Net Zero Energy Buildings by Dr. Cy Yavuzturk

A net zero energy building is a building that on an annual basis consumes as much energy as it produces, effectively yielding a net zero energy and carbon emission conditions. As the operation of buildings requires a significant portion of all the energy consumed (about 40% in the United States annually), engineering design for net zero conditions has been gaining considerable attention with rising energy prices. A series of design methodologies and design alternatives along with case studies will be presented and discussed for the incorporation of passive and active renewable energy technologies, building elements and components into building systems design.

Architecture and the Environment by Prof. James Fuller, A.I.A.

When designing, architects must respond to the needs of the user. Inherent in this need is the internal environment. It must be inspiring, quieting, engaging, and responsive. And more, it must be responsible. It must be responsible to the user's needs and the natural environment we all inhabit. The internal environment - internal space - must be responsive to human needs and it must be enclosed in a shell that is responsive to the external environment; the natural environment. Through examples we will explore the current direction of architects and architecture in addressing this need to be responsive… and responsible. Green design. LEED principles and practices. Common sense. And the role of history - specifically the role of the vernacular.

 

Campus Energy Use and Reduction Potential by Dr. Thomas Filburn

College Campuses can be leaders and changes agents for society.  The University of Hartford has worked on reducing energy use purely from a cost reduction viewpoint.  This talk will examine areas that the University has incorporated renewable energy into its portfolio and opportunities for campus energy reduction across several avenues.  We will examine the residential, academic and athletic areas for opportunities to reduce energy use. The speaker will offer ideas for energy reduction and hopefully receive feedback from the audience (students, academics, general public) on their acceptability.

Sustainable Water Supplies by Dr. David Pines

Clean Water is the second most critical item for sustaining life on our planet (air is the first).  Therefore, our ability to maintain a healthy population is directly dependent on our capability at producing clean drinking water.  This seminar will discuss present methods for remediating surface water (chlorination etc.) and technologies used to reclaim other waters (e.g. desalination).  In addition this talk will discuss the present state of water capture and supply for the Hartford area.

Sustainable Transportation by Dr. Clara Fang

Transport systems have significant impacts on the environment, accounting for between 20% and 25% of world energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions. This seminar introduces some sustainable transportation technologies that improve mobility and accessibility while simultaneously reducing environmental and social impacts, and managing traffic congestion. It involves a critical review of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) technologies and strategies with a particular focus on multimodal transportation planning, alternative fuel vehicles, real time information systems, and adaptive traffic signal controls.  Reduction of greenhouse gases and other transportation-related emissions will also be discussed. 

Telecommuting or Nanotechnology in Sustainable Design and Energy Conversions By Dean Dr. Lou Manzione

This lecture will highlight the importance of two profound technological movements on the drive toward a sustainable society.  These are the technological mega-trends of the Internet and Nanotechnology.  At first these two topics seem radically opposite, but this lecture will demonstrate that both of these will play profound roles in the drive toward a sustainable future.  The evolution and explosive growth of bandwidth of the internet, as well as it ubiquity in mobile devices, will usher in a new era of interpersonal interactions that will effectively replace moving people with moving electrons.  With regard to Inner Space, Nanotechnology will create a new technological base that for the first time mimics and compliments biological operations at the molecular scale rather than harming life processes at the macro scale; a hallmark of Industrial Revolution and the Post-Industrial Age.  Nanotechnology will allow us to manipulate life forms to produce energy, manufacture genome specific drugs, and undo the damage of decades of macro-scale engineering.   You will learn how these two trends will compliment each other to create our best hope for a sustainable future.