Development of a Program in Innovative and Sustainable Design of Automotive and Building Technologies

This paper describes the development of a program in Innovative and Sustainable Design that focuses on transportation and building systems. Transportation and buildings consume approximately 75% of the energy used in the US and significantly contribute to the technical issues related to sustainable energy sources and the environment. The program will be organized into four areas that revolve around the nucleus of innovation, sustainability, and design processes: namely, research, educational, outreach, and collaborative arms. Research teams will design highly efficient buildings, vehicles, and mobility systems for the future. Students will learn design approaches to address the needs for energy-neutral building technologies and an efficient, environmentally friendly transportation system fueled by sustainable energy sources. Outreach efforts will recruit secondary school and community college students into engineering programs and expand visibility for the program. Collaborative projects will provide students and faculty with opportunities to work with engineers, designers, and scientists from other universities, government institutions, and industry on timely and technically important projects.