Last Friday, the University of North Florida installed an atmospheric water generator technology that will allow the university to conduct research towards protecting infrastructure from threats and disasters, according to a UNF press release.

The WellSpring100 is designed to “produce clean, potable water by extracting moisture from the air” and is located at the JEA/UNF Sustainable Solutions Lab, according to the press release.

To manufacture the WellSpring100, UNF collaborated with a Florida-based sustainable-technology company, Captiva Verde Corporation, and a Wisconsin-based manufacturer, Origen. 

The press release explained that this project between private industry heads and UNF launches the university’s efforts to expand the JEA/UNF Sustainable Solutions Lab into a Center for Utility Security and Resiliency (CUSR).  

With this development, UNF follows in the footsteps of several other Florida universities that have implemented efforts to conduct resiliency research.

In 2023, Florida International University received a $1 million grant to “use machine learning and AI to develop novel solutions for critical infrastructure resilience.”

The University of Central Florida has its Resilient, Intelligent and Sustainable Energy Systems (RISES), which focuses on renewable energy research and development of electricity grids.

Florida Memorial University opened its Climate Resiliency Center in 2022, prioritizing sustainability and renewable energy.

According to the UNF press release, the CUSR will expand the lab’s current projects with greater research into clean and renewable energy, water security, advanced transportation, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and education. 

Plans for the CUSR will eventually welcome researchers, graduate students, and classrooms, according to the press release. 

The CUSR will integrate interdisciplinary fields including engineering, sciences, computing and business to “adequately support research into utility resiliency and security in the Northeast Florida region and beyond,” the press release said.  

“As our region continues to grow, so does the need for reliable, adaptable systems that can withstand environmental, economic and technological pressures,” said UNF President Moez Limayem in the press release. “This work positions UNF at the forefront of that effort.” 

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