They had been tasked in a semester-long class assignment to build a carbon fiber rocket that would successfully carry the professor鈥檚 payload. While their design may have failed epically 鈥� while being broadcast live on the internet 鈥� they noticed one very important element that turned out to be the spark for their future company.

鈥淲hen we walked up to the rocket, we saw that the motor had gone through a 2-inch-thick steel plate, but the carbon fiber that we had made was intact and still super strong and actually protected the professor鈥檚 payload after exploding and crashing,鈥� Saltzman says. 鈥淲e said, 鈥楬ey, we鈥檙e pretty good at manufacturing this [carbon fiber] stuff.鈥� 鈥�

They took it as a sign to change their majors from aerospace engineering to materials science and engineering, and the earliest roots of Soarce were planted.

Sustainably Strengthening Industries

Soarce is at the forefront of bio-based nanomaterials and seeks to solve society鈥檚 greatest climate challenges by leveraging natural materials to create products that can outperform those made synthetically.

Drawn from seaweed, hemp and elephant grass, their nanocellulose coating can be applied to and fortify carbon fiber structures 鈥� everything from hockey sticks to electric vehicles to rocket ships.

鈥淭hat allows engineers to design parts that are lighter, stronger and more efficient,鈥� Saltzman says. 鈥淔or electric vehicles, they can now go farther. In the world of aerospace, we鈥檙e making those materials stronger so now you have more payload mass that you can put into space.鈥�

Their innovation has so much promise it has already secured $3.2 million in funding.

鈥溌槎乖� is about dreaming big, going as big as you can. And that鈥檚 how we feel.鈥� 鈥� Derek Saltzman

鈥溌槎乖� is about dreaming big, going as big as you can. And that鈥檚 how we feel,鈥� Saltzman says. 鈥淲e鈥檙e on pace to what we feel is going to be the largest global nanocellulose producer in the world. And we are not afraid to say that and stand behind it. That鈥檚 a big dream, but that鈥檚 kind of what we鈥檙e here to do 鈥� make big changes.鈥�

麻豆原创-Backed Entrepreneurship

Their entrepreneurial journey has gone through several iterations since Saltzman and Mincey were randomly assigned as roommates in during their freshman year. The pair dabbled in enterprises involved with agriculture and drone racing, cutting their teeth on the business side of running a company through resources 麻豆原创 offers including the 鈥檚 .

To this day, they鈥檙e still partnering with the 麻豆原创 ecosystem, utilizing the 麻豆原创 Business Incubation Program鈥檚 Life Sciences Incubator in Lake Nona, which gives Soarce access to a fully equipped, Biosafety Level II wet lab to foster their work in advanced materials.

鈥溌槎乖� has really strong partnerships and connections to industry that allow you to funnel your idea from a lab-benchtop scale all the way to integrating into a Fortune 500 company to get that product off the ground,鈥� Saltzman says.

Now, along with fellow 麻豆原创 alums and Soarce co-founders Matthew Jaeger 鈥�22, an actuarial science alum, and Patrick Michel, a former management student, they鈥檙e looking forward to expanding their operations into an 8,000-square-foot facility in partnership with Tavistock and heading into pilot trials with Fortune 500 companies.

鈥淚t鈥檚 really cool to see how far we鈥檝e come, from an idea in a notebook that we started eight years ago to now within the next three to five years, we鈥檒l have that material not only created, but actually being flown into space and amongst the stars,鈥� Saltzman says.

The Soarce co-founders were recognized on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Manufacturing & Industry list in 2026.

The 麻豆原创 Knights 鈥� environmental engineering majors Jennifer Hughes and Lance-Nicolas Rances and environmental engineering doctoral student Stephanie Stoll, along with associate professor and principal investigator Woo Hyoung Lee 鈥� are one of 21 student teams to receive the funding through the agency鈥檚 People, Prosperity and the Planet (P3) Program. This program is designed to support research that addresses environmental and public health challenges.

