Grantee Research Project Results

Final Report: The Learning Barge: Environmental + Cultural Ecologies on the Elizabeth River

EPA Grant Number: SU833195
Title: The Learning Barge: Environmental + Cultural Ecologies on the Elizabeth River
Investigators: Crisman, Phoebe , Selim El-Barasi, Ayman Ibrahim , Donovan, Adam , Martin, Alexander , Cobbina, Ama , Daley, Andrew , Schnittka, Christine , Tate, Clark , Willkens, Danielle , Davis, Eliza , Binney, Erin , Dorr, Erin , Fugate, Ezekiel , Omar, Fahrad , Binns, Ian , Pint, James , Schwartzberg, Jayme , Rominger, Jeremy , Lafsky, Kate , Pabody, Katherine , McConnaha, Kelly , Day, Kevin , Barnett, Kim , Smetana, Lara , Bandara, Laura , DiBianca, Lauren , Hural, Matt , McClelland, Matt , O'Donnell, Molly , Budzinski, Neil , White, Nora , Richbourg, Phoebe , Edgecomb, Zoe
Institution: University of Virginia
EPA Project Officer: Page, Angela
Phase: I
Project Period: September 30, 2006 through May 30, 2007
Project Amount: $10,000
RFA: P3 Awards: A National Student Design Competition for Sustainability Focusing on People, Prosperity and the Planet (2006) RFA Text |  Recipients Lists
Research Category: Nanotechnology , P3 Challenge Area - Sustainable and Healthy Communities , Pollution Prevention/Sustainable Development , P3 Awards , Sustainable and Healthy Communities

Objective:

A University of Virginia interdisciplinary student team will design and fabricate the Learning Barge—a 900sf floating K-16 environmental education field station powered solely by site-based solar and wind energy systems. The research is in partnership with The Elizabeth River Project (ERP), a non-profit environmental group whose mission is to clean up the Elizabeth River—one of the most contaminated tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay. The 30’x90’ recycled barge will also sup­port a contained bed wetland that filters greywater and creates habitat. The ¼ acre barge, the size of a typical urban single-family lot, will make this self-sufficient energy demonstration real and applicable to every American.

Innovative Design Approach: The Learning Barge team uses a holistic, integrated design approach to this challenge involving multiple disciplines and multiple public, private and governmental institutions. Off-the-shelf, state of the art solar technologies will be innovatively integrated into the barge’s design, building systems and the construction process. Sustainable building concepts will be used, including rainfall and grey-water reuse systems, composting waste disposal, passive solar concepts and daylighting, and mate­rial choices.

Relationship to P3: The site-based renewable energy and water systems on the barge will publicly exhibit a high quality of life while demonstrating energy independence with a substantial reduction in global pollu­tion. The movable barge will travel to ongoing EPA and VA DEQ sediment remediation, pollution prevention and restoration projects along the River.

Measuring Results: The predicted result is a completely energy self-sustaining educational environment. Data acquisition systems will measure actual energy performance and computer simulation will be utilized to predict annual performance and to evaluate the system’s economic and comfort benefits.

P3 as an Educational Tool: It is anticipated that over 19,000 K-12 students and adults will visit the Learn­ing Barge each year. Because of its high visibility moving on the River between the dense urban areas of Norfolk, Portsmouth and Chesapeake, Virginia, it will be seen by thousands of passersby each day. The Learning Barge will be owned and operated by ERP and partners: 3 public school districts (Norfolk, Ports­mouth, Chesapeake), Hampton Roads Alliance for Environmental Education, NOAA and Chesapeake Bay Foundation.

Summary/Accomplishments (Outputs/Outcomes):

