Research Facilities
Bio鈥揈nvironmental Engineering Centre (BEEC)
The BEEC is a world-class field research facility associated with the Faculty of Agriculture, AV俱乐部. Currently, the research infrastructure includes:
- Field-based replicated field lysimeter cells with a subsurface drainage and a leachate collection system and an integrated GHG monitoring (D. Burton);
- 16 large scale 3-sided compost bins and a pilot scale in-vessel composting system;
- Wastewater treatment constructed wetlands;
- Large scale replicated field plots with spatially distinct tile drainage for contaminant, pathogen, and nutrient transport studies;
- Greenhouses for controlled environment plant growth studies;
- Biomass gasification and densification systems;
- Organic production experimental plots.
Innovative Waste Management Analytical Laboratory
The Innovative Waste Management Analytical Lab was designed to meet emerging research demands for soil, organic wastes, and environmental analysis. We currently have analytical capacity to conduct soil and organic waste nutrient analysis; total and organic carbon analysis; total and inorganic nitrogen analysis; analysis of non-polar, semi-volatile to volatile organic contaminants, pharmaceuticals, and personal care products in soils and water; heavy metal analysis of plants, soils, and wastewaters. 聽We collaborate with a number of research groups to access other analytical instrumentation including: solid and liquid state NMR, LC-MS-MS, HPLC, SEM, P-XANES, ICP-MS, Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy, Gas Chromatographs, and GC-MS.
Integrated Vertical Farm - Carbon Recovery from Composting System
This infrastructure is a collaboration with Divert Nova Scotia, Hatch Inc., and the Faculty of Agriculture to evaluate the circularization of carbon from agricultural and SSO feedstocks through aerobic composting using a HotRot 1811 in-vessel system and a modular VF system being designed and built by the Innovative Waste Management Research Group. The HotRot system and VF system are housed on the campus Research Farm Facility in Bible Hill, NS.
Department of Engineering
The Department of Engineering at the Faculty of Agriculture is a research leader in environmental monitoring of agricultural drainage systems, geothermal heating and cooling, and agricultural mechanization systems. Currently, the department is exploring novel and emerging areas of research in bio-sensors and bio-instrumentation, organic waste management, precision agricultural systems and remote sensing technologies, and bio-energy production technologies from industrial waste by-products. The Department has access to a small fleet of vehicles, agricultural machinery, and additional support infrastructure.