MNTap interns turn ideas into savings for Minnesota companies

Lucas LiaBraaten

Liberty Packaging in Golden Valley is a manufacturing facility that produces a wide variety of corrugated packaging. Large rolls of recycled paper are turned into corrugated sheets that can be single, double, or triple walled. The sheets are then cut, printed on, glued, stapled, and folded to produce custom boxes that can hold anything from duct tape to refrigerators.

Lucas’s project is focused on water conservation and energy efficiency, specifically the facility’s use of compressed air, water, and steam. Lucas recently surveyed the facility for pipe insulation opportunities and compressed air leaks. He found the insulation is in excellent shape, but there are opportunities to repair several compressed air leaks. Repairing the leaks will both reduce Liberty’s energy use and save them money. Now, Lucas is investigating steam leaks and cleaning optimization to reduce the facility’s water and natural gas use. He will spend the rest of his summer developing cost-effective, customized efficiency solutions for Liberty. 

Lucas LiaBraaten is a Senior in Applied Physics with an emphasis in Engineering at Hamline University. His previous work includes two summers of research on lead detection at Hamline funded under a P3 grant from the EPA. He also collaborated with two of his fellow physics students to begin a project focused on removing chlorides from water using biochar and bismuth as key materials in capacitive deionization. In addition to his academic work, he also runs cross country and track for Hamline. After he graduates in May of 2026, he would like to work in engineering, with his key fields of interest being renewable energy and mechanical engineering. 

Cole Rossman

Cole is currently interning with the MnTAP program at the Liberty Packaging facility in Brooklyn Park. This plant makes corrugated boxes and produces 648 million square
feet of corrugated board yearly. The corrugated board is turned into boxes that are used for a wide variety of things, like pizza or package delivery.

The main goal of Cole’s project is to reduce energy and water consumption at the plant. The main areas of investigation are the compressed air system, the water usage in production and cleaning, and the steam and condensate piping system. Cole began by assessing the facility’s pipe insulation and compressed air systems. He found approximately 302 feet of steam and condensate pipe were uninsulated and identified 28 compressed air leaks. Insulating the pipes and repairing the leaks will reduce both Liberty’s natural gas and electricity usage – along with their bills! Cole is currently developing recommendations to lower the flow rates of Liberty’s sinks and cleaning hoses and repair steam leaks. He would also like to analyze the effective use of starch in the process by the end of the summer.

Cole Rossman is a Senior in Chemical Engineering at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities. The past two summers, Cole developed leadership and problem-solving skills by working as a window cleaner. Cole enjoys designing more energy and resource efficient processes. He will graduate in May of 2026; he is interested in working full-time in sustainability and clean energy generation. 

Joseph Morphew

Ever-Green Energy is a district energy system provider headquartered in Saint Paul, Minnesota. EGE specializes in district energy systems for heating and cooling buildings. Joseph is specifically working with the Hennepin County Energy Center (HCEC) which services buildings in downtown Minneapolis including Hennepin County Medical Center, Hennepin County government buildings, and several others. HCEC has been managed by Ever-Green on contract from the county since January of 2025.

Joseph is investigating water, natural gas, and electricity use for the boilers and cooling towers. So far, Joseph has discovered that installing variable frequency drives (VFDs) on some of the cooling tower fans will reduce HCEC’s electricity use and save money. For the boilers, Joseph is exploring economizers for heat recovery and the relationship between utilization and efficiency. For the rest of his internship, Joseph wants to focus on cooling tower water reuse and driving his recommendations towards implementation. 

Joseph Morphew is a Senior in Physics at the University of Minnesota - Duluth and is also pursuing a minor in economics. During the school year, Joseph works as a physics and math tutor. In previous summers, he worked as a mosquito control technician performing sampling, public outreach, and water treatment. Joseph is also the President of the UMD chapter of the Society of Physics Students and enjoys finding creative solutions to complicated problems. After he graduates in December of 2025, he would like to work in the energy sector.

Lucas, Cole, and Joseph will be presenting their final results at the MnTAP Symposium on August 20th! Other interns will also be presenting on various projects ranging from surgical waste reduction to wastewater loading in egg processing. The symposium will be held both virtually and in-person at the McNamara Alumni Center at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities campus.