The Institute for Energy Solutions is awarding nearly $500,000 for three faculty-led energy-focused living learning laboratory projects.
Living learning labs are physical and/or digital infrastructure projects that operate in real-world conditions and systems to inform research and education. The Institute for Energy Solutions identified several sites that could support energy-focused living learning labs on campus and in the city of Ann Arbor and encouraged proposal teams to consider the sites and their needs when developing proposals.
The collaborative partners included Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum, U-M Health, the city of Ann Arbor, and U-M Utilities. Faculty could also propose other sites/partners on campus or in the city of Ann Arbor.
Living learning labs on campus and in the city of Ann Arbor provide a multitude of benefits to researchers on campus, and to the broader campus and city community, including:
- Research testbeds and/or deployment sites.
- Opportunities for novel data collection, synthesis, and analysis.
- Opportunities for human-centered and community-based participatory research.
They also provide opportunities for broader impacts, including broadening participation and outreach, educational experiences, and practitioner learning and training opportunities.
The funded projects span bioenergy, building energy, and energy-autonomous sensor applications, and each funded team is multidisciplinary and will pursue research alongside education and outreach impacts.
The projects, to be developed at the Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Leslie Science & Nature Center in partnership with the city of Ann Arbor, also offer important benefits to the institute’s collaborative partners.
“These projects highlight how the Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum serve as a hands-on campus laboratory where students, researchers, and the community explore sustainable energy solutions in real-world settings,” said Anthony Kolenic, director of the Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum.
“As a nonprofit focused on discovery, curiosity and experience, electrifying the DTE Energy House lets us turn sustainability into something families can see, touch, and learn from every day,” said Susan Westhoff, president and CEO for the Leslie Science & Nature Center and the Ann Arbor Hands On Museum. “This project reduces emissions, supports groundbreaking research, and inspires our community — especially children — to imagine and build a cleaner, more resilient future. We are honored to be a part of this collaborative work.”
The three projects are:
The Bioenergy Innovation at the Campus Farm: Electro-fermentation of Waste Biomass into Sustainable Fuels through Community-Engaged Research and Education
Project leads: Joshua Jack, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering, CoE; Benjamin Goldstein, assistant professor of environment and sustainability, SEAS; Jeremy Moghtader, program manager at the Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum and adjunct lecturer in Program in the Environment, SEAS and LSA
LLL site and collaborators: Matthaei Botanical Gardens
Goal: This project will launch a transformative Bioenergy Living Learning Lab at the Campus Farm, immersing students in hands-on learning and applied research at the intersection of sustainability, energy, and biotechnology. In partnership with the Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum, the project team will build a bioreactor testbed to advance innovative electro-fermentation processes. The living learning lab aims to support novel data collection and translational research by utilizing waste generated through Matthaei Botanical Gardens’ normal operations. The living learning lab will also serve as a new platform for developing teaching modules, student training in research and science communication, and energizing public outreach in bioenergy innovation.
Impact: The Bioenergy living learning lab will drive innovation in research by creating unique opportunities to obtain critical data on biofuel production from complex wastes and develop cutting-edge waste-to-energy techno-economic analyses and life cycle assessment models, advancing both basic science and applied research. The living learning lab will also serve as a community engagement hub, inspiring thousands of visitors annually through highly accessible outreach events and waste-to-energy demonstrations. The living learning lab will also help educate undergraduate and graduate students through innovative hands-on learning and train the next generation of energy professionals to better communicate with the public through robust community-based knowledge sharing opportunities.
A community-facing test bed for beneficial electrification technologies and the public’s understanding of them
Project leads: Parth Vaishnav, assistant professor of environment and sustainability, SEAS; Anish Tuteja, professor of materials science and engineering, of macromolecular science and engineering, and of chemical engineering, CoE
LLL site and collaborators: Leslie Science & Nature Center and the city of Ann Arbor
Goal: This project will fully electrify the 25-year-old DTE Energy House at the Leslie Science & Nature Center, replacing its fossil gas boiler with an air source heat pump and the gas stove with an induction range. Leveraging this transformation, the team will conduct multidisciplinary research to gather critical cold-climate performance data on heat pumps, including defrost cycles; evaluate a novel frost-preventing coating on heat pump surfaces; and evaluate communication strategies to enhance public knowledge and adoption willingness regarding heat pumps and induction technology. The project will inform systems analyses, help improve technology, and test effective communication strategies.
Impact: This project will generate public data on cold-climate heat pump performance and evaluate innovative frost-prevention coatings, advancing sustainable building technologies. Data aims to support research and education at U-M, and educational opportunities for thousands of visitors to the LSNC and others via media outreach. The outreach will serve as an ongoing testbed to form and test hypotheses about the effectiveness of communication strategies. The whole project will support Ann Arbor and the Leslie Science & Nature Center on their climate action goals, reducing emissions and enhancing community resilience.
Hydrovoltaic-Powered Soil Sensor Networks for Energy-Autonomous Living Learning Laboratories at Matthaei Botanical Gardens
Project leads: Albert Liu, assistant professor of chemical engineering, of macromolecular science and engineering, and of materials science and engineering, CoE; Aline Eid, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering, CoE; Brendan O’Neill, assistant research scientist and lecturer, SEAS
LLL site and collaborators: Matthaei Botanical Gardens
Goal: This energy-focused living learning lab at Matthaei Botanical Gardens will deploy and field-test hydrovoltaic-powered wireless soil sensors that harvest energy from soil moisture. These battery-free, biodegradable sensors will provide real-time data on soil moisture, nutrients, and contaminants such as excess nitrate and phosphorus. The system will serve as a testbed for sustainable, energy-autonomous sensing and support a new ENG 100 undergraduate lab module, a public-facing data dashboard, and K-12 outreach in collaboration with Matthaei Botanical Gardens’ education team. This project integrates clean energy innovation, environmental monitoring, and experiential learning, advancing U-M’s mission in sustainability, research and community engagement.
Impact: This project will validate a novel, energy-autonomous sensor platform for real-time environmental monitoring and support foundational research in clean energy systems. Educational outcomes include training over 200 undergraduates annually through a new ENG 100 lab module and engaging student veterans and graduate mentors in interdisciplinary research. Outreach activities, co-developed with Matthaei Botanical Gardens, will reach more than 500 K-12 students through field visits and hands-on learning. The living learning lab will serve as a scalable model for sustainable energy education and infrastructure innovation.
