Nicole Dufalla / SEAS

Sustainable Engineering Design in Skiing

Nicole Dufalla, Lecturer, First Year Engineering Center

Introduction

As an environmentalist, I am personally very conflicted by my enjoyment of Virginia area recreational downhill skiing; however, as an engineer, I believe there are many possible venues of improving the environmental sustainability of the downhill skiing industry. From different methods of snowmaking, artificial snow, recycled materials for equipment, lift design and operation, methods of lighting for nighttime skiing, or systemic solutions for resort operation, this problem can incorporate many facets of general engineering design. Skiing can be an exclusionary sport, and part of the motivation of this seminar would be to provide a bridge between a student’s comfortable knowledge base in engineering and the unknown and/or exclusionary arena of skiing. As a result, this seminar will also only be open to engineering students, and to students who have no experience skiing and who have felt excluded from the sport.

Idea

I would like to conduct a small (6-8 student) engineering-based seminar that discusses and develops ideas to improve the sustainability of downhill recreational skiing. This will be conducted with Wintergreen Ski Resort and will begin this seminar by touring the resort and meeting with management to discuss operations and current sustainable initiatives. Throughout the span of this seminar, students will develop an idea to improve the environmental sustainability of skiing at the Wintergreen Resort. The seminar will conclude with a final proposal, prepared for the management of Wintergreen Resort, of the student developed environmental sustainability improvements. Part of the seminar will include the opportunity for students to be able to ski as they are developing their ideas.

Objectives

Students will gain an understanding of applications of sustainable engineering design to real- world applications

Students will improve client communication, technical writing, and the ability to use the engineering design process

Students will have the opportunity to have fun and learn a new skill in an area that has been exclusionary to them

Engineering students will have more opportunity to interact with and learn from students across different engineering disciplines to promote cross-department problem solutions

Tentative schedule

  • Mid January 2025 – Tour the Wintergreen Resort with management to understand resort operations, the facility, and the current environmental sustainability efforts

  • 3 Sunday ski sessions – tentatively Sunday, January 12th; Sunday, January 19th; Sunday, January 26th (backup February 2nd, February 9th)

  • February 2025 – March 2025 – group meets several times to develop a proposal to Wintergreen based on observations and findings to increase resort environmental sustainability

  • This will include several more formal seminar discussions of sustainability, LEED criteria, and general ski resort operations

  • April 2025 – final gathering to celebrate the end of the project (informal)

Budget

Ski trips (pricing based on Wintergreen 2023-2024 Season)

  • Each student will receive a ‘student deal’ 4-pack from Wintergreen = $332 per student

  • Includes rental, lesson and four lift tickets

  • For 6 students: $332 x 6 = $1992 (plus one faculty four pack ticket $319) = $2311

  • Vehicle rental (from UVA-Enterprise): 1 large SUV rental daily rate = $94.66

  • For use during 3 ski trips = $94.66 x 3 = $283.98

  • Snacks during ski trips = $200

Final celebration:

  • Meal for 7: $300

Total: $2311 + $283.98 + $200 + $300 = $3394.98