鈥淚 am thrilled and honored to have received this award for our research,鈥� Hughes says. 鈥淔or the past year, I have focused on microcystin-detecting biosensors, and it feels great to be recognized for my undergraduate research.鈥�

Microcystins are the most common toxins found in fresh water, and the most harmful type is microcystin-LR (MC-LR). When high levels of MC-LR accumulate in water, they form a blue-green algae bloom that can disrupt the aquatic ecosystem by depleting oxygen, blocking sunlight and altering the nutrients that marine life feeds on. In Florida, blue-green algae are a common problem due to the warm temperatures, excess nutrients and stagnant water found in lakes, rivers or ponds. When ingested by humans, it can cause abdominal pain, a sore throat or gastrointestinal distress. At elevated levels, it could lead to damage of the liver or kidneys.

To test water sources for MC-LR, samples must be transported to a laboratory where they can be examined by trained technicians. The process can be both time-consuming and costly, but the 麻豆原创-developed biosensor could solve those problems.

The 麻豆原创-developed device would be portable, cost effective and located onsite, so that MC-LR blooms could be detected early on. The device will use an antibody to detect the harmful algae, and the students are currently fine-tuning its detecting capabilities.

鈥淥ur next steps at the moment are to refine the biosensor to make its detection capabilities as accurate as possible,鈥� Rances says. 鈥淭here are several interfering toxins that can be detected in place of MC-LR, so honing in on the right antibodies that are MC-LR sensitive will help enhance what may be later made available for use in real-world scenarios.鈥�

In a real-world scenario, once the biosensor detects MC-LR in drinking water, health officials can take appropriate action such as treating the water and notifying the public.

As Phase I recipients, the students will use the funding to deliver a proof of concept. They鈥檙e also eligible to compete for Phase II funding, worth up to $100,000, to help them implement their design.

Although the sensor will take time to develop, both Hughes and Rances are excited to work on a project that can have a positive impact on local waterways.

鈥淎lgae blooms are one of the biggest conversation points regarding Florida鈥檚 water health,鈥� Rances says. 鈥淚 am motivated to continue the MC-LR research to expand the capabilities of our coastal regions to understand and potentially combat harmful algae bloom events.鈥�

麻豆原创 Lake Nona Hospital is a joint venture between the university and HCA Healthcare that opened two years ago adjacent to the 麻豆原创 College of Medicine in the heart of Lake Nona鈥檚 Medical City. In addition to providing needed in-patient care to non-veteran adults in the community, the hospital serves as an education site for 麻豆原创 medical and nursing students and a site for collaborative medical research.

The designation recognizes the hospital鈥檚 commitment to sustainable building products and energy-saving operations, including:

• Systems that reduce water use, including sinks, toilets and showers, that conserve 767,908 gallons of water per year 鈥� equivalent to nearly 6 million bottles of drinking water
• Native landscaping that reduces water consumption by nearly 600,000 gallons of water each year
• High efficiency LED lighting and other systems that save over 21% in annual energy costs, as compared to standard design and construction practices
• On-site recycling, recycled and sustainable building materials, and the fact that 75% of the building waste during the hospital鈥檚 construction was recycled

鈥淭oday we celebrate another step towards creating improved health and wellness in Lake Nona and Central Florida. Sustainability is a growing priority and we are excited about this recognition by the USGBC,鈥� says Wendy Brandon, CEO of 麻豆原创 Lake Nona Hospital.鈥淭his is one more way I am proud of the work we are doing at 麻豆原创 Lake Nona Hospital.鈥�

Through design, construction and operations practices that improve environmental and human health, LEED-certified buildings are helping to make the world more sustainable. In the U.S. alone, buildings account for almost 40% of national CO2 emissions, but LEED-certified buildings have 34 percent lower CO2 emissions, consume 25% less energy and 11% less water, and have diverted more than 80 million tons of waste from landfills. 麻豆原创 is home to 30 other LEED certified buildings, including the College of Medicine in Lake Nona, Dr. Phillips Academic Commons at 麻豆原创 Downtown and Classroom Building II on main campus.