The Elizabeth River is a culturally complex, economically challenged, pollution rid­den tidal estuary with river health indicators that show a high level of PAHs, instances of cancer, reduced biomass, and degenerating biodiversity. VA SOL testing reveals that 3 of the 5 public school districts in the area have underperformed the state average over the past 3 testing cycles, highlighting the lack of science stimulation in area. Federal, state and local regulatory agencies (EPA region 3, VA DEQ, NOAA), private industries, NPO’s and the local community engaged in a process of conceptualizing an environmentally sustaining future for Money Point, thereby changing one of the most contaminated sites on the Eastern Seaboard into a model of co-existence for ecology and industry. The process was facilitated by the UVA Institute for Environmental Negotiation and Professor Crisman designed a Sustainable Revitalization Plan funded by Virginia Environmental Endowment. The Taskforce wanted to teach people about the remedia­tion and restoration process and to demonstrate sustainable practices that could be translatable to their own homes. When searching for a site, however, the extensive private industrial land ownership along the shore prevented waterfront access. With the river as the only available site, the floating, off-the-grid barge concept emerged. The Learning Barge will be a highly visible platform that travels on the River between 4 major cities while monitoring and teaching about ongoing EPA and VA DEQ sediment remediation, pollu­tion prevention and restoration projects. Our hypothesis is that an environmental education field station built using rigorous environmental criteria will have a positive impact on the students, the community, and in the broadest sense, the planet.

Conclusions:

Phase II will directly build on the success of Phase I, since it has been determined that our hypothesis is correct and the project is feasible as a completely off-the grid vessel. Changes did occur dur­ing the design process, such as additional electrical devices onboard that produced a larger daily power draw than we had anticipated and subsequently required additional PV’s. The design and interdisciplinary academic/community partnership structure are innovative and award-winning. The Learning Barge is a novel, technically sound, educationally informative, and economically feasible implementation of science and technology for sustainability. Because the Learning Barge will be a Coast Guard certified T vessel (not a building), the entire electrical system is 24V DC power. Six, 200 watt photovoltaic panels (GEPVp-200w­DC) and one AirX, 24V, marine grade wind turbine generate approx. 3,600 Watt-hr of electricity per day, which is 20% more than the daily projected load of 2,876 Watt-hr. This provides flexibility to store excess energy in the batteries and avoid over discharge, while also powering an additional 12V battery for the 16’ skiff. Six, 12V, 250 Am-hr, deep cycle batteries provide over 3 days of storage capacity for both the solar and wind generators, while allowing for wind faster than 7.5 miles/hour in 24 hours.

Proposed Phase II Objectives and Strategies: The Learning Barge team will be analyzed over the course of its life cycle compared to the impacts of a similar classroom. A post- occupancy evaluation will measure actual energy performance and computer simulation will be utilized to predict annual performance and to evaluate the system’s economic and comfort benefits. As part of a regular summer internship pro­gram, a UVA graduate student will work closely with The Elizabeth River Project and Professor Crisman to evaluate and make recommendations for ongoing improvements to the building systems and educational programs. The primary intended project educational outcome is increased K-12 student, teacher and public understanding of Elizabeth River ecology and the impact of local watershed cities on this ecosystem. Indi­cators of success will be the number and percent of students attending educational workshops on the Learning Barge, and exhibiting an increased understanding of Elizabeth River ecology. The Learning Barge team will adhere to the project schedule. Key Phase II benchmarks are: the submission of drawings and specifications to the US Coast Guard for approval, refinement of final design and calculations, the transpor­tation of prefabricated components from UVA to Norfolk for installation on the Barge, and preparation for education operations with ERP which will launch Phase III Education Operations of the Learning Barge.

Journal Articles:

No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 1 publications for this project

Supplemental Keywords:

pollution prevention, ecology, ecosystems, waste minimization, green building, rainfall harvesting, sustainable development, alternative building technology, alternative materials, ecologi­cal design, energy conservation, energy efficiency, monitoring, measurement methods, life-cycle analysis, cost benefit, environmentally conscious design, green roof, outreach and education, clean technologies, innovative technology, renewable, water, watersheds, sediments, estuary, human health, chemicals, PAH, discharge, indicators, aquatic, remediation, bioremediation, restoration, conservation, public policy, com­munity-based, socio-economic, Chesapeake Bay, Virginia, VA, EPA Region 3,, RFA, Scientific Discipline, Sustainable Industry/Business, POLLUTION PREVENTION, Sustainable Environment, Energy, Technology for Sustainable Environment, Environmental Engineering, clean energy, energy conservation, green design, sustainable development, environmental sustainability, conservation, energy technology, solar energy, alternative energy source, environmental education, wind energy

Relevant Websites:

UVA Learning Barge Web Site Exit
Elizabeth River Project Exit

Phase 2 Abstract

P3 Phase II:

The Learning Barge: Environmental + Cultural Ecologies on the Elizabeth River  | Final Report