UC awarded $3M to research carbon emissions in Cincinnati
Assistant professor received three major grants to fund projects
The Cincinnati Business Courier highlighted the more than $3M in research funding awarded to Amanda Webb, University of Cincinnati assistant professor of architectural engineering. Grants, two from the National Science Foundation and one from the Department of Energy will fund Webb's research on reducing carbon emissions.
The city of Cincinnati has a goal of reaching carbon neutrality by 2050. Webb's research encompasses several methods and projects that center on bringing the city closer to its goal.
From the NSF, Webb received the prestigious CAREER Award, a five-year grant that encompasses both research and educational components. Webb and her team will analyze residential buildings in the Cincinnati area and the impact that retrofitting technologies would have on their energy usage. Also with this grant, Webb and another faculty member at UC, Katherine Castiello Jones, are creating two decarbonization-related games that once developed, will be distributed into local K-12 schools.
With the NSF Strengthening American Infrastructure award, Webb and her collaborators are building the Human-centered Open Energy Modeling for Equitable Decarbonization (HOME) platform.
"We have this big survey which we are using to get people's perspectives, knowledge, values and behaviors related to decarbonization so we can understand the needs and the barriers," Webb told the Courier.
A multiphase project, Webb is working with other researchers at UC, as well as several external partners.
Finally, through the DoE Resilient and Efficient Codes Implementation award, Webb and partners throughout the state (Columbus, Dayton, Cincinnati, Cleveland) are using Building Performance Standards in a completely new way. These standards place limitations on energy use of existing buildings. Webb is aiming to tailor these standards to meet the needs of Ohio cities.
Webb places a deep importance on the locality of her work, wanting to make an impact in her own community. Through these projects, she is contributing to giving the city of Cincinnati a better future.
Featured image at top: Sunrise over the University of Cincinnati. Photo/Joseph Fuqua II/UC
Related Stories
How can Cincinnati provide more affordable housing? This new lab aims to find out
October 16, 2026
The University of Cincinnati Real Estate Center helped launch a new regional research and development initiative designed to identify, test and scale solutions to the region’s housing challenges called the Housing Innovation Lab. The project is built around a simple idea: What if communities approached housing challenges the way leading companies approach innovation?
Environmental engineer researching methods to monitor river quality
October 16, 2026
Pradeep Ramtel has been conducting research on river water since he was an undergraduate student in Nepal. He is currently a PhD student at the University of Cincinnati and is studying under Associate Professor Dongmei Feng. His research uses collected data and machine learning to better assess risks to river water quality and prepare for problems before they arise. Recently, he was named Graduate Student Engineer of the Month by UC's College of Engineering and Applied Science.
Collaboration over consultation
October 16, 2026
New University of Cincinnati research published in the journal Health Expectations found stroke survivors participating in rehab research desire an approach that prioritizes shared decision-making, peer relationships and a focus on what they can accomplish rather than their deficits.