Projects

The Interlock House project, initiated in 2013 by CBER, explores the benefits of passive solar home design for energy-efficient living. Located at Honey Creek State Park Resort, the house serves as the resort’s nature center, showcasing sustainable living with minimal energy use and direct interaction with outdoor climate conditions.

The Mobile Diagnostic Lab (MDL), completed in August 2017, is a flexible, mobile research facility designed to collect performance data across various locations. Led by Prof. Ulrike Passe, the lab features removable wall sections, thermal sensors, and various systems for researching building performance, moisture control, HVAC, energy use, and air quality. The project allows students and researchers to conduct in-depth studies on building materials and environmental factors.

The Sustainable Cities project, launched in Fall 2016, focuses on integrating human behavior, microclimates, and social dynamics into sustainable urban development. The interdisciplinary team works to improve energy use in cities through informed policies and innovative design, considering a range of spatial, political, and cultural contexts.

The Iowa Urban FEWS project, funded by the NSF, integrates social, biophysical, and climatic models to address the environmental impacts of urban food systems, which contribute significantly to human environmental impacts. By analyzing urban food-energy-water (FEW) systems and their interactions with surrounding areas, the project aims to improve sustainability in densely populated regions, where human choices shape both social and physical environments.

The CommHEAT project, led by Dr. Ulrike Passe, addresses the risks of extreme heat for vulnerable communities by developing a community-based, microclimate-informed indoor heat emergency alert system. Supported by an NSF grant, the system uses data and participatory methods to offer personalized, street- or house-level heat predictions and real-time alerts through a mobile app, helping residents mitigate heat-related risks and improve safety during extreme heat events.

The Urban-Rural Systems Research Coordination Network at Iowa State University, led by Dr. Ulrike Passe, has received a $500,000 NSF grant to study environmental and socio-economic challenges in the Mississippi River basin. Focusing on issues like urban sprawl, flooding, and climate change, the five-year project aims to develop solutions for improving resilience and sustainability in cities, with broader applications for urban-rural areas worldwide. Collaborative research will create transferable models for better land policies, infrastructure, and community health.