Students win Green Energy Challenge
| Published: 10/03/2010 |
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Congratulations to MSOE's student chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA). They took first place in the 2010 Green Energy Challenge Student Competition, and it was their first time competing! The competition was sponsored by ELECTRI International - The Foundation for Electrical Construction and NECA and was open to teams of students studying electrical construction, engineering, design and management.
For their entry, the students conducted an energy audit of a commercial or institutional facility in need of energy-efficiency improvements. Based on their energy audit findings of the building's power and lighting systems, teams then submitted a preliminary design of an energy retrofit that could include alternative energy sources, like solar PV panels or wind turbines. MSOE students analyzed Sprecher Brewing in Glendale, Wis., for the competition.
They presented their entries at NECA's annual convention in Boston on Oct. 2. Along with being named the national champions, the team received an $8,000 prize and team member Ryan Baird received the Best Presenter Award. Over the summer, the team earned a place in the championship round by being selected as one of three finalists by a volunteer team of 13 NECA member contractors and a review team of judges.
Dr. Dudley Outcalt, architectural engineering and building construction assistant professor, is the faculty advisor for MSOE's NECA student chapter, and members Ryan Baird '10, Ron Domingo '10, Aaron Dropp '10, Amber Frick, Kevin Frost '10, Kyle Wallenfang and Joshua Wilsmann represented MSOE in the competition.
MSOE is an independent university with 2,600 students. MSOE offers 17 bachelor's degrees and 10 master's degrees in the engineering, engineering technology, architectural engineering and building construction, computer, business, nursing and health-related fields. The university has a national academic reputation; longstanding ties to business and industry; dedicated professors with real-world experience; and extremely high placement rates and starting salaries. MSOE graduates are well-rounded, technologically experienced and highly productive professionals and leaders.