CUSD Sponsorship Packet 2018-2019

CORNELL UNIVERSITY SUSTAINABLE DESIGN CORNELL UNIVERSITY SUSTAINABLE DESIG

RNELL UNIVERSITY SUSTAINABLE DESIGN CORNELL UNIVERSITY SUSTAINABLE DESIGN

CORNELL UNIVERSITY S U S TA I N A B L E D E S I G N

table of contents. about us

2

our history

4

by the numbers

5

current projects

10

past projects

17

future projects

22

sponsorship

24

contact us

27

stakeholders

28

alumni placement

30

“Some of the world’s biggest challenges can be solved by some of the world’s most marginalized communities themselves. The moment you inject information, education, and an entrepreneurial spark in a community, it gets empowered enough to inspire, build, and uplift itself.” ―

- Sharad Vivek Sagar

CORNELL UNIVERSITY SUSTAINABLE DESIGN | 1

about us. purpose.

Empower people to make a sustainable impact within their own communities.

mission.

Challenge students to create dynamic and innovative solutions for economic, social, and ecological difficulties faced by people around the world.

vision.

At CUSD, we aim to provide a community in which Cornell students can develop their skills, professionally engage with the real world, and have a lasting impact.

Our organization is a diverse family of students with one common goal - to create innovative approaches to holistic sustainability that engage the global community.

our values.

Impact, Diversity, Efficiency, Sustainability, Collaboration, Responsibility, Innovation, and Engagement.

Learn more by visiting our website: cusd.cornell.edu.

CORNELL UNIVERSITY SUSTAINABLE DESIGN | 2

“We said ‘we think we can do more, more than just solar.’ We knew we could make a greater impact with a broader understanding of sustainability. That’s when we made the decision to create Cornell University Sustainable Design.”

– Jeremy Blum, Co-founder of CUSD.

CORNELL UNIVERSITY SUSTAINABLE DESIGN | 3

from Solar Decathalon to CUSD. CUSD began as Cornell University Solar Decathlon, competing in the collegiate competition to design and build a full-sized, solar-powered house.

In November 2009, a group of students working on the Solar Decathlon project team realized that the project could be expanded into a wider organization promoting a more holistic vision of sustainability with less rules and more real-world applications: CUS(olar)D(ecathlon) thus became CUS(ustainable)D(esign).

The ultimate goal of CUSD was to provide an enriching, interdisciplinary, and hands-on experience for students in the hopes of realizing positive, global impact. CUSD was designed to allow students with the academic freedom to explore their interests and develop their skills, embracing the Cornell motto of “Any person, any study.”

In order to turn their dreams and aspirations into reality, the team started reaching out to real-world stakeholders. It wasn’t long before its group of 10 students began working on two projects: Schoolhouse South Africa and Sustainable Research Facilities. From there, the rest is history — CUSD simply kept on growing.

CORNELL UNIVERSITY SUSTAINABLE DESIGN | 4

by the numbers.

2009 CUSD was founded in 2009.

34

Our members come from 34 majors across Cornell.

150 10

We are a team of 150 students.

CUSD has 10 ongoing projects.

CORNELL UNIVERSITY SUSTAINABLE DESIGN | 5

150 MEMBERS 10 PROJECTS 1 MISSION

CU SD i s interdisciplinary Breakdown by college for CUSD’s Spring 2018 recruitment cycle.

ARTS, ARCHITECHTURE, AND PLANNING (14%)

A G R I C U LT U R E A N D LIFE SCIENCES (26%)

HUMAN ECOLOGY (8%)

ENGINEERING (42%)

ARTS AND SCIENCES (10%)

*information gathered from 121 applicants.

CORNELL UNIVERSITY SUSTAINABLE DESIGN | 7

...an d diverse.

Information gathered from 97 CUSD members in Fall 2017.

BY GENDER IDENTITY. 59% identified as female.

40% identified as male.

1% identified as other.

BY FAMILY BACKGROUND. 52% identified as secondgeneration American or later.

29% identified as firstgeneration American.

19% identified as international students.

CORNELL UNIVERSITY SUSTAINABLE DESIGN | 8

our spring 2018 executive board.

CORNELL UNIVERSITY SUSTAINABLE DESIGN | 9

pu a rst c re n t p ro j e c t s .

CORNELL UNIVERSITY SUSTAINABLE DESIGN | 9 CORNELL UNIVERSITY SUSTAINABLE DESIGN | 10

s eve n vert ica l te ams .

stone barns.

The Stone Barns Team is working with the Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture to reimagine waste management by seeing decaying farm matter as free, usable energy for the farm.

