Water: Green Infrastructure
Campus RainWorks Challenge - FAQs
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**Please note, the information on this page is for the 2012 Campus RainWorks Challenge. Updated information for the 2013 challenge will be available in late July 2013.**
Frequently Asked Questions
- Eligibility
- Submissions – General
- Submissions – Project Narrative
- Submissions – Design Boards
- Submissions – Video
- Prizes
Eligibility
Can the project be off campus?
No, the project must be based on campus.
Are community and technical colleges eligible to participate?
Yes, all undergraduate and graduate programs at any college or university are invited to participate in the competition.
Are graduate students eligible to participate?
Yes, all undergraduate or graduate students enrolled at an eligible institution are eligible to participate.
No, the project must be based on campus.
Are community and technical colleges eligible to participate?
Are graduate students eligible to participate?
Yes, all undergraduate or graduate students enrolled at an eligible institution are eligible to participate.
Can a student team have more than one faculty advisor?
Yes. Cooperation such as this may in fact lead to more multi-disciplinary teams that can offer more comprehensive green infrastructure designs. However, awards will only be issued to one faculty member.
Should we avoid references to our university to preserve anonymity?
Yes, to the extent possible you should avoid any direct reference to your university in your project narrative, design board,and video.
In what order will judges be viewing the different components of our submission? Will judges be viewing the video, design boards, or project narrative first?
Judges will most likely be viewing the project narrative and design boards first, followed by the video.
Where can I find examples of innovative green infrastructure projects?
We don't have space to direct you to all the great examples on the web, but here are a few websites that include green infrastructure projects:
EPA's Green Infrastructure Case Studies ASLA's Sustainable Landscapes Case Studies
The Sustainable Site Initiative's Certified Projects
LAF's Case Study Briefs
What should my team do if we don't have time to complete our entry?
If you cannot complete your entry, please send an e-mail informing us that your team is withdrawing from the competition to RainWorks@epa.gov (Rainworks@epa.gov).
Should our project narrative include an abstract?
While an abstract is not required, we recommend that you include an abstract in your project narrative. The abstract should briefly summarize your green infrastructure project and the key features of your project that make it prize-worthy.
Is there a particular format that teams are expected to follow for the project narrative?
Yes, teams should follow the format guidelines provided in the competition brief Campus RainWorks Challenge: A Green Infrastructure Design Challenge for Colleges and Universities (PDF) (11 pp, 308K)
Would a title page and table of contents count towards the 15 page limit for the project narrative?
Yes, the title page and table of contents would count towards the 15 page limit for the project narrative. Only references will not count towards the 15 page limit.
"Design board" is a term adapted from the discipline of landscape architecture, so you may want to consult a professor of landscape architecture at your school.
Design boards often include a subset of the following components (you choose which components are most appropriate for your project):
Should we submit physical design boards as well as electronic copies?
No. We ask that you submit only electronic copies of your design boards and not physical copies.
Should we submit two copies of the same design board or two different design boards?
Please submit two different design boards.
No, video credits will not be counted towards this limit.
The EPA will pay student prizes using convenience checks. Student prizes will be paid to the student point of contact for each winning team.
The EPA will distribute the research funds using electronic funds transfer. Research funds will be paid to the college/university with which each winning team is affiliated for distribution to the faculty advisor.
Note that prizes may be subject to Federal income taxes, and that the EPA will comply with the Internal Revenue Service 1099 reporting requirements.
How do you define "green infrastructure research"?
For the purposes of this challenge, we define "green infrastructure research" as research addressing the effectiveness of stormwater control measures that infiltrate, evapotranspire, and/or harvest and use stormwater to mitigate receiving water impacts. This research could address a range of spatial scales and stormwater control measures, and could address different aspects of "effectiveness."
To learn about the range of spatial scales and stormwater control measures of interest to our program, please consult: What is Green Infrastructure?
To learn about the range of costs and benefits of interest to our program, please consult:
Cost-Benefit Analyses and Why Green Infrastructure?
Are there any reporting requirements for the research funds awarded to faculty advisors?
EPA encourages faculty advisors to make available a report to the public describing the outcome of research supported by prize proceeds.
Do the research funds awarded to faculty advisors have to be spent within a particular timeframe?
No, research funds awarded to faculty advisors do not have to be spent within a particular timeframe.
