At the 2013 National Sustainable Design Expo on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., SJSU students proposed applying 3D printer technology to make sustainable building materials. Using saw dust instead of plastic, the team is making inexpensive window coverings such as shades and shutters that can be tailored easily to local climates (EPA photo).
San Jose State Department of Design students comprised one of seven teams that have received a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency People, Prosperity and the Planet award of up to $90,000. “The students that participated in this competition — and young people across the country — continue to give me confidence that our next generation of American scientists and engineers are up to the task of solving the world’s most pressing environmental problems,” said Bob Perciasepe acting administrator for the EPA. Three hundred student innovators from 45 teams convened on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., this spring to showcase sustainable projects to protect people’s health and the environment, encourage economic growth, and use natural resources more efficiently. The winning teams will use their grants to further develop their design and potentially bring it to the marketplace. The students proposed using saw dust instead of plastic to create inexpensive building materials, customized for local climates, with 3D printer technology.