The Cathedral of Learning on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh in Oakland
Nate Doughty
Five finalists have been named by the University of Pittsburgh to advance to the final stage of the Pitt Sustainability Challenge, whose winner will help the university obtain its goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2037.
The winning team or organization will also receive a $300,000 award after demonstrating a pitch to a solution successfully balancing equity, the environment and economics that can then ensure the success of future generations.
These are the five finalists and their respective pitches:
- Ecotone Renewables: Anaerobic Digestion Technology — uses the startup's Zero Emissions Upcycling System (ZEUS), which can perform an advanced method of composting at scale and autonomously via the processing of food waste on Pitt's campus
- Pitt Green Labs: Chill Up Challenge — aims to enhance the use of freezers by researchers across Pitt campuses via rebates and incentives to those who share freezer space, among other desires
- S&B USA Construction: Panther Tracks — will help Pitt transition vehicles coming to and operating on its campus to electric alternatives via a two-part solution
- University of Pittsburgh: CO2IReduce — looks to collect data that will be compiled for an individual dashboard for anyone on the Pittsburgh campus to see how they can use space more efficiently as part of an effort to help reduce their carbon footprint
- University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown: Geothermal Tunnels Feasibility Study — hopes to launch a study on the possibility of harnessing geothermal energy from the mines below Pitt's Johnstown campus to help offset current electricity consumption trends that exceed budget allocations
A winner will be crowned at the Pitt Sustainability Challenge Finalist Pitch Event at the Peterson Events Center on Sept. 14 following committee selection.
