Twenty-three student teams from Washington pitched their innovations at the UW Environmental Innovation Challenge addressing today’s energy, urban agriculture, recycling, built environment and water-related problems with novel solutions. Now in its fourth year, the Challenge focuses on the development of prototypes that solve some of today’s biggest problems AND have market impact.
The 2012 winners are:
- $10,000 UW Center for Commercialization Grand Prize: GIST, University of Washington (Alternative to concrete highway jersey barriers using tires from landfills.)
- $5,000 Puget Sound Energy Second Prize: Barrels of Hope, University of Washington (Transitional housing with a sturdy and sustainable building.)
- $2,500 Honorable Mention sponsored by Starbucks: UrbanHarvest, University of Washington (Build and operate commercial hydroponic greenhouses in urban areas to grow fruit and vegetables for local consumers.)
- $2,500 Honorable Mention sponsored by Siemens: LumiSands, University of Washington (Wavelength-tunable silicon quantum dot phosphors as a cost-effective substitute to white-LEDs based on InGaN blue-LEDs.)
- $2,500 Honorable Mention sponsored by Fenwick & West: OmniOff, University of Washington (A non-stick cookware that uses zero toxic chemicals-an alternative to Teflon.)