Our specific area of focus for this semester involves designing a system to replace a hot water heater in a barn using the heat generated from a nearby compost pile. This system will include a heart collector in the compost pile, a heat exchanger, and a heated water tank inside the barn which will dispense water for all utilities. The Stone Barns Center is a pioneer in sustainable farming, educating farms nationwide, and we hope that our optimized designs can be showcased as innovative, easily implementable systems for all.

CORNELL UNIVERSITY SUSTAINABLE DESIGN | 11

redo.

Project REDO aims to set the Green Standard of integrative waste management for zoological parks through solutions that minimize wastefulness and maximize environmental consciousness, economic sustainability, and community enrichment.

Through a partnership with the Smithsonian Institution National Zoo, REDO is building innovative solutions for zoos to manage their animal manure and food waste. Our composting solutions set the Gold Standard for zoos to make use of their waste products. We see waste and doo not as a problem, but as unique assets with educational, social, environmental, and financial benefits.

sustainable education nepal.

In collaboration with United World Schools (UWS) and Diyalo Foundation, CUSD is improving the architectural design of primary schools to create a sustainable, user-friendly environment for students in Sankhuwasaba, Nepal. We will examine the local community, culture, and resources, to fulfill the needs of students, providing them equal access to education. The project is currently in its research and development phase.

Sustainable Education (SE) is a team within CUSD focused on projects related to global education. Starting in 2009 with Schoolhouse South Africa, SE has worked in South Africa, Nicaragua, Haiti, and Ghana. Sustainable Education partners with Cornell University Systems Engineering and TetraTech, Inc.

CORNELL UNIVERSITY SUSTAINABLE DESIGN | 12

sustainable mobility.

Sustainable Mobility works with Tompkins Consolidated Area Transit (TCAT) to re-envision an integrated bus system throughout the county. A mix of engineers, designers, architects, and planners have been designing bus shelters, studying bus routes and bus stop locations, and developing a real-time bus information system interface, all informed by empathy fieldwork.

The goal is to provide insights about the system’s behavior and performance in order to prioritize development efforts.

Members are empowered to design solutions for our community and work closely with TCAT and other regional stakeholders. This is a real project with full-scale prototypes and real implementations.

tiny home.

Project Tiny Home is a mobile “Powerhouse”, an attractive, high-performance mobile tiny home with hands-on, interactive exhibits on energy efficiency, heating, lighting, solar, and other green technologies.

The exhibits will be designed to help visitors better understand how these technologies work, estimate potential savings from their use, and the steps they can take to incorporate them into their homes. Once built, the Powerhouse will be used by Get Your GreenBack Tompkins, a county campaign, to reach thousands of people from diverse audiences throughout the Southern Tier region.

CORNELL UNIVERSITY SUSTAINABLE DESIGN | 13

solarize.

In close collaboration with Cornell University Grounds, Solarize aims to create a mobile solar trailer that provides clean electricity to charge batteries for the department’s weed whackers, hedge trimmers, and other tools on the go.

Aside from the direct technical benefit, the trailer will also serve as a critical community engagement and communication function, as its presence on campus will inform the local community about the wide range of opportunities enabled by the emergence of low-cost solar technology.

With the completion of this project, Solarize will increase the grounds department’s overall efficiency and sustainability while improving awareness for solar initiatives within Cornell and the surrounding area.

currents.

The Currents team is working on highefficiency HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) sensors using various tracking technologies and machine learning that will be implemented in Cornell University’s Upson Hall.

Currents uses intelligent occupancy sensing to control the heating system for (single-professor) academic offices.

Using cutting edge technologies including machine learning, smartphone applications, sensors, and wearables we are designing a system that will accurately predict whether a professor is in their office and turn their heating on/off based on this data. Currents applies computer science and electrical engineering skills to develop a system that offers substantial energy savings.

CORNELL UNIVERSITY SUSTAINABLE DESIGN | 14

thre e horizon t a l te ams .

technical operations.

The Technical Operations team (TechOps) is in charge of managing the digital resources of CUSD to better communicate our mission and values.

Tech Ops not only oversees our general website, but they also work with our Marketing & Communications team to build web platforms that support our Vertical Teams. These specialized websites enable us to engage with and educate target audiences during outreach events.

CORNELL UNIVERSITY SUSTAINABLE DESIGN | 15

operations.

The Operations team manages the logistics of CUSD — from new member recruitment and new project development, to on-campus events, community outreach, and our finances.

Our operations team works to optimize synergies across our Vertical Teams while building and maintaining CUSD’s unique culture. Operations is responsible for laying the foundations for our organization’s long term success.

marketing & communications.

