Report from the chair

Erhard F. Joeres (43K JPG)

Higher education is retrenching; it is a time of budget cuts and we are trying to figure out how we can do more with less. I am astonished to learn that many universities are much worse off than we are. Our approach has been to minimize our maximum regrets while at the same time trying to find opportunities for positive changes that we would not normally have had the impetus to address. The budget cuts are painful. The net effect will be a greater reliance on external funds generated through the successful research programs initiated by our faculty, and through gifts and grants from our alumni and friends.

In the midst of the university's fiscal problems, we do not lack for exciting intellectual initiatives. One example is the vision to create a green building on campus supported by our Construction Engineering and Management program. The building is to house the Gaylord Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, with which many of our faculty are affiliated. The Departments of Urban and Regional Planning and Landscape Architecture will also share the new facility. Creating the design and building process for such a structure will serve as a teaching laboratory for our students, both in design and construction, as well as monitoring its performance.

David A. Noyce (16K JPG)

Katherine (Trina) McMahon (12K JPG)

Green buildings have a minimal environmental footprint. The footprint encompasses the environmental impact of materials used for construction, from source to disposal at the end of their life cycle, as well as in the design and operation of building infrastructure systems to minimize the use of resources. Since 40 percent of all energy use is in buildings, there is a large opportunity for energy savings — through the use of photovoltaic cells on exterior surfaces to supplement energy supply, and the targeted use of new ventilation ideas and lighting systems to cut energy demand. Water use can be minimized through on-site treatment systems such as "living machines" that route wastewater through hydroponic tanks of tropical plants that double as decorative backdrops in the lobby. The effluent from such systems can be recycled to flush toilets and to irrigate adjacent grounds. Application of such approaches can cut energy and water use by half or more, all with construction costs well within the range of conventional buildings.

Our irrepressible students continue to amaze us. Our concrete canoe won its first-ever national title in Philadelphia this summer, after gaining first-place place honors in the regional contest.

Judges in particular were impressed with the academic presentations made by our students. In addition, our steel bridge team of our student chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers advanced from a 12th place finish one year ago to capture 2nd place overall in the national competition in May — its highest finish ever. The bridge team once again won a regional title leading up to the national competition.

We are very happy to have added two outstanding new faculty members. David Noyce joined our transportation engineering group last fall, and in January Katherine (Trina) McMahon expanded our capabilities in the environmental biotechnology area.

Erhard F. Joeres, Chair
2205 Engineering Hall
1415 Engineering Drive
Madison, WI 53706-1691

Tel: 608/262-3542
Fax: 608/262-5199
E-mail: russell@engr.wisc.edu
Web: www.engr.wisc.edu/cee