Ductwalk: Flood Mitigation Surfaces Made from Waste Plastic

Prototype drawing of the solution, where the "cover" is a permeable paver

Inspiration

Our neighbors in Houston need more flood mitigation solutions when storms hit. This is for them!

What it does

1) Permeable pavers to provide flood mitigation. 2) Divert plastics from landfills 3) 3D printing for ultimate design flexibility and tying in the local population

How I built it

Designed with a team focused on Houston's unique challenges. Taking advantage of skillsets in materials, waste management, business and additive manufacturing

Challenges I ran into

Developing business plan in just a few sessions requires a huge force of will and much coffee!

Accomplishments that I'm proud of

Creating an actionable solution to address multiple goals in the City of Houston Climate Action Plan!

What I learned

People who share common areas of concern and a mission to serve the social good can work incredibly well together despite not having previously worked together.

What's next for Ductwalk: Flood Mitigation Surfaces Made from Waste Plastic

1) Evaluating the project technical specifications, testing product and samples, evolving products for different product lines/manufacturing steps 2) Coordinate with processors and create a reliable material stream along with procuring the proper equipment to develop product samples 3) Invest in a scaled facility to mass produce the product and move to adjacent verticals. 4) Innovate by reducing cost of PET materials used and standardizing on form factor, anchors & installation costs to drastically scale down total cost of ownership.