UMD Students Impress in ASCE Sustainable Solutions Competition

University of Maryland (UMD) students competed this year for the first time in the American Society of Civil Engineers’ (ASCE) Sustainable Solutions competition, racking up a second–place finish at the Mid-Atlantic Symposium meet and advancing to nationals scheduled for June.

“It’s an amazing result for the team, given it’s their first year,” said the student's faculty advisor, Assistant Professor Jianqiang Wei.

The challenge presented to competition participants was to design a data center that would meet a set of sustainability requirements based on the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards, which comprise the world’s most widely-used certification system for green infrastructure.

To achieve that goal, students had to factor in everything from cooling to fire protection, stormwater management, community relations, and the comfort and safety of employees.

Team member Jeremy Ramos, who focused on the hypothetical center’s cooling systems, says he was surprised to learn how many existing data centers still rely on older infrastructure.”

“Many new techniques exist that allow us to lower water consumption, keep noise levels down, and rein in electricity usage,” he said. “If centers are willing to invest in these approaches, the environmental footprint can be reduced and the impact on the local community kept at a minimum.”

Teammate Emily Cui said she appreciated the interdisciplinary aspect of the project. As the team’s fire protection lead, she reached out beyond her CEE major to consult with faculty at UMD’s Fire Protection Engineering department, the only program of its kind in the nation.

Senior Zoe Cadman and junior Giuliana Pangan co-captained the team, with Cadman saying their goal was to kickstart a new addition to the UMD ASCE branch’s line-up of student competitions.

“We want to have more and more teams and thus reflect a broader range of student interests,” she said.

Pangan said that sustainability is a hot topic for many undergraduates going into the CEE major, with the competition providing an added opportunity to learn about the topic and build hands-on experience.The ASCE branch now fields three different competitive teams, with Sustainability Solutions joining the long-standing Concrete Canoe and Steel Bridge teams, both of which have more of a geotechnical focus.

While Assistant Professor Wei is the branch’s faculty advisor, the team also was mentored by Associate Professor Jongwan Eun, who described the topic of data centers as “timely.”

“Besides winning second place, the students built up expertise in an area that many stakeholders are concerned about,” he said. “This will be of great benefit to them as they enter the profession.”

The team’s results cap a successful season for UMD ASCE overall, with the Steel Bridge also placing second in regionals and advancing to nationals, and the Concrete Canoe team securing second-place finishes in several individual events.

Published May 27, 2026