ByFusion is a start-up company founded in 2017 with the goal of combating the plastic waste contamination that is becoming overwhelming in landfills and spilling into the ocean. They are currently marketing a new product to municipalities, recycling facilities, and waste management operations. This product is the subject of the following report: ByBlock. ByBlock is […]
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Requested by the City of Wausau’s Community Development Department, this report analyzes how Wisconsin municipalities use developer incentives on Tax Increment Financing (TIF) projects and how such usage has changed with the COVID-19 pandemic. Incentives are a primary way to attract private developers to TIF projects, which are among municipalities’ main tools for promoting economic […]
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Undergraduate engineering students researched eight possible strategies utilizing sustainable technology to prevent blue-green algae from growing in Lake Altoona. UniverCity Contact Info: UniverCityAlliance@wisc.edu […]
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Identified problem: Eau Claire County government buildings, specifically the Courthouse and Jail, experience elevated energy consumption, making up ~91% of Eau Claire County government electricity usage. The goals included providing further recommendations to improve energy efficiency and reduce energyconsumption and carbon emissions, particularly for the county courthouse and jail, and investigating renewable energy projects/options to […]
Wausau is a city located in central Wisconsin, straddling the Wisconsin River. Home to around 39,575 residents, Wausau is an ever-growing city that welcomes incoming refugees through ECDC. The Ethiopian Community Development Council, ECDC, is a multicultural, community-based organization committed to empowering immigrants and refugees and helping them resettle in new communities. The organization’s current […]
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The study focused on three county facilities 1) the courthouse built in 1973 and later expanded in 2012, 2) the jail which was relocated to a new building following the expansion, and 3) a smaller maintenance building built in 1975. These facilities have been supported by energy efficiency and renewable energy initiatives, including participation in […]
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Students from the Fall 2023 cohort of the Forest and Wildlife Ecology 599 Research Capstone were tasked with addressing two challenges: 1. What is causing the harmful algal blooms? Specifically, where are the nutrients coming in from?2. How can we communicate to the public about the issue and how they can help? To support Eau […]
A group of graduate students from the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison worked collaboratively with representatives of the Eau Claire River Watershed Coalition (ECRWC) to create a conservation action plan for Lake Altoona. The ECRWC created a 9-key element plan in 2015-2017 and meets monthly to update members on the […]
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This report addresses the issue of sediment accumulation in Eau Claire River lake impoundments and assesses the benefits and costs of four different options regarding its removal, along with additional sub-options. The purpose of this planning effort is to provide a reference framework for Eau Claire County to use when estimating the outcomes of each […]
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