鈥淭his is an exceptional accomplishment for both 麻豆原创 and HCA,鈥� says Amy Pastor, USGBC Central Florida Board chair, who attended Friday鈥檚 announcement. 鈥淵ou are among the best and you will be known worldwide for this.鈥�

鈥淟EED was created to make the world a better place and revolutionize our buildings and communities by providing everyone with access to healthy, green and high performing buildings,” says Peter Templeton, president and CEO of USGBC. “麻豆原创 Lake Nona Hospital is a prime example of how the innovative work of project teams can create local solutions that contribute to making a global difference.鈥�

麻豆原创 was among the first universities to commit to the American College & University Presidents鈥� Climate Commitment to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. Since that commitment, the university has saved more than $30 million in operating expenses, reduced the campus energy use intensity by 41% dating back to 2006 and have become a leader in green building standards.

Sustainability Initiatives at 麻豆原创 focuses on the strategic advancement of sustainability and incorporates its economic, environmental, and social dimensions into education and research. We offer a wide range of programming for faculty, staff and students to grow their sustainability literacy. With so many built and natural assets on campus, we assist faculty in using the campus as a 鈥渓iving laboratory,鈥� providing tours of LEED-certified facilities, solar sites, and natural lands.

We encourage sharing utility data with students and faculty, giving researchers the ability to test theories and new technologies. The annual Kill-A-Watt energy conservation scholarship competition for on-campus residents, UN World Water Day Fair and Campus Swap Shops help students and the university save money and precious resources. The Sustainability Training Series for faculty and staff provides the opportunity to develop skills and knowledge in sustainability for use on the job and at home. Altogether, our programming, academic and operations support helps create a culture of conservation that expands beyond our campuses.

The maxim 鈥測ou can鈥檛 manage what you don鈥檛 measure鈥� applies in many respects to sustainability. Despite 麻豆原创鈥檚 growth in enrollment and building square footage, our green building and retrofitting efforts have led to a 45% reduction in emissions per 1,000 square feet of building space and 28% reduction per full-time enrollment since 2007. Transparency is also key to the university鈥檚 sustainability commitment. We submit 麻豆原创鈥檚 progress in emissions and other facets of sustainability to organizations, such as the Princeton Review. More importantly, we submit comprehensive data about our activity to the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education鈥檚 Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS). 麻豆原创 was rated silver in 2016 and 2021 in this global benchmarking system. We aspire to reach gold and, eventually, platinum.

In March, Sustainability Initiatives embarked on a new strategic plan. Building on the 2010 Climate Action Plan and the successes that earned us a silver STARS rating, the new plan will cover academics, the built environment, waste, transportation and landscape and natural resources. It will guide us to become a 鈥淶ero Waste鈥� university that integrates sustainability across all disciplines. We鈥檝e already engaged many faculty, staff and students via committee meetings and town halls. There鈥檚 still time for you to join us in charting 麻豆原创鈥檚 path toward innovative sustainability leadership in academics and operations. We invite you to share your vision in the survey below to earn a limited-edition sticker. You can also email your ideas at any time to sustainable@ucf.edu.

Learn more: https://sustainable.ucf.edu/resources/climate-action-plan

麻豆原创鈥檚 Green Building Portfolio: https://energy.ucf.edu/high-performance-buildings/

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STARS report:

The regulations state that anyone selling power in Florida, regardless of size, must follow the same rules as large utility companies. This has resulted in keeping smaller energy developers from entering into what is known as a power purchase agreement with individuals, businesses and nonprofits. These rules include building codes, permitting, reliability reporting, electric-rate scheduling and tariff regulations under the Florida Public Service Commission. Currently, 28 states allow solar power purchase agreements to operate, while Florida is one of seven states with legal barriers in place effectively prohibiting their use.

With a power purchase agreement, a person or organization allows an energy developer to install, own, operate and maintain an energy production system, such as a solar array, on their property. The electricity generated from the solar array is sold back to the person or organization at a price that is often lower than what they are paying their utility provider.

