The Frontier-Tippie Impact Sustainability Competition gets serious this Friday when students submit proposals for sustainable changes on campus.

The first case competition asked students to develop an action plan to make a beneficial change in the University of Iowa and community in general. Their plans are due Friday.

“The hope is for students to explore their own ideas, and get an opportunity to implement them,” said Sara Maples, the organizer for the competition and the research support and sustainability manager for Tippie. “They’re going to build this skill set through this traditional case competition, and they get to see their ideas lived out.”

After a rousing announcement to Tippie College of Business students from Frontier Co-Op’s CEO Tony Bedard, students were encouraged to attend a brainstorming event.

That event was a way for students who were interested to talk, share ideas, and form teams, Maples said.

Teams must comprise of at least two business students, but students from other disciplines are encouraged to help as well.

After students submit proposals, a committee will select a small number of finalists. The precise number is being left open, Maples said. Students advancing to implementation will be announced Nov.13.

Finalists have until April 23, 2016, to implement their ideas on campus, providing progress reports along the way.

Students have a variety of ideas that range from engineering intensive systems to educating future Iowa classmates.

UI student Grant Gregory is looking to implement a hydroponic system — a way to grow plants in water without soil — to make the UI a greener place.

“Hydroponic systems are water and land efficient, and it requires zero soil and run off,” Gregory said. “It is very energy dependent, but the point is, it also provides for huge local food demand.”

Gregory hopes to see great success with this system at a university level and possibly branch out into the system driving a more efficient, thriving local food network.

“My biggest goal is to determine whether or not hydroponic systems are sustainable or economically viable in Iowa City,” Gregory said. “Furthermore, if we do determine it is, then we would scale the production up and find space and connect produce to local vendors.”

Another hopeful, Akash Bhalerao, aims for a more holistic result. He and his group want to educate incoming freshmen about sustainability and eco-friendly practices during the OnIowa orientation program.

“We are trying to create an eco-conscious bunch of new students, and we want to incorporate sustainability in OnIowa programs,” he said. “We talk about a lot of important things at that time, and I think sustainability should be a part of that.”

Bhalerao said his group is aiming to do a pilot test throughout January orientation with a smaller set of students.

Overall, Bhalerao feels the competition is beneficial to the UI.