Jameson quickly brought everyone up to speed on the mission and introduced the new website, blog and forum. We hope these will generate some new ideas and discussion, so please check back often. He also outlined the research projects we have setup and their application in the Smart House. Eric asked for help from anyone familiar with web-design, especialy anyone with a background in more complex techniques such as vector art or illustrator.

Aaron Sakulich then gave a quick talk on the history and importance of the Earth Cement Project, while requesting help from any interested volunteers. The job descriptions are listed in the previous post and remember if you have an idea for a project that fits, we can probably make it work. We are currently organizing it so can receive research credit for your work. This would also look great on your resume especially if you contribute significantly to a paper.

Eric discussed the reflective IR coatings project. This project is also very interesting, because initial results have demonstrated that introducing near IR scattering particles into a latex or acrylic base causes IR radiation to be reflected, decreasing the average surface temperature by approximately 20 degrees F. This unexploited technology has direct applications to exterior coatings that improve energy efficiency in the Smart House. Please have a look at Eric’s post below for more details and contact us if you have any questions.

Last, but not least, Jameson mentioned the biosensors project and the importance of health monitoring in our Smart Design. My personal favorite is the smart toilet. More details on this project should be forthcoming.

If you are interested in getting involved in any of the above research projects, please e-mail info@drexelsmarthouse.com.

-Chris

Research positions are now available for Dr. Barsoum’s Earth Concrete project!

Earth Concrete is a new class of concrete with ancient roots. Spurred by Dr. Barsoum’s work on the pyramids in Egypt, Earth Concrete attempts to explain how the Egyptians formulated their reconstituted limestone. More information on Dr. Barsoum’s work on the pyramids and Earth Concrete can be found here: Engineering the Pyramids

The Drexel Smart House is interested in Earth Concretes because they are an environmentally friendly alternative to Portland cement, whose production contributes to 8 percent of greenhouse gases worldwide.

The Earth Concrete group is looking for student researchers!
Please come to the Monday, March 5th meeting or email join@drexelsmarthouse.com if you are interested in any of the below positions. Position: Research Assistant
Positions available: 4
Hours per week: 2-5
This project shows a lot of promise, but right now, there’s not many people working on it. More research assistants would basically make, test, and characterize samples. This would involve making and molding the concrete, then compression testing them and eventually doing things like X-ray analysis or electron microscopy. The more samples that are made, the better an understanding of the chemistry we will get and the faster we will be able to come up with a viable material. It’s not necessary to be an engineer to do this: you just have to be willing to get your hands dirty.

Position: Economics Investigator
Positions available: 1
Hours per week: 2
This material that is being developed may be economically comparable to Portland cement. But will it cost the same anywhere in the country? Would certain additives that may cause a mild lowering of properties cut the cost by enough to make it worth it? Are certain applications more economically feasible than others? These are questions that have not yet been investigated, and the project needs someone to answer them.

Position: Scaling Investigator
Positions available: 1-2
Hours per week: 2
Our process is good, but currently makes only about a pound of product per batch. A student interested in looking into the scalability of the product would be looking at how to make larger batches. This would make it possible to make large-scale products, like sewer pipes or driveways, and would make it possible to manufacture compression testing samples in larger quantities. This position would be a great match for a chemical engineer.

Position: Miscellaneous Investigator
Positions available: 2
Hours per week: 2
There are many, many things that this material could be used for other than just concrete replacement. Roof tiles, countertops, floor tiles, bollards, and railings are just examples. This student would be in charge of looking for interesting parts of the smart house and replacing them with our earth concrete material.