Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 54.89
Liaison Wendy Harness
Submission Date July 6, 2017
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Delta College
AC-8: Campus as a Living Laboratory

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 4.00 / 4.00 Linda Petee
Sustainability & Risk Management Coordinator
Facilities Management
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Is the institution utilizing its campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in relation to Air & Climate?:
Yes

A brief description of the student/faculty projects and how they contribute to understanding campus sustainability challenges or advancing sustainability on campus in relation to Air & Climate:

Students in Pollution Prevention conduct a prevention audit on campus facilities or with a local business/industry.

As part of the HVAC and other related classes, students tour and study the campus chilled water plant, living wall, controls systems, and rainwater harvest process.


Is the institution utilizing its campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in relation to Buildings?:
Yes

A brief description of the student/faculty projects and how they contribute to understanding campus sustainability challenges or advancing sustainability on campus in relation to Buildings:

Residential Construction students renovated a former campus sailing school into a sustainable structure with energy-efficient processes and building materials.

Students in Architectural AutoCAD used the software weather tools to determine best solar orientation for building sites and performed a right-to-light massing study to determine the impact on nearby buildings.

In a long-running partnership with Habitat for Humanity, residential construction students completed on an energy efficient, fully accessible residence in a local county. The home was turned over to a fellow student with special mobility needs.

Alternative Energy Trailer, team approach construction project involving residential construction, electrical, HVAC, and welding programs, produced a mobile learning lab for sustainable concepts, energy efficiencies, and building materials. Found materials from other campus projects were integrated into the design and construction.


Is the institution utilizing its campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in relation to Energy?:
Yes

A brief description of the student/faculty projects and how they contribute to understanding campus sustainability challenges or advancing sustainability on campus in relation to Energy:

Students in Career in Energy course selected an engineering discipline of interest with a particular job function. They contact a local person/company/faculty in their selected field for an interview.

Residential Construction students renovated a former campus sailing school into a sustainable structure with energy-efficient processes and building materials.

Students in Architectural AutoCAD used the software weather tools to determine best solar orientation for building sites and performed a right-to-light massing study to determine the impact on nearby buildings.

In a long-running partnership with Habitat for Humanity, residential construction students completed on an energy efficient, fully accessible residence in a local county. The home was turned over to a fellow student with special mobility needs.

Alternative Energy Trailer, team approach construction project involving residential construction, electrical, HVAC, and welding programs, produced a mobile learning lab for sustainable concepts, energy efficiencies, and building materials. Found materials from other campus projects were integrated into the design and construction.


Is the institution utilizing its campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in relation to Food & Dining?:
Yes

A brief description of the student/faculty projects and how they contribute to understanding campus sustainability challenges or advancing sustainability on campus in relation to Food & Dining:

As part of the Growing Power project, students performed six days of volunteer service in urban agriculture to bring new skills and knowledge to inspire our campus dining and local communities to build sustainable food systems.

Students deliver and track the quantity of pre-consumer food waste to delivery to a neighboring campus greenhouse vermiculture program.

Students assisted with the collection of data to calculate the carbon footprint of food and dining.


Is the institution utilizing its campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in relation to Grounds?:
Yes

A brief description of the student/faculty projects and how they contribute to understanding campus sustainability challenges or advancing sustainability on campus in relation to Grounds:

Students have prepared proposals, papers, projects, and research on campus grounds compost programs, lighting applications, stormwater management analysis, water quality, and landscaping.


Is the institution utilizing its campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in relation to Purchasing?:
Yes

A brief description of the student/faculty projects and how they contribute to understanding campus sustainability challenges or advancing sustainability on campus in relation to Purchasing:

Students have involved the purchasing process as it relates to purchasing and procurement of sustainable products for writing and research assignments.


Is the institution utilizing its campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in relation to Transportation?:
Yes

A brief description of the student/faculty projects and how they contribute to understanding campus sustainability challenges or advancing sustainability on campus in relation to Transportation:

General and Inorganic Chemistry students used vegetable oil and biodiesel to determine the het of consumption as renewable energy fuels.

Students conduct surveys on alternative transportation available to campus commuters, assist with data gathering for with the greenhouse gas inventory transportation/travel categories, and conduct tabling events. Their experience has been applied to their course work and/or independent study.


Is the institution utilizing its campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in relation to Waste?:
Yes

A brief description of the student/faculty projects and how they contribute to understanding campus sustainability challenges or advancing sustainability on campus in relation to Waste:

Students emptied and tracked refundable bottle return collections to help evaluate their elimination from landfilling.