Defining the next generation of sustainable design, the Marketing & Communications team (MarComm) serves as CUSD’s core unit for graphic design and design thinking. MarComm works to inspire audiences through storytelling as they create all of CUSD’s final deliverables, ensuring they are consistent, clear, and engaging.

The team also assists our Vertical Teams in integrating human-centered design into every element of our research process and final solutions.

CORNELL UNIVERSITY SUSTAINABLE DESIGN | 16

p a st p ro j e c t s .

CORNELL UNIVERSITY SUSTAINABLE DESIGN | 17

solar decathalon. ( 2 010)

SUSTAINABLE NEIGHBORHOOD NICARAGUA a mock-up of CUSD’s 2009 Silo House.

The Solar Decathlon was the origin story for CUSD. In 2003, we started with a sustainable house design, then moved onto creating the Cornell House with its featuring ‘Light Canopy,’ ultimately finishing with the Solar Decathlon with the Silo House in 2009.

Our plan for the sustainable house design was particularly unique as it com-

bined a unique sense of architecture to allow daylight to fill the house despite the time of day. Honoring their commitment to raise public awareness, the team members worked with Ithaca city schools to introduce students to solar energy and energy efficiency. The final design was “post-agrarian,” reminding viewers of vanishing farms.

CORNELL UNIVERSITY SUSTAINABLE DESIGN | 18

schoolhouse south africa. ( 201 1)

SUSTAINABLE NEIGHBORHOOD NICARAGUA a model of SSA’s preliminary schoolhouse design.

Created through collaboration with local groups and residents, the socially-minded Schoolhouse South Africa (SSA) constructed a 6,000 sq.ft. early childhood development center and teacher training facility in Cosmo City, South Africa. The schoolhouse is a beacon for education and passive sustainable technologies. The building’s structure is cost-effective, as it uses

is cost-effective, as it uses earth-filled polypropylene bags placed inside EcoBeam frames, thus eliminating the need for active heating or cooling systems.

The building accommodates 80 students between the ages of 1-7.

The project won the Architizer A+ Pop Award, Global Best Project Best Small Project Award, and Engineering News Record’s Best Small Project.

CORNELL UNIVERSITY SUSTAINABLE DESIGN | 19

sustainable neighborhood nicaragua. ( 201 3 )

In 2011, SosteNica and CUSD partnered to design and construct a model home that relies on values of sustainability, health, beauty, and cultural continuity, while maximizing affordability.

The model house includes four eco-technologies: a composting toilet, an efficient wood burning stove, rainwater capture, and grey water treatment.

The house was built using locallysourced materials, such as earthen adobe walls, in order to respect tradition, support the local economy, reduce the use of embodied energy, and protect inhabitants from tropical heat.

It serves as a sustainable building model for more than 100 housing cooperatives throughout Nicaragua.

CORNELL UNIVERSITY SUSTAINABLE DESIGN | 20

sustainable education ghana. ( 201 7)

A photograph of the academy during a site visit in March 2018.

Sustainable Education Ghana (SEG) partnered with Voices of African Mothers, a 501(c)3 in consultative status to the UN, to work on advancing the quality of education for girls in Sogakope, Ghana. Less than 7.9% of girls in this region receive a secondary education. Through human-centered design techniques and sustainable building practices, SEG designed a schoolhouse meant to foster community and a love of learning in the students that use it.

The building SEG members have designed will be part of VAM Girls Academy; a project being developed by Voices of African Mothers to address the need for improved education and vocational training in and around Sogakope. The site consists of 200+ acres of land and one thirteen-classroom building that opened in January 2018. SEG’s use of modular design will allow the VAM Girls Academy to grow and adapt to the needs of local youth for years to come.

CORNELL UNIVERSITY SUSTAINABLE DESIGN | 21

f u t u re p ro j e c t s .

CORNELL UNIVERSITY SUSTAINABLE DESIGN | 22

SWEEP. SWEEP (Solid Waste Environmental Excellence Protocol) is set to become the waste management equivalent of LEED certification. We’re working on this project with Cornell Sustainability Consultants (CSC) and Rob Watson (creator of LEED).

Set to launch in Fall 2018, this project entails collecting and analyzing data on waste management in Ithaca, and researching best practices for reducing waste and new technologies to reuse waste. We’ll be focusing on conversion technology for waste materials and conducting an infrastructure analysis, while CSC focuses on governance.

ROOTS. In collaboration with its stakeholder Social Awareness Newer Alternatives (SANA), Roots will focus on the development of an innovative and informative two-acre demonstration plot for small-holder farmers in India.

