Sustainability news

Sustainability programs and research at U of T Engineering are at the forefront of alternative technologies that can mitigate the impact of climate change.

Measurements taken by U of T Engineering researchers show that levels of certain airborne particles can be up to nine times higher in train cars pulled by diesel locomotives than on busy city streets. (Photo: Kevin Hiscott, via <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/portway-ave/110344606/" target="_blank">Flickr</a>)

Diesel trains may expose passengers to exhaust

Levels of certain airborne pollutants are up to nine times higher in train cars directly behind diesel locomotives than on busy city streets.

Professor Marianne Touchie (CivE, MIE) is working with Toronto Community Housing and The Atmospheric Fund to better understand how changes to energy use affect indoor environmental quality in multi-unit residential buildings. Toronto Public Health is collaborating to use their data to inform policy. (Photo: Kevin Soobrian)

Heat, housing and health: Marianne Touchie and the complexity of multi-unit residential buildings

Professor Marianne Touchie is working with Toronto Community Housing and The Atmospheric Fund to better understand how changes to energy use affect indoor environmental quality in multi-unit residential buildings

A U of T Engineering research team led by Professor Matthew Roorda (CivE) are assessing the safety impact of Bloor Street bike lanes. (Photo by Dylan Passmore via Flickr).

Bike lanes on Bloor Street: U of T Engineering partners with Miovision, City of Toronto to help evaluate pilot and track traffic safety

Matthew Roorda (CIvE) performing conflict analysis to help cities evaluate the impact to safety of any changes to a streetscape

U of T Engineering alumnus John Paul Morgan (EngSci 0T1, ECE MASc 0T5) was inspired to found his company, Morgan Solar, by his experiences with Doctors Without Borders in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Morgan is part of a new generation of entrepreneurs helping to bring inexpensive electricity to energy-impoverished regions. (Courtesy: John Paul Morgan).

The next generation of solar pioneers: Electrifying a nation

U of T Engineering alumni John Paul Morgan and Shawn Qu are entrepreneurs whose ingenuity is lighting up parts of the Democratic Republic of Congo

From left: Professor Ramin Farnood with students Reena Cabanilla (Year 4 MIE) and Yu Fan Qi (ChemE MASc candidate). (Credit: Marit Mitchell).

Clean water, clean air: U of T Engineering research addresses big sustainability questions from resource scarcity to climate change

Ramin Farnood is an established leader in water decontamination — now he’s applying that expertise to tackle climate-warming emissions

Alexander Ip and his U of T research team, led by Professor Ted Sargent, will receive nearly $1 million from the Ontario government for the semi-final round of the Carbon XPRIZE competition (Photo: Kevin Soobrian)

U of T team advances to next round of Carbon XPRIZE competition

A team of U of T researchers led by Professor Ted Sargent had advanced to the second round of the NRG COSIA Carbon XPRIZE international competition.

Researchers Jeffrey Brook (left) and Greg Evans (ChemE) use an aerosol mass spectrometer to analyse particulate air pollution. They are leading CANUE, a new pan-Canadian research consortium that aims to connect detailed environmental data with public health data to study the effects of exposure on Canadians’ health. (Credit: Marit Mitchell).

New research consortium aims to build critical bridge between environmental and health data

Canadian Urban Environmental Health Research Consortium (CANUE) will study the role of environment in determining Canadians’ health

The Blue Sky Solar Racing team's latest vehicle, Horizon, makes a test run in summer 2016. The team is currently working on its ninth vehicle, to race at the 2017 World Solar Challenge in Australia. (Courtesy: Blue Sky Solar Racing).

Blue Sky Solar Racing celebrates 20th anniversary

Established in 1996 as the ‘Blue Sky Project,’ the group of intrepid U of T Engineering students designs, builds and races their unique car thousands of kilometres, powered only by the sun’s rays

“The convergence of a healthy biking culture and few cars in the heart of the city is truly a breath of fresh air," says Kerolyn Shairsingh (ChemE PhD candidate) about Utrecht, where she has been on research exchange since October 2016. (Courtesy: Kerolyn Shairsingh).

ChemE PhD student finds breath of fresh air in the Netherlands

Exchange is part of University of Toronto’s first-ever tripartite research collaboration with Utrecht University and The Chinese University of Hong Kong