鈥淭he electricity generated聽from the solar array is sold to the customer using a long-term contract at a price that is typically below retail electric rates,鈥� says Kelly Stevens, an assistant professor in 麻豆原创鈥檚 and report co-author. 鈥淭his way, the customer receives the electricity generated from the solar array yet avoids the high up-front capital costs and difficulty of arranging financing, design, permitting and construction of the array.鈥�

Stevens says things to consider before entering into a solar power purchase agreement are the electricity rate negotiated with the developer and the space available for a solar array.

鈥淭he third-party, power purchase-agreement rate that is typically lower than retail electricity prices could escalate over time, which would be identified in the long-term contract, so it would be anticipated,鈥� Stevens says. 鈥淏ut that price escalation or baseline price may not be significantly lower than the retail electricity price, which reduces some of the economic benefit to the customer.鈥�

鈥淎lso, not all customers can support the same amount of solar on their property due to space and environmental constraints,鈥� she says. 鈥淪o, the benefit will depend on specific characteristics of each site.鈥�

In the study, the researchers examined the potential economic and environmental impacts of solar power purchase agreements in Florida if they were enabled in the state.

The researchers determined that if Florida increased its non-utility solar generation by 42 percent through power purchase agreements, bringing its share closer to the national average of 65 percent, that this would add an additional 1,165 to 1,942 megawatts of additional solar capacity to the grid.

This would result in an annual reduction of 1.8 to 3.1 million tons of greenhouse gases emitted, which is the equivalent of removing more than 118,000 gasoline-powered cars from the road each year.

Construction of Florida-based solar arrays through power purchase agreements would result in an economic impact of $2.3 billion to $3.8 billion, and the creation of 15,000 to 25,000 jobs, according to the report.

To illustrate the implementation of solar power purchase agreements in Florida, the report also provided three case studies of potential savings if the agreements were implemented in three Central Florida locations 鈥� the City of Orlando, the Osceola School District, and the First Unitarian Church of Orlando.

For instance, the City of Orlando currently has 19 city facilities participating in a community solar program. If the city were to install 18 megawatts of solar through a power purchase agreement on 14 additional city-owned buildings, it would save more than $400,000 in electricity costs annually and reduce carbon emissions equivalent to removing more than 1,200 gasoline-powered cars off the road each year.

For the Osceola School District, there are currently solar panels installed on seven schools. If solar was installed on an additional three schools through a power purchase agreement, the district could see annual electricity savings of more than $90,000, and it would result in the equivalent of more than 150 cars taken off the road annually.

Study co-authors were Gilbert Michaud, an assistant professor of practice at Ohio University, and David Jenkins, a research associate at Ohio University.

The research was funded by a $10,000 grant from Solar United Neighbors, a national nonprofit organization that promotes solar energy production.

Stevens received her doctorate in public administration from Syracuse University and joined 麻豆原创鈥檚 School of Public Administration, part of 麻豆原创鈥檚 , in 2017. She鈥檚 a member of 麻豆原创鈥檚聽Resilient, Intelligent and Sustainable Energy Systems Cluster.

The Coastal and Estuarine Ecology Lab at 麻豆原创 has been experimenting with various products looking for an effective, biodegradable material for restoration that鈥檚 inexpensive. For the past 14 months the group has been testing a mesh made from leftover potato starch collected from chip factories. So far, it鈥檚 been a successful method providing habitats for the lagoon鈥檚 vital shellfish population. A second material 鈥� a cement-infused fiber 鈥� also shows promise as an alternative to traditional plastic-based methods to attract oysters, which help improve lagoon water quality.

鈥淭he oysters seem to really be taking to the potato chip method,鈥� says biology Professor Linda Walters. 鈥淲hile our plastic mesh was effective and brought over 14 million oysters to Mosquito Lagoon, this is an exciting step forward in using genuinely effective biodegradable materials.鈥�

In the past 100 years, more than 85 percent of shellfish reefs have been lost globally as the result of human harvesting, loss of habitat, diseases and invasive species, according to research published in BioScience. Oyster reefs play a vital role in ecosystems as natural water filters, barriers against erosion and habitats for marine life.

