|
P3 Overview - People, Prosperity and the Planet
P3 highlights people, prosperity, and the planet – the three pillars of
sustainability – as the next step beyond
P2 or pollution prevention.
The P3 project is a
partnership between the public and private sectors to achieve the mutual goals
of economic prosperity while protecting the natural systems of the planet and
providing a higher quality of life for its people. The project is organized
under the auspices of the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency.
Launched in early 2004, the
P3 Award competition provides grants to teams of college students and
faculty to research, develop, and design sustainable solutions to environmental
challenges. The competition is open to teams of undergraduate and/or graduate
students attending U.S. colleges, universities and other post-secondary
educational institutions.
Many of the projects selected for the P3 Award competition are aligned with
standards-development activities. Each fall the EPA announces a new group of
award recipients that will receive awards up to $10,000. The teams will
research and develop designs that incorporate and support environmental and
economic goals of sustainability.
Examples of the projects pursued within each of the five main categories
include:
| Design Category |
Sample Project |
| built environment |
-
Constructing Sustainable Homes Following Natural Disasters
-
Growing alternative sustainable buildings: bio-composite products from natural
fiber, biodegradable and recyclable polymer materials for load-bearing
construction components
|
| materials and chemicals |
-
A Novel Environment Friendly Method for Expansion and Molding of Polymeric Foam
-
Minimizing the environmental impact of construction materials in playground
design
|
| energy |
-
Production of Biodiesel from Algae Applied to Agricultural Wastewater Treatment
-
The Effectiveness of Energy Generating Exercise Equipment for Energy
Conservation Education
|
| information technology |
-
Development of a bi-national groundwater management model to provide a
sustainable water supply within the El Paso/Juarez region
|
| water |
-
Drinking Water Purification for U.S.A. - Mexico Border Region
-
Development of a Sustainable and Appropriate Drinking Water System for Montana
de Luz and Nueva Esperanza, Honduras
|
 For a complete list of 2009-2010 Award
Recipients,
please
click here.
In the spring, the teams will be invited to bring their design projects to the
National Mall in Washington, DC, to compete for the P3 Award. The National
Academies will judge the competition. Winners of the P3 Award will be eligible
for additional funds from EPA to match contributions from industry or
non-governmental organizations to help further develop the design, implement
the project in the field, and move the design to the marketplace.
On behalf of its members and constituents, the American
National Standards Institute (ANSI) has joined with more than 40
partners in the federal government, industry, and scientific and professional
societies to provide support for the design aspects of the P3 Award
competition.
ANSI is serving as a standardization and conformity assessment resource for the
student design teams. The online "Standards
Resource Guide" can be used by the faculty and students who comprise
the P3 design teams to locate specific standards information, training tools,
and contacts at standards developing organizations
Members of the standards development community are encouraged to provide
resources and assistance in providing educational and technical content that
will help to support the design teams in their efforts.
American National Standards Institute
Education and Training Services
E-mail: training@ansi.org
Website: www.ansi.org/education
|