrial processing.