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Department of Mechanical Engineering

Industry/University Cooperative Projects Center

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International Center for Appropriate and Sustainable Technology (ICAST)

With a current population of 6 billion, the world has become a place that is more crowded, more consuming, and more polluting than at any time in history. Sustainable development is perhaps the most logical way for people to meet their future needs while simultaneously nurturing and restoring the environment.

There is a dire need for a new generation of businesses and engineering solutions that are consistent and in harmony with available natural and human resources to meet the challenges and needs of communities worldwide, while preserving and nurturing our natural capital, cultural diversity, and richness.

Key aspects of ICAST's charter are to:

Facilitate the development and dissemination of appropriate technologies that serve developing communities, through our partnership of educational institutions, private enterprises, government and non-government organizations;
Develop economically viable enterprises based on the appropriate technologies developed, creating jobs and increasing the standard of living in developing communities;

Project Objective

The goal of this project is to develop an economically viable and technologically feasible bio-energy facility to provide heat to public building(s) in Colorado's San Luis Valley using sawmill and forest waste (collectively referred to as "woody biomass"). Students will work with the ICAST project mentor to size and design a facility meeting selection criteria developed through community feedback. Additional design considerations include the required capital investment, jobs created by the technology options, and meeting air pollution standards.

Note: Contact Dr. Pawlas at gpawlas@aol.com for more details on the project background and objective