Phase II IUCRC Columbia University: Center for Energy Harvesting Materials and Systems (CEHMS)

Columbia University, New York NY

Investigators

Abstract

The Center for Energy Harvesting Materials and Systems (CEHMS) has an overarching goal to develop integrated solutions for challenging energy harvesting, efficiency, and storage and distribution problems. The research effort of the Columbia University Site aims at industry/university cooperative research to harvest energy through modern structural materials and designs of civil infrastructure systems. Given the intensive material and energy requirements in the building and transportation sectors, working toward energy harvesting through building envelopes and infrastructure surfaces is critical for sustainable development. The general framework within the Site Center is to work on materials development, system integration tools, and modeling to optimize the performance of energy harvesting technologies and devices. Because most energy is used in civil infrastructure, directly harvesting energy through the infrastructure will reduce costs of energy storage and transmission, produce synergistic life cycle benefits to the infrastructure system, and enhance the national energy security and safety. Columbia's research program is nurtured by the dynamic enterprise industry and large market of the NYC metropolitan area, and will offer excellent opportunities for us to recruit and engage underrepresented students in the research and education activities, providing interdisciplinary study experience to young scientists and engineers. The multidisciplinary research team will perform research on industry-driven projects with the objective of translating laboratory prototypes into commercial products; build on interdisciplinary strengths in science and technology, and; develop strong collaborations with industry. We will use a holistic approach to design and develop multifunctional building envelopes and infrastructure surfaces, through which the interactions and potential synergies between the various material and structural behaviors, energy harvesting and efficiency performance, and human behaviors are properly understood, modeled, and exploited, while eliminating or minimizing any potentially detrimental consequences or interactions. In addition, we will also develop effective sensing and monitoring systems and accelerated testing methods for maximized energy harvesting efficiency and life cycle cost performance. As the first step to make a transformative change for energy harvesting through civil engineering infrastructure through the following five research thrusts: 1) Multifunctional advanced materials and structures for energy harvesting and efficiency; 2) Energy converting devices for solar, geothermal, and mechanics energy harvesting and storage, such as battery and fuel cells; 3) Roadway energy harvesting systems with infrastructure protection; 4) Energy efficient buildings with energy harvesting and wireless sensing; and 5) Life cycle analysis and testing of energy harvesting materials and systems.