![MTU’s team received the 2015 YCOSST P3 award, pictured here with Lek Kideli (EPA) and Lucy Alexander(AIChE).](https://www.aiche.org/sites/default/files/styles/chenected_lead_image/public/images/Chenected/lead/p3photolucy.jpg?itok=CytU9htL)
Judges for the AIChE Youth Council on Sustainable Science and Technology (YCOSST) presented the 9th annual YCOSST P3 Award on April 13, 2015 in Oronoco Bay Park in Alexandria, VA, where student teams displayed their work as they competed for EPA’s P3 “People, Prosperity and the Planet” award, worth up to $90,000. The 2015 YCOSST P3 Award was bestowed upon Michigan Technological University’s team for their project "Developing a Guide for Harnessing Low-grade Geothermal Energy from Minewater for Heating and Cooling Buildings."
YCOSST P3 Award
An award of $1,000 is presented annually by AIChE Institute for Sustainability (IfS) to the competing P3 team whose project best employs sustainable practices, interdisciplinary collaborations, engineering principles, and youth involvement, and whose design is simple enough to have a sustainable impact without requiring significant technical expertise of its users. I was pleased to be among the judges this year, along with Lyn Beary, NIST (retired) and Jeffrey Seay, University of Kentucky. The IfS award was presented to Michigan Technological University's winning team at the awards ceremony on Monday, April 13, 2015. The winners are invited to present their work at the 2015 AIChE Annual Meeting and create a webinar to be disseminated on AIChE's website. Michigan Tech’s team also received the EPA P3 Honorable Mention.
Michigan Technological University
Developing a Guide for Harnessing Low-grade Geothermal Energy from Minewater for Heating and Cooling Buildings
Michigan Tech’s proposal focused on the technical and social feasibility of using water from flooded, abandoned mines with the aim to sustainably improve the livelihood of former mining communities by providing a cleaner alternative for heating and cooling buildings. The YCOSST P3 judges were impressed with the in-depth research and analysis conducted by the interdisciplinary team, which included engineering calculations and technical feasibility studies, economic analysis, and community surveys and education plans.
YCOSST
The Youth Council on Sustainable Science and Technology (YCOSST) was formed by the partnership between the AIChE's Institute for Sustainability and SustainUS. YCOSST's mission is to build understanding of sustainability issues and principles, raise awareness of the science and technology behind sustainable choices, and develop grassroots campus efforts. You can learn about, and join, YCOSST here.
![](https://www.aiche.org/sites/default/files/styles/chenected_large/public/images/Chenected/secondary/su835692project001.jpg?itok=-5f4yags)
MTU team’s project exhibit featured a model heat pump.
![](https://www.aiche.org/sites/default/files/styles/chenected_medium/public/images/Chenected/secondary/p3teamsonlawn.png?itok=X2wT4LDF)
P3 teams gathered on Oronco Bay Park lawn for a group shot.
P3 teams gathered on Oronco Bay Park lawn for a group shot.