鈥淗armful algal blooms became frequent after the loss of oysters,鈥� Walters says. 鈥淭he reefs can stabilize shorelines and provide nutrients to other animals. We need them so that synergy in ecosystem services may be restored.鈥�

The recent innovation builds on years of work by Walters and a team of students and more than 62,000 volunteers to rebuild these lost habitats in Mosquito Lagoon waters near New Smyrna Beach. Walters is also a member of the Sustainability Coastal Systems cluster at 麻豆原创. Their search for a more eco-friendly product led them to the Netherlands and a company called BESE Ecosystem Restoration Products. BESE-products, formed around a team of ecologists and habitat experts, developed the innovative mesh from leftover potato starch collected from chip factories. The mesh is manually attached to the shells of oysters using wire, then left alone to be observed in the regeneration process. After 14 months of pilot testing, the potato chip reefs have over 400 live oysters per square meter.

鈥淲e wanted to test a method that is biodegradable and has the material lifespan approaching that of a local oyster. That span ranges around five to ten years,鈥� explains Walters.

That durability is a key component of a long-time challenge for the lab. Previous products either quickly fell apart in the corrosive seawater or proved too expensive for the broad scope of Indian River Lagoon restoration.

Success on Florida鈥檚 coast augers well for similar projects in the U.S. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association, for instance, currently funds more than 70 restoration projects in 15 states.

鈥淧eople generally don鈥檛 understand how difficult it is to make biodegradable materials that get the job done for coastal restoration,鈥� Walters said. 鈥淭here are a lot of technicalities to consider when finding new materials to use. We also are testing for unintended consequences to the environment.鈥�

While the team tests the efficacy of potato chip mesh, another restoration material is in competition for long-term adoption by the lab. A faculty member of the University of North Carolina developed a cement-infused fiber called OysterCatcher. The lightweight, biodegradable material is modular, making it significantly easier to set up than lugging heavy bags of oyster shells into place. Free-floating oyster larvae attach to the shells and create their own shell, exponentially growing the reef over time.

鈥淲e are testing both methods simultaneously as to not put all our eggs in one basket. So far, this method works great and we鈥檝e noticed that crabs and fish are loving the refuge it provides,鈥� Walters says.

It will be at least a year until Walters reaches a conclusion on the best option.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a very different summer with COVID, that much is for sure,鈥� Walters says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been difficult not being able to work with community volunteers and with only 20 percent of the number of 麻豆原创 students that we planned to hire. It is a total adjustment, but it鈥檚 better to continue working this way than not working at all.鈥�

It鈥檚 a green solution with a bonus 鈥� the oil could be recycled for future use.

The students will showcase their invention at the National Sustainable Design Expo, which is part of the 聽in Washington, D.C., on April 7-8.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency awarded 麻豆原创 one of only 31 national student-design competition awards for Sustainability Focusing on . Students submit their designs, and those selected get $15,000 to prepare an exhibit to showcase their work. Only the best student designs from around the nation are showcased. While there, the teams also compete for an additional $75,000, which would allow them to further develop their inventions.

鈥淭his technology will lead to cleaner surface water and can be used for oil-spill remediation,鈥� says Professor Woo Hyoung Lee, who is a principal investigator of the project and mentored the students.

鈥淭his technology will lead to cleaner surface water and can be used for oil-spill remediation,鈥� said Professor Woo Hyoung Lee, who is a principal investigator of the project and mentored the students. 鈥淭he project has given our interdisciplinary team of students an excellent experience in how to work together to solve problems putting to use their areas of expertise and learning from each other. It鈥檚 how the real world works.鈥�

The students agree and said they learned as much about working together and managing a project as they did putting their academic and technical skills to use.

The tech harks back to the idea of keeping solutions simple.

