In 2023, Tec de Monterrey selected five proposals for its First Call for Applied Research and Innovation under Ruta Azul, developed by faculty members from three National Schools. These projects are turning the university campuses into living laboratories.
These initiatives are featured in the Ruta Azul Annual Report 2023-2024, presented as part of the institution’s Sustainability and Climate Change Plan for 2025. The university launched Ruta Azul three years ago to achieve its goals toward a sustainable future and foster a proactive culture in response to the climate emergency.
During the presentation, David Garza, the institution’s Executive President, commented: “In recent years, we have set specific goals and made them part of our plan. As a university, we are dedicated to education, research, and impacting society, and these are all elements central to Ruta Azul.”
5 Applied Research and Innovation Projects
The call for proposals focused on finding solutions to three main challenges: water—specifically over-consumption and the circular management of this resource; waste—developing circular economy strategies for handling waste; and sustainable mobility—aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The five selected projects are:
1.Nature-Based Solutions for Transition to a Water Sensitive Campus
This project, developed by the School of Architecture, Art, and Design (EAAD) at the Querétaro campus, created a strategic plan for a water-sensitive campus. It incorporates nature-based solutions and renewable energy in open areas to enhance the circularity of the water resource.
2.Walkability in Distrito Tlalpan
The School of Social Sciences and Government (ECSG) implemented this project at the Ciudad de México campus, focused on formulating public policies that include urban design interventions, land use planning, and transportation strategies.
3.Implementation of Rainwater Harvesting and Greywater Reuse System for Water Consumption Reduction and Wastewater Minimization
This initiative from the School of Engineering and Sciences (EIC) at the Monterrey campus involves a rainwater harvesting and greywater reuse system. The project aims to evaluate the pilot system’s performance and demonstrate its effectiveness for potential full or partial adoption in managing this resource.
4.Mapping Organic Waste Streams for Developing Sustainable Food and Waste Management Systems on Campus: A Living Lab Perspective
This project, led by the EIC on the Guadalajara campus, focuses on improving food systems by mapping and characterizing organic waste flows. It also assesses the efficiency of waste separation in order to identify sustainable food options.
5.Conscious Smart Water
Researchers from the EIC at the Monterrey campus developed a digital platform that monitors water consumption in restrooms and drinking fountains, energy efficiency, and the operational quality of the treatment plant. The project aims to raise awareness and promote water conservation within the campus community.
Additionally, faculty from the EIC at Monterrey carried out a project in which students worked with secondary and high school students to promote PET recycling. The collected material was then used to produce 3D-printed educational materials for the participating institutions.
Paola Visconti, Director of Sustainable Development and Outreach, and leader of Ruta Azul, stated that the initiative aims to promote interdisciplinary research applied to solutions on campus.
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