Students deliver and track the quantity of pre-consumer food waste to delivery to a neighboring campus greenhouse vermiculture program.


Is the institution utilizing its campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in relation to Water?:
Yes

A brief description of the student/faculty projects and how they contribute to understanding campus sustainability challenges or advancing sustainability on campus in relation to Water:

Students tracked water refill stations to evaluate the reduction of bottled water drinks.

Rainwater harvesting system which hydrates the campus living wall are both water subject areas for research and writing projects as assigned by composition courses.


Is the institution utilizing its campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in relation to Coordination & Planning?:
Yes

A brief description of the student/faculty projects and how they contribute to understanding campus sustainability challenges or advancing sustainability on campus in relation to Coordination & Planning:

Student prepare research studies on the college campus facilities and/or a local organization that has incorporated sustainable development into their business model with the objective to discover the sustainable strategies and how the organization carries them forward.


Is the institution utilizing its campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in relation to Diversity & Affordability?:
Yes

A brief description of the student/faculty projects and how they contribute to understanding campus sustainability challenges or advancing sustainability on campus in relation to Diversity & Affordability:

Students worked with faculty to prepare posters on varied sustainability subjects such as water quality, social injustice, climate change/resilience, and food deserts for display during Earth Day events.

Oral communication students dedicated community volunteer service and paid it forward with mini-grants to local non-profit agencies that help youth-at-risk. The course was aimed at seeding social change through volunteerism.

Students participated in Clean the World by packaging and distributing hygiene products discarded by the hospitality industry. The packages were donated and distributed to impoverished persons.

Delta’s Closet, a student-run enterprise started by a business management/marketing class, operates as an ongoing campus retail store, where students may shop for free apparel for such events as scholarship and job interviews and the first days on their new job. https://sites.delta.edu/collegeinfo/CounselingAdvising/Deltas%20Closet/Delta's%20Closet.aspx

The Student Food Pantry, which originated from a Learning Communities class project, is now a successful student-run enterprise. Students were instrumental in the project development including brochure artwork, creation of the intake form and tracking databases, drafting policy and procedure, and designing the pantry. They are responsible for conducting student intakes, managing donations, developing nutritional recipes, researching legal issues, and incorporating sustainable standards. https://sites.delta.edu/collegeinfo/CampusResources/FoodPantry/SitePages/Home.aspx


Is the institution utilizing its campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in relation to Investment & Finance?:
Yes

A brief description of the student/faculty projects and how they contribute to understanding campus sustainability challenges or advancing sustainability on campus in relation to Investment & Finance:

Students research and write papers discussing the campus department or an outside organization’s incorporation of sustainable development into their business model. The objective is to discover the sustainability strategies and how the organization is lacking or succeeding.

Students research the campus department or outside agency with a published CSR report and compose a paper related to the organization’s strengths and weaknesses.


Is the institution utilizing its campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in relation to Public Engagement?:
Yes

A brief description of the student/faculty projects and how they contribute to understanding campus sustainability challenges or advancing sustainability on campus in relation to Public Engagement:

As a two-semester course project, Graphic Design students created Green Book Vol. 1 and the companion exhibit materials for Off The Page both of which were community-participant projects and presented to the local community as a social venue.

In a long-running partnership with Habitat for Humanity, residential construction students completed on an energy efficient, fully accessible residence in a local county. The home was turned over to a fellow student with special mobility needs.

Oral communication students dedicated community volunteer service and paid it forward with mini-grants to local non-profit agencies that help youth-at-risk. The course was aimed at seeding social change through volunteerism.

Students participated in Clean the World by packaging and distributing hygiene products discarded by the hospitality industry. The packages were donated and distributed to impoverished persons.


Is the institution utilizing its campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in relation to Wellbeing & Work?:
Yes

A brief description of the student/faculty projects and how they contribute to understanding campus sustainability challenges or advancing sustainability on campus in relation to Wellbeing & Work:

Health & Wellness students partnered with Food Services for sustainable dining and nutrition assignments and writing projects.


Is the institution utilizing its campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in relation to other areas (e.g. arts & culture or technology)?:
Yes

A brief description of the student/faculty projects and how they contribute to understanding campus sustainability challenges or advancing sustainability on campus in relation to other areas:

Art exhibits featuring social and environmental themes including ‘found material’ mixed media pieces.

Free computer repair for students offered by Computer Technology Club.


The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
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