Currently, chemicals and dispersants are used to remove oil during a spill, but these also create byproduct pollution. Instead, the 麻豆原创 superhydrophobic MoS₂-coated sponges take in oil while simultaneously rejecting water. They leave no residue behind. The challenge is that MoS₂ sponges require complex fabrication. The team of students used microscopy and spectroscopy to determine the best way to make the sponge. The conclusion was that MoS_2听 should be layered along the porous areas of the sponges. The dip-dry method resulted in durability and reduced cost. The sponges could be turned into mats that would be deployed again and again after they are cleaned, keeping costs low.

鈥淢y role on the team was to bring a biotechnological perspective to the project, which focuses on the cellular and biomolecular process of what we are trying to achieve, and expand on those processes in application to commercial production,鈥� said Dianne Mercado, who is pursuing a bachelor鈥檚 degree in biotechnology. 鈥淲hile biotechnology is my specialty, one of the best aspects of being part of this project is having other students who come from a variety of fields work together to create something truly interdisciplinary.鈥�

鈥淚 had extra motivation in the project because of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill of 2010, which occurred near Mexico, where my family is from,鈥� says student Hernan Sabua.

The project appears to be exactly the kind of result the EPA program is looking to inspire. P3鈥檚 two-phased research-grants program challenges students to research, develop, and design innovative projects that address real-world challenges involving all areas of environmental protection and public health, according to the competition website. The goal of the competition is to foster progress toward environmental awareness by achieving the goals of improved quality of life for all people, economic prosperity, and protection of the planet.

It was the competition鈥檚 mission that attracted Hernan Sabua, a civil engineering major who was the student team leader.

鈥淓ver since I was little, I wanted to make a difference in the environmental sustainable aspects of engineering,鈥� Hernan said. 鈥淚 had extra motivation in the project because of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill of 2010, which occurred near Mexico, where my family is from.鈥�

The spill dumped more than 200 million gallons of crude oil into the Gulf of Mexico during 87 days, making it the biggest oil spill in U.S. history.

鈥淚 like to be involved in EPA鈥檚 activities for improving the quality of our life and protecting our planet,鈥� Lee says.

Other members of the team include Kelsey Rodriguez from environmental engineering, Conner Thompson from biomedical sciences, Dwight Davis from mechanical engineering, post-doctoral associate Taejun Ko from the . Professor Yeonwoong Jung from the NanoScience Technology Center and Jae-Hoon Hwang, a post-doctoral scholar from environmental engineering, round out the team as co-principal investigators. Hwang is a recipient of 麻豆原创鈥檚 P3 program that helps fund postdoctoral candidates at 麻豆原创.

This is not 麻豆原创鈥檚 first invitation to the showcase. In 2015, Lee took another team to Washington. That team鈥檚 project focused on making algal biofuel easier and less expensive to produce. They earned an honorable mention for their project.

For Lee, participating in this competition is a lot of extra hours and instruction, but he said he wouldn鈥檛 have it any other way.

鈥淚 work on these competitions because of my passion for undergraduate educations as well as outreach activities for environmental sustainability,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 also worked for the EPA as a post-doc before joining 麻豆原创. So I like to be involved in EPA鈥檚 activities for improving the quality of our life and protecting our planet.鈥�

Researchers found significant dune erosion that swept away some nests and exposed the eggs of others. It was a record year for green turtle nesting along the refuge鈥檚 beaches in southern Brevard County, but storm surge due to hurricane Irma destroyed many unhatched loggerhead and green turtle nests. 麻豆原创 researchers estimate that of nests laid through the end of September, more than half of the season鈥檚 green turtle nests and a quarter of loggerhead nests were lost.

Both species are listed as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, and Florida hosts the majority of both species鈥� U.S. nests. The section of the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge monitored by 麻豆原创 hosts about a third of the Florida鈥檚 green turtle nests.

