The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 2014 Synthesis Report states that “substantial [greenhouse gas] emissions reductions over the next few decades can reduce climate risks in the 21st century and beyond, increase prospects for effective adaptation, reduce the costs and challenges of mitigation in the longer term, and contribute to climate-resilient pathways for sustainable […]

Bioaccessibility of soil sterilants is a limitation in management of sterilant-impacted sites. The term ‘bioaccessibility’ means: what is immediately available, plus that which may become available. Studies have been conducted to examine the bioaccessible fraction of various soil sterilants after different aging periods; however, studies have not been conducted in Alberta. Immobilization technologies such as […]

To mitigate risks of global malnutrition, hunger, and conflict; food production should become more efficient and sustainable. Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) can produce higher yields at reduced spatial and environmental footprints. This control improves management of key elements like water, nutrients, and nutritional outcomes. These advantages come with a cost however; of which energy is […]

Providing meaningful health and wellness information is important in order to sustain an effective healthcare system in a society. In the last decade, manufacturers have launched a wide range of health monitoring devices. However, these devices provide mainly numbers, e.g. steps and heart beats, without reporting health conditions. Salu Design aims to transform a simple […]

Hydrogen is a clean source of energy with zero greenhouse gas emissions. A very efficient method to obtain power from hydrogen is by using fuel cells, which generate electricity via an electrochemical reaction in which oxygen and hydrogen combine to form water with no harmful emissions. Of the major components of fuel cells are Bipolar […]

We will design and build a software suite for producing 36-hour forecasts of water flow rates and turbidity (cloudiness) at any point along the channels of the Upper Yellowstone River Watershed (UYRW). This forecasting system will respond to real-time sources of information on weather and upstream sensor readings, and will be designed for continual updates […]

Recent catastrophic tailings storage facility (TSF) failures have resulted in immense societal, environmental and economic losses. Currently, research on TSF risk is primarily focused on the technical reasons for failure or post-failure environmental damages. Furthermore, limited research explores the financial, environmental and social consequences of potential TSF failure within potential tailings inundation zones. This project […]

Given the plurality of voices available on the I nternet, it is often difficult to estimate the level of expertise of the individuals that one encounters in cyber-space. On the other hand, it is also difficult for any individual expert to establish their credibility in this sea of screaming voices. Therefore, it is desirable to […]

Bio-oil derived from fast pyrolysis and hydrothermal liquefaction of lignocellulosic biomass usually contains a high oxygen content (30-50%), leading to a relatively low heating value, high viscosity and poor stability. Moreover, the presence of organic acids in crude bio-oil results in low pH value and hence corrosion of the reactor materials (steel or alloys). To […]

Concrete is a major construction material used worldwide responsible for the production of roughly 7% of total global carbon dioxide emissions. The extent of its environmental impact relates to the energy embodied in extraction and transportation of concrete aggregates with a direct link to the amount of Portland cement (PC) used to bind the raw […]

With the development of industry, more and more energy consumption has brought about a huge crisis. The development of renewable energy technologies, such as photovoltaic equipment, offers new hope for solving energy problems. Solantro SFnG has been developed and operated in the company’s lab for about 5 years. This real-life nanogrid contains PV panels, energy […]

Bio-fuels derived from biomass can supply a proportion of energy consumption in Canada and can reduce our dependence on the availability of fossil-fuels which is depleting. This research is proposed 10 convert wasle biomass into value-added products, such as fuels and chemicals species. This research proposes to utilize Fenton-type reactions to convert lignin under ambient […]