Capstone Senior Design Course

C/EVEN 5/4434 is the��capstone design course for EVEN seniors. Students choose a single project from an array of options spanning environmental engineering: water, energy, developing communities, applied ecology, hazardous waste and air quality. Project teams then execute a semester-long project in three phases:

Project proposal
Alternatives assessment
Preliminary design

Each project is an authentic, current issue with a client, technical advisor and industry mentor. Each phase of the project culminates in a written deliverable and oral presentation. Many projects are associated with national competitions.

Course outcomes:

Integrate the technical sub-disciplines of surface water, air, groundwater, and water resources to create a professional-level solution to the assigned project problem.
Gather relevant data, understand client needs, identify constraints, and identify and use applicable regulations, codes and standards.
Create feasible alternative designs and carry out value engineering analysis, including comparison of sustainability and resilience of various alternatives.
Prepare increasingly detailed designs and construction planning that satisfies the Owner's or Clients’ goals and project’s constraints while also conforming to relevant codes and regulations.
Prepare design documentation including design rationale and intent, design details and integrated project planning, scheduling and construction cost analysis to support each design stage
Complete primary components of contract documents for client and basic specifications.
Present ideas, concepts and designs in a professional format to the client from the perspective of an engineering firm attempting to win a design-build contract.
Work in multi-disciplinary teams and in interdisciplinary formats as appropriate during different phases of the assignment.

Process From Start to Finish

Projects are presented to class. Students vote which project they would most like to work on and are assigned to projects and teams.
Teams create written proposals for their project and present on their proposals.
Teams complete exhaustive alternatives assessments and present on their findings. Teams defend which alternative is the best fit to meet the project goal.
Teams create preliminary designs to meet the project goal and present and report on finished products.��

Example Projects

Designing a Sustainable Water System for Remote Communities
Investigation Water Savings Opportunities for Cooling Towers via Replacement, Recovery and Treatment
Designing a Sustainable Microgrid for Mulit-family Affordable Housing
Chlorinated Solvent Remediation
FAA Design Competition for Universities: Control of Deicing Chemicals at Denver International Airport
WEF Student Design Competition: Biosolids: Digestion, Dewatering, and Handling Evaluation and Design for Parker, CO
20-year Masterplan for Denver Water's 280 MGD Foothills Plant
Navajo-Gallup Water Supply Project: Cutter Lateral Water Treatment Plant

Capstone Design Team National and Regional Award Winners

2026

�鶹��Ѱ��Engineering Projects Expo Awards:
- Judges' Choice Award for Best Engineering Design: Plum Creek Water Reclamation system upgrade for nitrogen & phosphorus. , ,
- Judges' Choice Award for Best Modeling Effort: Denver Water’s Recycled Water System. , Caroline Mays,
- Judges' Choice Award for the Best Design Impact: Soil Vapor Extraction System. ,
- Judges' Choice Award for the Best Innovative Technology: Educational Wind Turbine Model. Callum McCabe, , , ��

2025

2nd Place, National Airport Cooperative Research Programs University Design Competition (Airport Environmental Interactions Category): Samuel Bazarov, Arvind Mudaliar, Kyliana Gailitis, Joseph Loy, Bryan Wright
HeroX Hydropower Collegiate National Competition - EVEN team member:
NREL's CUWind National Competition - EVEN team members:
FAA Airport Cooperative Research (ACRP) National Competition - Airplane Deicing System: , ,
USBR Groundwater Desalination project in CA: , , Ryan McManus, Izzie Chambers
RMWEA National Competition -
- Reducing Effluent Wastewater Temperature to Protect Aquatice Ecosystem: , Maria Jose Guerra, ,
- Automated Planter Box: , Taiba Al Fayez, Rana Alrowaished, Brian Quill
Confidential Coloado City - Wetlands for Source Water treatment: , , , ,
Judges' choice award for Best Engineering Design: Sustainable Biogas Utilization & Energy Recovery for City of Fort Collins. , , Aleksa Camino
Judges' choice award for Best Modeling Effort: Boulder County OSMP’s Coal Creek’s Sediment Transport and Trail Crossing Redesign: , Mia Dipetrillo, , ,
Judges' choice award for the Best Design Impact: Airbuff filter - Cleaning School Air in Commerce City: , Ammar Alazemi,
Judges' choice award for the Best Innovative Technology: Wastewater Infrastructure Visual Inspection Drone for Metro Water Recovery: , , Zack Blixt, John Recchia, Abby Bain

2024

Third Place, Student Design Competition, Water Environment Federation's Technical Exhibition and Conference (National Award)
First Place, RMWEA Student Design Competition; (Regional Award)
Honorable Mention, NREL HeroX Solar Distric Cup; "Solar for Seattle" (Global Award)

2023

First Place, RMWEA Student Design Competition; "Phosphorous Removal at Copper Mountain” (Regional Award)
Second Place, 10th annual Collegiate Wind Competition (National Award)

2022

Judges’ Choice Award, Waste Management Education Research Conference (WERC) Environmental Design Contest; “Monitoring Virus Removal by Membrane Bioreactors during Water Reuse"��(National Award)

