A joint team composed of uOttawa engineering students and architecture students from Carleton University reminded us of the importance of collaboration by putting their efforts together to showcase the significance of sustainable designs.
Peter Fisher and Alec Rancourt from EECS as well as Gandhi Habash and Daniel Chapotchkine from Carleton University shared prize money totalling $3,500. The RBC Foundation also granted the team a matching donation for its university.
The Evolve Sustainable Design Competition is an annual competition open to post-secondary students in architecture, engineering, and related programs across Canada. The students are asked to work in a multidisciplinary team to design sustainable buildings for the future. This competition, hosted by B+H Architects and the Royal Bank of Canada, includes three grand prizes: Winner: $5,000; First Runner-Up: $3,500; and Second Runner-Up: $1,500.
For the second annual Evolve Sustainable Design competition, participants were required to design a net-zero energy (NZE) and water-wise sports research institute, which is an integrated renewable energy sources and energy conservation facility.
Professor Riadh Habash from EECS who coached the team explained:
“The aim of the competition was to offset at least 90% of the total anticipated energy use of a 16,000 sq. ft. sports research facility. Through architectural design and energy modeling, the team was able to achieve an 89% energy offset through incorporating various sustainable techniques. Among other strategies, their proposal incorporates a unique photovoltaic/thermal glazing system, designed to maximize on-site energy production."
