Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Auburn University, ABM Partner for EV Charging Station Solutions

  • By Matt Jones
  • 12/14/23

Auburn University’s School of Industrial & Graphic Design recently partnered with ABM Industries for a series of student senior projects involving the design of new and innovating EV charging stations, according to a news release. Six graduating students received awards of up to $3,000 each for their design concepts, which ABM will adopt among their other forward-thinking ideas for the future of EV infrastructure.

ABM launched a series of branded charging solutions earlier this year. It sought out a partnership with Auburn to develop new solutions that could enhance and improve current charger design, incorporating factors like accessibility, ease of use, and ergonomics.

“Auburn was a natural choice for this project given their leadership in industrial design, and they were a great partner throughout, with each student providing exciting new ideas and perspectives,” said ABM Product Manager Alex Drouillard. “We went in with the plan to offer only five prizes, but the outcomes were so strong we needed to add in an additional prize to recognize these efforts and for us to consider them all for our future charger designs.”

The 13 participating students received a design briefing from ABM and rented electric vehicles to gain firsthand experience with existing charging stations in the area. The students worked with the ABM team and their professor to flesh out their designs. Each design was judged by a panel of experts according to factors like aesthetics, cost, and accessibility.

“ABM was a great partner to work with, both in bringing a real-world application to our students, but also in providing a tangible design brief that gave them a lot to work with and, ultimately, resulted in a range of different outcomes from the students,” said Jerrod Windham, Associate Professor of Industrial Design at Auburn University. “The cash prize offering was also unique, allowing for our students the opportunity to be rewarded monetarily for their work and understand the value of their designs.”

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • LSU Breaks Ground on $200M Residential Project

    Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, La., recently broke ground on a new residential complex, according to university news. The South Quad residential project will consist of two buildings and add a total of 1,266 beds for freshmen students. The development comes with a price tag of $200 million, and it’s scheduled to open to students in fall 2027.

  • Houston K–12 District Opens New Elementary School

    The Lamar Consolidated Independent School District (Lamar CISD) recently announced the completion of a new elementary school in a western suburb of Houston, Texas, according to a news release. Haygood Elementary School measures in at 110,000 square feet, has the capacity for 854 students, and is the first of three new schools scheduled to be built in the Cross Creek West community.

  • restroom sinks

    CSU Dominguez Hills Standardizes Plumbing to Improve Restroom Maintenance and Efficiency

    At California State University, Dominguez Hills, facilities leaders have taken steps to standardize restroom fixtures as part of a broader effort to improve maintenance efficiency and control long-term costs.

  • UT System Board of Regents Approves $108M Housing Complex

    The University of Texas System Board of Regents recently announced the approval of a new, $108-million housing complex at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), according to a news release. The facility will stand four stories and have a total of 456 new beds for freshmen students.

Digital Edition