2021

First Place, RMWEA Student Design Competition; "Proposed Water Reclamation Facility Upgrades for the Parker Water & Sanitation District" (National Award)
Second Place, Waste Management Education Research Conference (WERC) Environmental Design Contest; Team��BEHTT Insight - "PFAS Destruction" (National Award)
First Place, Solar District Cup competition.��

Pre-2020 Award Winners

2019

First Place, Water Environment Federation Student Design Competition, Chicago, IL; "City of Gunnison Wastewater Treatment Plant Renovations for Future Regulatory Compliance”�� (National award)
First Place, Water Environment Federation Regional Student Design Competition, Denver, CO; "City of Gunnison Wastewater Treatment Plant Renovations for Future Regulatory Compliance”��(Regional award)

2018

First Place, Water Environment Federation Student Design Competition, New Orleans, LA; Team Curatio Engineering - ”Enhancing Nutrient Removal at Boulder’s 75th St. Wastewater Treatment Facility.”��(Regional and National awards)

2017

First Place, Water Environment Federation Student Design Competition Competition, Chicago, IL;��”Biolsolids Digestion, Dewatering, and Handling Alternatives Assessment.”�� (Regional and National awards)
First Place, FAA Airport Cooperative Research Program Competition Environmental Interactions at Airports; Team IIB Consulting - “Control of Deicing Chemicals at Airports Using Subterranean Aerated Gravel Beds." (National award)

2016

First Place, FAA Airport Cooperative Research Program Competition Environmental Interactions at Airports; Team S³- “Mycoremediation Applications for Stormwater Management.” (National award)
Third Place, Water Environment Federation Student Design Competition; Team GBL Engineering - “Northern Wastewater Reclamation Facility Expansion for Parker Water and Sanitation District." (First Place Regional and Third Place National)
First & Second Place, RMSWEA Student Design Competition; Team GBL Engineering, Team HNS - “Northern Wastewater Reclamation Facility Expansion for Parker Water and Sanitation District"two teams - (Regional awards)

2015

Second Place, RMSWEF Student Design Competition; “Frisco Sanitation District Senior Design Project” (Regional award)
Third Place, RMSWEF Student Design Competition; “Boulder 75^th Street Wastewater Treatment Facility Phosphorus Removal and Recovery” (Regional award)

2014

First Place, FAA Airport Cooperative Research Program Competition Environmental Interactions at Airports; “Twice Repurposed Crumb Rubber as a Jet Fuel Solidifier.”�� (National award)
Third Place, FAA Airport Cooperative Research Program Competition Environmental Interactions at Airports; “Fuel Containment Channels at Eagle County Regional Airport (EGE).”�� (National award)
Second Place, RMSWEF Student Design Competition; “Robert W. Hite Treatment Facility: A Boulder Approach to Advanced Phosphorus Removal” (Regional award)

2013

Second Place, FAA Airport Cooperative Research Program Competition Environmental Interactions at Airports; “Fuel Spill Containment at Bozeman International Airport and LED Runway and Taxiway Lighting Powered with On-Site Solar Panels” two teams - (National Award)
Third Place, Water Environment Federation Student Design Competition; “Arsenic Removal Project for 75th Street Wastewater Treatment Facility at Boulder, Colorado; �鶹��Ѱ��Team CVC.”��(First place regional and third place national)
Second Place, Water Environment Federation Student Design Competition; “Arsenic Removal Project for 75th Street Wastewater Treatment Facility at Boulder, Colorado; �鶹��Ѱ��Team Berber Water.”��(Regional award)

2012

First Place, Water Environment Federation Student Design Competition; “Upgrade Wastewater Treatment Plant for Broadmoor Park community. 0.06 MGD.”��(First place regional and national)
First Place, AECOM Student Design Competition; “Upgrade wastewater treatment plant to achieve energy efficiency and reduce GHG emissions.” (North American award)
Semi-Finalists, AECOM Student Design Competition; “Treat drinking water to remove naturally occurring radionuclides.” (North American award)
Second Place, FAA Airport Cooperative Research Program Competition Environmental Interactions at Airports; “Design energy-efficiency changes for non-terminal areas at Denver International Airport.”��(National award)
Third Place, FAA Airport Cooperative Research Program Competition Environmental Interactions at Airports; “Design improved treatment of aircraft deicing waste for Denver International Airport.”��(National award)
Third Place, FAA Airport Cooperative Research Program Competition Environmental Interactions at Airports; “Design improved stormwater system for Anchorage International Airport.”��(National award)

2011

First Place, AECOM Student Design Competition; “Design a 10 MGD upgrade for drinking water treatment facility that requires softening.” (North American award)

2010

Semi-Finalist, AECOM Student Design Competition; “Design an upgrade for a 10 MGD surface water treatment facility to remove pesticides.” (North American award)

2009

First Place, Water Environment Federation Student Design Competition; “Design upgrade to the Denver Metro Wastewater Treatment Plant including nutrient removal.”��(First place Regional and national)