Yes. Cooperation such as this may in fact lead to more multi-disciplinary teams that can offer more comprehensive green infrastructure designs. However, awards will only be issued to one faculty member.
Can a college or university have more than one team?
Yes.
Is there a recommended team size?
No, teams can be as large or as small as desired.
Yes.
Is there a recommended team size?
No, teams can be as large or as small as desired.
Submissions - General
Should we avoid references to our university to preserve anonymity?Yes, to the extent possible you should avoid any direct reference to your university in your project narrative, design board,and video.
In what order will judges be viewing the different components of our submission? Will judges be viewing the video, design boards, or project narrative first?
Judges will most likely be viewing the project narrative and design boards first, followed by the video.
Where can I find examples of innovative green infrastructure projects?
We don't have space to direct you to all the great examples on the web, but here are a few websites that include green infrastructure projects:
EPA's Green Infrastructure Case Studies ASLA's Sustainable Landscapes Case Studies
The Sustainable Site Initiative's Certified Projects
LAF's Case Study Briefs
What should my team do if we don't have time to complete our entry?
If you cannot complete your entry, please send an e-mail informing us that your team is withdrawing from the competition to RainWorks@epa.gov (Rainworks@epa.gov).
Submissions - Project Narrative
Should our project narrative include an abstract?While an abstract is not required, we recommend that you include an abstract in your project narrative. The abstract should briefly summarize your green infrastructure project and the key features of your project that make it prize-worthy.
Is there a particular format that teams are expected to follow for the project narrative?
Yes, teams should follow the format guidelines provided in the competition brief Campus RainWorks Challenge: A Green Infrastructure Design Challenge for Colleges and Universities (PDF) (11 pp, 308K)
Would a title page and table of contents count towards the 15 page limit for the project narrative?
Yes, the title page and table of contents would count towards the 15 page limit for the project narrative. Only references will not count towards the 15 page limit.
Submissions - Design Boards
What is a design board?"Design board" is a term adapted from the discipline of landscape architecture, so you may want to consult a professor of landscape architecture at your school.
Design boards often include a subset of the following components (you choose which components are most appropriate for your project):
- A site plan showing the context of your project
- Site cross sections
- Diagrams showing more detail on the techniques you have selected
- Perspective drawings
- Detail drawings
- Summary text
- NOTE: Don't forget to include labels on drawings as well as scale symbols and north arrows where appropriate!
You can find some examples of design boards in the "Integrating Habitats" Winners Series Library (design boards are generally shown on page 3).
Should we submit physical design boards as well as electronic copies?
No. We ask that you submit only electronic copies of your design boards and not physical copies.
Should we submit two copies of the same design board or two different design boards?
Please submit two different design boards.
Submissions - Video
Do video credits count towards the 3.5 minute limit for the video presentation?No, video credits will not be counted towards this limit.
Prizes
How will prizes be distributed?The EPA will pay student prizes using convenience checks. Student prizes will be paid to the student point of contact for each winning team.
The EPA will distribute the research funds using electronic funds transfer. Research funds will be paid to the college/university with which each winning team is affiliated for distribution to the faculty advisor.
Note that prizes may be subject to Federal income taxes, and that the EPA will comply with the Internal Revenue Service 1099 reporting requirements.
How do you define "green infrastructure research"?
For the purposes of this challenge, we define "green infrastructure research" as research addressing the effectiveness of stormwater control measures that infiltrate, evapotranspire, and/or harvest and use stormwater to mitigate receiving water impacts. This research could address a range of spatial scales and stormwater control measures, and could address different aspects of "effectiveness."
To learn about the range of spatial scales and stormwater control measures of interest to our program, please consult: What is Green Infrastructure?
To learn about the range of costs and benefits of interest to our program, please consult:
Cost-Benefit Analyses and Why Green Infrastructure?
Are there any reporting requirements for the research funds awarded to faculty advisors?
EPA encourages faculty advisors to make available a report to the public describing the outcome of research supported by prize proceeds.
Do the research funds awarded to faculty advisors have to be spent within a particular timeframe?
No, research funds awarded to faculty advisors do not have to be spent within a particular timeframe.
To sign up for e-mail updates or ask a question about the Campus RainWorks Challenge, please e-mail
RainWorks@epa.gov (RainWorks@epa.gov).