UVA Food Waste to Biogas Anaerobic Digestion

As universities strive to meet sustainability goals, small-scale anaerobic digesters present an opportunity to reuse campus waste, provide a learning opportunity for students, and decarbonize. The University of Virginia has established ambitious sustainability goals and is exploring ways to further decarbonize. UVA and Burns & McDonnell studied use of a small-scale anaerobic digester to accept pre- and post-consumer food waste generated from dining halls, restaurants, and other Grounds facilities. This system would reduce waste hauling costs while also producing a reliable stream of biogas for use in UVA's boilers.

Case Studies:

Keywords: biogas, sustainability, decarbonize

Grant Ericson, MSME, PE

Project Manager

Burns & McDonnell

Grant is a senior mechanical engineer and project manager at Burns & McDonnell. He is a graduate from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (go Niners!) where he completed his BSME/MSME programs. He has been with Burns & McDonnell for 12 years and in that time has dedicated himself to a variety of projects, both as an engineer and a project manager, in design and construction relating to biogas and biomass, turbine and engine-based combined heat and power, computational fluid dynamics, decarbonization, distribution, and district energy steam/hot water/chilled water plants.

Will Franke

Assistant Pipeline Engineer

Burns & McDonnell

Will Franke is an Assistant Pipeline Engineer with Burns & McDonnell specializing in biogas and renewable natural gas facilities. Will joined Burns & McDonnell in 2022 after graduating from the University of Arkansas with a degree in Biological Engineering and a minor in Sustainability. He joined the Pipeline & Facilities team in 2024 where he has taken an interest in biogas and renewable natural gas projects at dairy farms, wastewater treatment plants, landfills, and food waste facilities. Biogas projects are a reliable, predictable, and renewable source of energy that can help business or institutions reach their sustainability goals with minimal infrastructure changes. Will can be reached at (816)226-5371 or by email at wpfranke@burnsmcd.com.

Paul Zmick, ME

Director of Energy & Utilities

University of Virginia

Paul G. Zmick, PE
Director of Energy and Utilities
University of Virginia, Charlottesville

Paul Zmick currently leads the 120 FTE Energy and Utilities team for the University of Virginia in Charlottesville Virginia. Central utilities are provided for over 19 million square feet of facilities, including the University Medical Center. The Energy and Utilities team is responsible for energy procurement, generation, distribution, and operation, maintenance, and renewal of the utility infrastructure, with a strategic focus on safety, sustainability, and stewardship. Utilities provided include steam, heating water, cooling water, domestic water, sanitary, storm, 13kV power, and on-site renewables.

Paul currently serves on the Board of Directors for the International District Energy Association and has been an active member in the organization for many years. Prior to UVA, Paul worked for DuPont and Koch Industries for a combined 22-years across five manufacturing sites in various engineering and leadership roles. While at DuPont, Paul was listed as inventor on two US Patents. Paul graduated from North Carolina State University with a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering, and the University of Virginia with a Master of Systems Engineering; and is a registered Professional Engineer in Virginia.