EPA Recognizes University Of Pennsylvania Project In Annual Campus RainWorks Challenge

On April 26, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced the winners of its tenth annual Campus RainWorks Challenge, a national competition that engages college students in the design of on-campus green infrastructure solutions to address stormwater pollution. 

This year’s winning projects showcase the environmental, health, economic, and social benefits of green infrastructure.

One project was recognized in Pennsylvania: The Connected Spaces for Environmental Justice and Stormwater Management At Sayre High School In Philadelphia, by the University of Pennsylvania.

Sayre High School, located in the Cobbs Creek neighborhood of West Philadelphia, has many assets; an onsite health center, a small garden program, and beautiful student-created murals all serve to create a vibrant community hub. 

However, the school lacks green stormwater infrastructure (GSI), access to healthy food, green space, and places for students to gather. 

To address this discrepancy, we propose a project which will leverage the lived experiences and local expertise of community residents alongside the technical skills of University of Pennsylvania students to co-design, fund, and ultimately implement a GSI installation at the school which will also act as a green space for recreation and gathering while providing a multitude of nutritional, environmental, health, and educational co-benefits. 

Design elements will include a green roof, rain gardens, permeable pathways, bioswales, tree trenches, a greenhouse, and raised beds.

The student team consisted of: Corey Wills (Environmental Studies and City Planning); Haoge Xu, Amisha Shahra, Saffron Livaccari, Noëlle Raezer (Environmental Studies); Lorraine Ruppert (Environmental Studies and Urban Studies) Iain Lee (Bachelor of Arts, Undeclared); Henry Feinstein, Shawn Li (City Planning); Jackson Plumlee (City Planning and Landscape Architecture); Mrinalini Verma (Landscape Architecture and Environmental Building Design); Cassandra Owei (Health and Societies)

The faculty advisor was John Miller (Earth and Environmental Studies).

Click Here for-- a narrative description of the project; the Design Board; and a video about the project.

[Posted: April 27, 2022]  PA Environment Digest