UCCE ASP Project

The ENGR 110 Team aims to deliver a cost-effective, replicable solution for UCCE’s ASP project.

Steps in the Project

Research

I chose to research The UC Cooperative Extension (UCCE) mainly because of their focus on education in Santa Clara. Youth, the food industry, environmentalists, and Californians are all served by the initiative, which now strongly emphasizes composting literacy, youth programs like 4-H, and sustainable food production. UCCE's research site, based in Martial Cottle Park in San Jose, focuses on using aerated static piles (ASP) to study the effectiveness of home composting systems. The project seeks to maximize its influence in the community through financial planning and knowledge of community composting practices.

More Info & Goals

Design

In Step 2, leveraging research insights and UCCE's needs, our design process is meticulously crafted. Prioritizing our critical customers, prototypes and ideas are cultivated with precision and relevance. Documentation is detailed, reflecting our dedication to clarity and utility. Each design element resonates with our commitment to innovative, sustainable, and impactful solutions, ensuring alignment with user necessities and project objectives for optimizing the ASP composting system.

Project Report Intro

Status Update

Water Source Design & Matrix

ASP Design & Matrix

Prototyping & Implementation

In this phase, we focused on creating and refining prototypes based on feedback from the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE), evaluation of our design matrices, and insights from site visits. Our iterative approach involved continuous testing and adjustments to meet usability, sustainability, and cost-effectiveness goals. UCCE's practical insights were crucial, leading to significant design modifications to enhance functionality and real-world applicability. This stage was instrumental in transforming theoretical designs into practical solutions, paving the way for effective implementation.

Design Review #1

Design Review #2

Final Presentation Slides

Final Project Report

Problem Statement

The UCCE needs an ASP irrigation system for efficient watering to streamline their composting process and support educational programs

Objective

Optimize the ASP system for enhanced sustainability, user engagement, and educational outreach while ensuring continuous improvement and innovation.

Civic Issues

Our Aerated Static Pile (ASP) composting system design enhances sustainability by improving efficiency and user-friendliness, reducing landfill waste and greenhouse gas emissions, and aligning with broader environmental goals like soil fertility and carbon capture. It also educates, fostering environmental awareness and community engagement in sustainability, especially among citizens, students, and small farmers. Economically, the automated system offers cost and time efficiency, benefiting small-scale operations and homeowners, while its open-source nature promotes social equity and inclusivity in environmental practices.