鈥淟ast year with Hurricane Matthew, we lucked out because it was a low green turtle year,鈥� said Kate Mansfield, assistant professor and director of the 麻豆原创 Marine Turtle Research Group, noting that green turtles typically have alternating high and low nesting years. 鈥淭his year was an extraordinarily exciting year for green turtle nesting, breaking all previous records within the refuge and continuing the conservation success story for the species. Unfortunately, we had another big hurricane this year, highlighting the need for continued conservation efforts in the area.鈥�

Green turtles set a new record in 2017, laying 15,744 nests in the sands of the 13 miles of the Brevard County portion of the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge monitored by 麻豆原创. An estimated 8,830 of those were lost to the storm. Green turtles nest later in the season than other species, so many of their eggs hadn鈥檛 hatched by the time Irma hit. Some 56 percent of total green nests were lost, an estimated 81 percent of those that were still incubating.

Along the same stretch of beach, loggerheads laid 9,690 nests in 2017, but most had already hatched when Irma passed through the region. Still, an estimated 2,290 loggerhead nests were lost. That鈥檚 24 percent of the total loggerhead nests and 91 percent of those that were still incubating when hurricane-driven storm surge came ashore.

The refuge is located at the northern extent of dense leatherback nesting in Florida, but the species nest in far fewer numbers, laying just 23 nests in 2017 within the portion of the refuge monitored by 麻豆原创. But they nest earlier than greens and loggerheads, and all of the leatherback nests had finished incubating before the hurricane.

麻豆原创 also monitors another 16.4 miles of beaches north of the wildlife refuge, at Patrick Air Force Base and in central Brevard County. Considerably fewer nests are laid there than in the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge, but the numbers are still high compared to many other parts of the country. On those beaches, an estimated 642 of 2,251 green turtle nests and 831 of 6,229 loggerhead nests were lost due to the hurricane.

The 麻豆原创 Marine Turtle Research Group also found evidence that some green turtle hatchlings have emerged since the hurricane. And some turtles have continued to come ashore and lay new nests. Within the wildlife refuge, 466 new green turtle nests and eight new loggerhead nests were laid in September following Irma. Along the other 麻豆原创-monitored beaches, 72 new green nests and three new loggerhead nests were laid.

Still, the nests aren鈥檛 out of danger.

鈥淕reen turtles are still nesting, but recent extremely high tides have likely wiped out many of those new nests, too,鈥� said Erin Seney, an assistant research scientist with the 麻豆原创 group. 鈥淭he good news is that the nesting habits of sea turtles do protect them from large-scale nest loss and make them more resilient to this kind of event. They lay multiple nests per nesting season, roughly every other year for 30 years or more.鈥�

麻豆原创 researchers have run a sea turtle monitoring and research program on the beaches of the Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge in southern Brevard County for 35 years. Their findings about sea turtle nesting activity are among the reasons the refuge was created in 1991.聽Last year, the university and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service signed a landmark agreement that formalized 麻豆原创鈥檚 use of refuge facilities and established a protocol that will allow 麻豆原创 to build research facilities and a plan that will give 麻豆原创 oversight of the facilities for 40 years or more.

To support sea turtle research at 麻豆原创, visit www.ucffoundation.org/seaturtleresearch.

The rebate is one of the largest Duke Energy has issued in years.

The purchase of two water chillers for District Energy Plant IV, an under-construction water plant that will produce chilled and hot water to cool and dehumidify campus buildings, earned 麻豆原创 $200,000 of the rebate because of the chillers鈥� high efficiency, said Curtis Wade, director of 麻豆原创 Utilities & Energy Services.

The chillers will hold 4,000 tons 鈥� or 1 million gallons 鈥� of chilled water that will serve Research Building 1, when complete, and be added to an existing underground infrastructure that serves nearly 75 percent of campus buildings. Over the lifespan of District Energy Plant IV that鈥檚 being built on the northeast side of campus, the university is estimated to save $121,000 annually in operation costs and resources because of its energy-efficient design.

