The LiveLot team installed prototypes of their parking spot tracker system on the Mines campus.
A proposal to monitor campus parking spots using solar-powered cameras and computers to provide real-time data to users won the first Campus Solar Challenge at Colorado School of Mines.
According to the LiveLot team, the project “will save approximately 84 tons of CO2 per year by eliminating the need to circle campus parking lots searching for a spot.”
In honor of Earth Week, students were invited to submit proposals for a solar project with the potential to be installed on campus. Entries were judged for their positive impact and differentiation; economic viability; technical feasibility; product differentiation; and completeness. Judges included staff from McKinstry, Mines Sustainability Office and Facilities Management, Mines Green Team and faculty.
LiveLot team members were Connor Baker, Zach Peterson, Sean Smith, Riley Miller, Colin Peter, Madison Rogers and Forrest Denham.
Second place went to Our Campus, Our Solar, a proposal to build a 100-panel 31-kilowatt solar array on the roof of Spruce Hall, a residence hall currently under construction. It was praised for its innovative funding model, which proposed to have Mines community members invest in the solar panels, with the university paying them for the electricity produced and taking ownership after a certain amount of time. Team members were Joanna Bomber, Joe Block, Jonathan Salas Navarro and Jessica Richman.
Abdulhakeen Alsaleem was awarded third place for an improved micro inverter that can be seamlessly mounted on a photovoltaic panel.
About Mines
Colorado School of Mines is a public R1 research university focused on applied science and engineering, producing the talent, knowledge and innovations to serve industry and benefit society – all to create a more prosperous future.
