DENVER — While Colorado’s labor market continues to tighten, the CU Denver Business School is launching a bold initiative to ensure the city’s economic and urban heart remains resilient for the next generation.
The newly unveiled Blair Gifford Mile High Sustainability Impact Challenge is a city-focused competition designed to move climate and urban solutions beyond the classroom and into the real world.
Backed by a major gift from Professor Emeritus Dr. Blair Gifford, the challenge tasks interdisciplinary teams with solving Denver’s most pressing urban pressures—from climate resilience and mobility to housing affordability.
Solving Denver’s Urban Pressures
Downtown Denver currently faces a complex web of challenges, including extreme heat, air quality issues, and a critical need for equitable access to green space. The challenge aims to bridge these gaps by focusing on five key pillars:
- Green Infrastructure & Climate Resilience: Tackling heat island reduction and stormwater management.
- Sustainable Transportation & Mobility: Addressing active transit and electrification.
- Circular Economy & Waste Reduction: Optimizing waste streams and composting.
- Energy & Building Efficiency: Prioritizing commercial retrofits and renewable energy integration.
- Sustainable Urban Development: Focusing on affordable housing and mixed-use redevelopment.
Turning Ideas into Implementation
Unlike typical academic case studies, this competition is built on a partnership model. Every student team must collaborate with a local business, nonprofit (NGO), or government office to ensure their proposals are feasible and actionable…