Cleveland State University
AC-8: Campus as a Living Laboratory

A group of undergraduate students undertook a research project entitled 'Improving Transportation Modalities on the CSU Campus in 2106. As a commuter campus with more than 17,000 students, their goal was to examine modes of transportation and distances traveled by CSU students to and from campus. Their research analyzed the differences in air pollution and carbon emissions outcomes between students driving cars and students taking the bus to campus. The group researched ways Cleveland State University can promote public transportation to reduce pollution in Cleveland. Their results estimated CO2 emissions from commuting and recommended a reduction in the number of passenger cars being driven to campus.

Engineering students have been involved in a variety of educational opportunities relating to the design and construction of the new Washkewicz College of Engineering Building which is seeking LEED Gold certification.

A graduate student in Mechanical Engineering completed a research project entitled 'Mechanical Analysis of Proposed Engineering Building' which examined the proposed HVAC systems, created an energy model and made recommendations for rainwater capture and solar power.

Cleveland State University partnered with the State of Ohio to conduct free energy audits of area buildings, identifying simple fixes and low cost recommendations that could conserve energy and reduce operating costs. The university’s Department of Mechanical Engineering received a grant through the Ohio Lean Building Program, managed by the University of Dayton, to train students on conducting ASHRAE Level 2 audits, the standard in the industry, and then partnered with other local universities and non-profits to conduct the studies.

The teams completed studies of facilities at Cuyahoga Community College, Case Western Reserve University and CSU. They also partnered with the Cleveland 2030 District, a non-profit dedicated to helping commercial buildings in downtown Cleveland and University Circle reduce energy consumption and improve operational efficiency. All participants received a full report of performance and areas for improvement as well as a list of recommendations to reduce energy use.

http://www.csuohio.edu/news/ohio-lean-buildings-program-seeks-make-region-greener

Students work with the Grounds Department on a variety of projects ranging from ecological processes and urban ecology to GIS projects.

Students enrolled in BIO 452 completed several projects on issues relating to an urban campus. The students examined natural features, campus vegetation, urban wildlife on campus, and stormwater management issues. The project included original data generated by the project groups.

An entire semester of a GIS course was recently devoted to mapping features of the CSU campus including shrubbery and trees, signage, outdoor fixtures, lighting, and sidewalks.

GIS students have also been involved in the development of a campus tree map. An Environmental Science intern is working to build this map into an interactive online tree map.

A student is undertaking PhD research in Strategic Supply Chain Management as it relates to Corporate Sustainability.

A group of undergraduate students undertook a research project entitled 'Improving Transportation Modalities on the CSU Campus in 2106. As a commuter campus with more than 17,000 students, their goal was to examine modes of transportation and distances traveled by CSU students to and from campus. Their research analyzed the differences in air pollution and carbon emissions outcomes between students driving cars and students taking the bus to campus. The group researched ways
Cleveland State University can promote public transportation to reduce pollution in Cleveland. Their results estimated CO2 emissions from commuting and recommended a reduction in the number of passenger cars being driven to campus.

A group of students enrolled in BIO 452, Urban Ecology, undertook a course project to examine recycling behavior of students at CSU. They uncovered valuable information about what students recycle on campus, things that prevent students from recycling on some occasions, and what changes students would suggest for the program. The report offered strategies to improve recycling systems on campus.

The entire class enrolled in ART 346 - Human Centered Graphic Design - is undertaking a research project to address problems that relate to recycling on campus.
As a part of this work we will: formulate a research plan, construct guiding research questions, identify user segments, observe and record user behavior, conduct interviews and surveys, pursue secondary research, process primary research findings, and summarize these findings into a formal report that makes recommendations for design interventions.
Essential questions: Why are people not recycling on campus? How can we fix it?

Students enrolled in COM 224 undertook a group project entitled 'The Cleveland Clean Water Project.' The group wanted to raise awareness about pollution at Edgewater Beach and Huntington Beach and to engage with the community so that they could take small steps at home to prevent water pollution. The students completed a research project and conducted a Town Hall event to share information.

A group of Executive MBA students chose sustainability as their core topic area in 2106. The team surveyed stakeholders and worked closely with faculty and staff to understand the current state of sustainability at CSU. They recommended that the university develop a framework for sustainability that would allow initiatives to be integrated into the organization over time and they encouraged the University President, Board of Trustees, and senior leadership to support and encourage sustainability as a defining feature of CSU. They recommended that a Director of Sustainability position be created and that the university increase its operational and outreach efforts in order to increase efficiency, reduce operating expenses and engage the campus community in order to reduce the ecological footprint.

Students gathered and analyzed data for Second Nature emissions inventory reporting and the AASHE STARS submission.

A student staff member conducted an audit of gender neutral bathroom facilities on campus and delivered recommendations to administrators for publishing a list on the CSU website.

Social Innovation Lab

The CSU Sustainable Business Center, Cleveland Co-Labs, the CSU Small Business Development Center and Ursuline College are collaborating to connect the dots between sustainability, social entrepreneurship, and social innovation.

Join us for a networking event and discussion with the primary goal of helping define and raise the profile of social innovation in Cleveland to redefine our understanding of business, entrepreneurship and how to translate challenges into economic opportunity.