This exhibit will be designed to showcase cutting-edge agricultural practices that will improve crop yield while reducing waste and resource usage.

The project is currently in its research phase. Topics of study include the following: permaculture, crop rotation, hydroponics and aeroponics, vermicompost, rainwater harvesting, and sustainable irrigation methods.

ALTERNATIVE RECYCLING CORNELL. Established in Fall 2017 as a project team and integrated into CUSD in Spring 2018, Alternative Recycling Cornell (ARC) will involve completing work on a plastic shredder and creating a plastic mold-injector to reshape plastic waste into other simple materials. Eventually, we plan to introduce this alternative waste system to the local Cornell/Ithaca community, where we can re-purpose plastic waste on a broader scale.

Additionally, ARC will consist of community outreach, educating local elementary school students and the general public about recycling.

A Project REDO meeting.

CORNELL UNIVERSITY SUSTAINABLE DESIGN | 23

sponsorship.

CORNELL UNIVERSITY SUSTAINABLE DESIGN | 24

sponsorship.

CUSD depends on the generous support of its sponsors and could not exist without them. By making a contribution to CUSD, you can become a sponsor and help us continue our sustainability efforts in communities around the world.

For donations, please visit tinyurl.com/cusd-sponsorship.

Additionally, please fill out this quick donation form tinyurl.com/cusd-partnership.

ways to sponsor the team.

Monetary donations, software donations, and hardware donations beneficial to our team(s) will be accepted.

terms of sponsorship.

All monetary and parts donations reserve your sponsorship level for one academic year. If you choose to move up a sponsorship level mid-year (i.e. Bronze to Silver), this change will take effect immediately.

host an information session with CUSD. cost of one on-campus info session: $250 Not ready for sponsorship just yet? Hosting an info session with CUSD is great way for your company to reach out to highly-qualified and engaged Cornell students majoring in related fields.

Together through our strong, long-standing campus presence, we can help expose high-achieving students to your employment opportunities and cater to your specific needs to organize and advertise a custom event that will maximize your recruitment efforts.

CORNELL CORNELL UNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY SUSTAINABLE SUSTAINABLE DESIGN DESIGN| |22 25

sponsorship tiers. bronze.

$300 - $500

Small-sized logo on website.

Host 1 info session on campus.

Invitation to CUSD Final Expo.

Access to CUSD Resume Book.

silver.

$501 - $1500

Medium-sized logo on website.

Host 2 info sessions on campus Invitation to CUSD Final Expo.

Invitation to one design sprint for a project team of your choice.

Access to the CUSD Resume Book.

gold.

$1501 - $5000

Large-sized logo on website.

Host up to 4 info sessions on campus.

Invitations to two design sprints for teams of your choice.

Access to resume book.

Logo displayed at CUSD’s Final Expo and Invitation to Final Expo.

Logo included on alumni newsletter (sent out three times a semester)

platinum.

$5000+

If you would like to donate more than $5,000, please contact us by emailing our Director of Operations.

We would be happy to extend to you all of the benefits of our Gold Tier as well as any number of mutually agreed upon custom benefits.

CORNELL UNIVERSITY SUSTAINABLE DESIGN | 26

contact us.

DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS TJ Ball | tb357@cornell.edu project team directors.

SOLARIZE. Adam Poluka (alp247@cornell.edu)

TECHNICAL OPERATIONS. Bella Weaver (iw72@cornell.edu)

TINY HOME. Oksana Bihun (onb4@cornell.edu)

MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS. Kenneth Yeung (ky284@cornell.edu)

REDO. Zeyu Hu (zh75@ cornell.edu)

ARC. Kristen Ajmo (kla67@cornell.edu)

CURRENTS. Camille Rucker (car285@cornell.edu)

ROOTS. Margot Pitney (map374@cornell.edu)

SUSTAINABLE MOBILITY. Joaquin Jerez (jbj56@cornell.edu)

SUSUTAINABLE EDUCATION NEPAL. May Zhou (mz278@cornell.edu)

Peter McKendall (prm66@cornell.edu)

Learn more at https://cusd.cornell.edu and on our Facebook page. For donations, please visit http://bit.ly/cusd-sponsorship/

CORNELL UNIVERSITY SUSTAINABLE DESIGN | 27

where are our members now?

Traversing many diverse professional fields, our alumni are leaders in industries including, but not limited to, engineering, business, design, digital media, journalism, government & policy, law, and more.

CORNELL UNIVERSITY SUSTAINABLE DESIGN | 28

CORNELL UNIVERSITY SUSTAINABLE DESIGN | 29

our current and past stakeholders.

CORNELL UNIVERSITY SUSTAINABLE DESIGN | 30