鈥淭his project has been developed over three years and in many phases to ensure we meet our current and future energy demands in the most efficient way possible,鈥� said Wade. 鈥淥ur goal always is to ensure that energy at 麻豆原创 remains as affordable and reliable as possible.鈥�

The remaining $78,000 of the recent rebate is from automation controls installed in Partnership I and II, Student Health Services, Mathematical Sciences and Engineering II buildings. The controls use CO2 sensors that measure when more outside air is needed to balance the CO2 levels in the buildings. Vents open when more outside air needed, and are closed when there鈥檚 enough. This reduces the demand on the equipment, which works harder to de-humidify the interior of buildings when vents are constantly open to let in outside air.

Since 2010, 麻豆原创 has earned more than $1 million in rebates for energy-efficient measures.

“We have a great partnership with the 麻豆原创,” said Sharon Arroyo, director of large-account management for Duke Energy Florida. “Energy efficiency is a great sustainability measure and 麻豆原创’s efforts are outstanding. We are pleased to present them with one of the largest rebates we’ve presented in recent years.”

Versa Drives, which recently received global recognition by DuPont for its exemplary performance and dedication to energy sustainability, will incorporate the 麻豆原创-developed fan blade design into its award-winning Superfan series of ceiling fans. Marketed as India鈥檚 first super-efficient ceiling fan, Superfan uses less than half the power required by a conventional fan to deliver the same or greater air flow.

鈥淲e are excited about the opportunity to combine this energy efficient fan blade design with our super-efficient fan motors and drives鈥攊t鈥檚 a winning combination,鈥� said Sundar Muruganandhan, managing director, Versa Drives. 鈥淎s a company, we are committed to聽energy saving and green products鈥攔ight down to the recyclable materials we use for our packaging. Adding this 麻豆原创-developed aerodynamic blade technology to our Superfan series will significantly enhance energy savings and open the door to new, international markets.鈥�

FSEC is well-recognized within the industry for its research and development of energy-efficient building technologies, hydrogen research, renewable energy technologies and its innovative ceiling fan blade technology. The FSEC-developed Gossamer Wind庐 series of ceiling fans鈥攚hich offer 40 percent higher airflow with no additional energy use鈥攆eature the prestigious Environmental Protection Agency鈥檚 Energy Star designation for energy efficiency. Through several licensing agreements, more than 1.9 million Gossamer Wind庐 ceiling fans have been purchased, saving consumers more than $20 million annually.

The average ceiling fan using 25 鈥� 100 watts is in operation 6-12 hours or more each day.聽 Thanks to advances in motor, drives and blade technologies, energy efficient ceiling fans can run on lower power consumption using only 4 鈥� 40 watts and enhance overall air circulation. With improved air flow, these fans also allow consumers to adjust their cooling thermostats to more efficient settings.

鈥溌槎乖粹�檚 Florida Solar Energy Center is on the forefront of energy research developing some of the most advanced technologies,鈥� said Thomas O鈥橬eal, Ph.D., associate vice president of 麻豆原创’s . 鈥淐ompanies such as Versa Drives recognize the groundbreaking work being conducted right here in Central Florida and are looking to the Florida Solar Energy Center for continued innovation and energy savings.鈥�

The license agreement with Versa Drives was executed through the 麻豆原创 .

Photo: Celebrating the licensing agreement were (seated L to R), Thomas O鈥橬eal, 麻豆原创 and Sundar Muruganandhan, Versa Drives, along with members of 麻豆原创’s Office of Technology Transfer (standing L to R) Andrea Adkins, Narasimha Nagaiah (Raju), Durgasharan Krishnamurthy, Versa Drives, Svetlana Shtrom, and Shan Venkatachalam, Versa Drives.

Versa Drives Private Limited (VDPL) is a Coimbatore, India-based company specializing in custom designed motor control solutions for Original Equipment Manufacturers and super-efficient appliances. The company features a highly experienced team of engineers who understand the requirements of its customers to develop variable frequency drives and BLDC motors & drives using state-of-the-art design and simulation tools. VDPL is ISO 9001:2008 certified for design and manufacturing of super-efficient motors & drives and appliances.聽 Versa Drives has manufactured and supplied more than 100,000 drives to date that are working in the field. For more information, visit & superfan.in