Sustain Lab

Technology and communities can have direct or indirect consequences that adversely affect quality of life. The SustainLab concept is to critically study current issues that negatively impact human quality of life and develop solutions that can be immediately deployed to help address these problems. SustainLab’s overall goal is to make long-term positive impact to communities by designing and implementing solutions that combine function and aesthetics.

The initial focus of SustainLab will use collaborations between engineering, art, and biology to design and implement a Green Wall on the VCU campus as an urban solution for carbon sequestration. In addition to the design and implementation of Green Walls, this project will investigate various aspects of urban ecology including interactions and impact of humans on natural environments. The team is looking for engineering students of all disciplines with a strong desire to participate in cross-disciplinary approaches to developing solutions for local, immediate problems.

Projects will include:

• Analyze published data to identify and define contemporary problems
• Investigate various aspects of urban ecology including interactions and impact of humans on natural environments
• Design and implement a Green Wall on the VCU campus
• Identify additional urban environmental problems that can be addressed

Interested? Contact Prof. Stephen Fong (ssfong@vcu.edu)