The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the winners of its tenth annual Campus RainWorks Challenge, a national collegiate competition that engages the next generation of environmental professionals to design innovative solutions for stormwater pollution.

42 student teams from across 24 states and 35 different academic institutions submitted green infrastructure designs that address urban stormwater pollution and showcase the environmental, economic, and social benefits of green infrastructure.

Stormwater runoff is a significant source of water pollution in America. Managing runoff remains a complex environmental challenge for local communities across the country. EPA’s Campus RainWorks Challenge asks students and faculty members at colleges and universities across the country to apply green infrastructure design principles, foster interdisciplinary collaboration, and increase the use of green infrastructure on the nation’s college campuses. Since 2012, more than 700 teams have participated in the challenge.

In this Challenge, EPA invited student teams to compete in two design categories. The Master Plan category examines how green infrastructure can be broadly integrated across campus while the Demonstration Project category focuses on how green infrastructure can address stormwater pollution at a specific site on campus. With the help of a faculty advisor, teams of students focused their expertise, creativity and energy on the challenges of stormwater management and showcased the environmental, economic and social benefits of green infrastructure.

Participating judges included:

• Jon Calabria, ASLA
• Chingwen Cheng, PhD, ASLA, PLA, LEED AP
• Michael Igo, ASLA, PE, LEED AP
• Archana Sharma
• Harris Trobman, ASLA

The challenge winners for the Master Plan Category are:

University of Maryland (1st Place) – In their entry titled “Future Flows,” this team emphasized the beneficial role green infrastructure can play along transportation and pedestrian corridors. By examining current and predicted fluctuations in the movement of people and water across campus, the team’s design would revitalize the campus through restoration of site hydrology and create a more resilient and adaptable campus for future generations of students. Watch the team’s video about their project.

Project Narrative | Design Board

Congratulations to:

Student team members: Bridget Stokes, Student ASLA; Bryn Martin; Hannah Savio, Student ASLA; Kelsey Moody, Associate ASLA; Ella Battish; Anushka Tandon, Student Intl ASLA

Faculty and Staff Advisors: Dr. Byoung-Suk Kweon, ASLA; Dr. Peter May; Michael Carmichael

University of Connecticut (2nd Place) – The “Ecologic L.I. Sound” entry redesigned the university’s Avery Point campus to mitigate the effects of stormwater pollution on the terrestrial and marine ecology of Long Island Sound. Selected green infrastructure practices emphasize the importance of native species that represent the distinctive character of coastal plant communities. In addition to protecting public health, water quality, and local ecology, the design would create collaborative educational spaces that invite students and the public to learn about the role green infrastructure can play in stormwater management and coastal resilience. Watch the team’s video about their project.

Project Narrative | Design Board

Congratulations to:

Student team members: Benjamin Zaccara; Ryan Gussen, Student ASLA; Kelsey Adamson; Fiona Casey; Alex Joslin

Faculty and Staff Advisors: Dr. Sohyun Park, ASLA; Dr. Mariana Fragomeni; Dr. Michael Dietz; Dr. Juliana Barrett; Sean Vasington, ASLA; Ben Roccapriore

The challenge winners for the Demonstration Project Category are:

Florida International University (1st Place Category)— The team’s entry, titled “Resilient MAST@FIU” redesigned a local magnet high school campus to incorporate a variety of green infrastructure practices with the goal of improving water quality, reducing urban heat island effects, and mitigating the risk of coastal flooding due to climate change. The team engaged with local stakeholders and conducted sophisticated performance modeling to produce design solutions that would not only benefit the local campus and community but serve as a replicable example for other coastal educational institutions. Watch the team’s video about their design on. Watch the team’s video about their project.

Project Narrative | Design Board

Congratulations to:

Student team members: Sumit R. Zanje; Gisselle Guttierez; William Campbell; Jennyfer Hernandez; Matthew Nuzum; Elena Passoni; Pratik Mahyawansi; Juan Arzuza Toledo; Akash Dodani

Faculty and Staff Advisors: Dr. Arturo S. Leon; Dr. Biayna Bogosian; Nicholas Ogle; Matthew J. Welker; Danny Paan

Cornell University (2nd Place Category) – Titled “Rain Delay,” this entry took advantage of campus plans to construct new computer science facilities to illustrate the potential benefits of green infrastructure. The team consulted with campus experts in architecture, engineering, facilities management, and ecology, to design green infrastructure solutions that would protect water quality in nearby Cayuga Lake, promote resilience, create new wildlife habitat, and create new recreational and educational opportunities for students and educators. Watch the team’s video about their project.

Project Narrative | Design Board

Congratulations to:

Student team members: Jiaxuan Tang; Adhish Parkar; Duxixi Shen; Nathan Baker; Sarah Stanzi; Swathi Suvarna; Joseph Amsili; Junrong Shen; Manoj Panadian; Michael Snow; YuAng Sun

Faculty and Staff Advisors: Professor Michael A. Tomlan

The EPA is also pleased to recognize the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Maryland, the University of Illinois, and the University of Arkansas for honorable mention in the Demonstration Project category. Utah State University, the University of Portland, and Michigan State University were selected for honorable mention in the Master Plan category.

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