The urbanSHED International DesignCompetition challenged the global design community to create a new standard of sidewalk shed design and develop a prototype worthy of today’s New York City.

The engineering students innovative design combined elements of gothic revival architecture and recent developments in sustainable design to create an iconic pedestrian experience.

Students interested in sustainable development and mechanical engineering design should contact Marty Odlin at mo2384@columbia.edu.

The Modi Research Group is working on the development of a solar thermal concentrator. Project openings are now available for interested engineering students.

Student Energy Modeling Project: Chennai, India

The design and construction industry is faced with the dual challenges of a globalizing industry/workforce and the critical societal need of developing energy efficient infrastructure.  This industry will require the capacity to assess the energy use of a building and to quantify the savings attributable to the proposed designs.  

Students in Professor John E. Taylor’s advanced systems and technology course participated in a joint energy modeling exercise of a new residence hall at the Indian Institute of Technology in Madras.

The students not only had the opportunity to travel to a developing country and make recommendations to improve the energy efficiency of a building being designed in that country, but they also were exposed to some of the difficulties of executing a complex engineering modeling task in a global cross-cultural team.

The students used a software package that allows designers to work in 3D and simulate different options to test the energy efficiency of the building. Ecotect enables architects and engineers to address design principles such as solar, thermal, shading, lighting, and airflow, in order to make a more environmentally friendly design. 

Contact: Professor John E. Taylor (212-854-1182; taylor@civil.columbia.edu)

Download the Spring 2009 Report