| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 82.81 |
| Liaison | Aaron Durnbaugh |
| Submission Date | April 12, 2023 |
Loyola University Chicago
AC-8: Campus as a Living Laboratory
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
4.00 / 4.00 |
Megan
Conway Sustainability Manager Office of Sustainability |
Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Campus Engagement?:
A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Campus Engagement:
Student efforts have focused on the impact of campus buildings on biodiversity. This has led to modified building operations and design, reducing the number of migratory birds that are injured or killed by collisions with our buildings. As part of a class, a petition urged retrofits to building windows and modified operational procedures.
Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Public Engagement?:
A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Public Engagement:
The Community Air Research Experience (CARE) Project is a new (started in 2021) research initiative led by faculty in Loyola’s School of Environmental Sustainability. CARE provides an authentic research experience studying air pollution in Chicago neighborhoods (including the neighborhood in which Loyola’s Lake Shore Campus is located) for Loyola undergraduate students underrepresented in STEM fields. Participating students collaborate with community organizations to develop research questions and site prioritization, and collect and analyze air pollution data. The resulting analysis is intended to be used by community partners in policy discussions and advocacy for improved air quality and public health.
Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Air & Climate?:
A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Air & Climate:
Loyola conducts a greenhouse gas emissions inventory annually, which is often supported by students. In FY22, a graduate student intern in the Office of Sustainability led a project to compare the SIMAP data collection and reporting platform to Loyola’s existing custom calculator for emissions inventories. This process testing informed the university’s emissions data analysis going forward, and the resulting inventories will impact energy efficiency, decarbonization, and emissions reductions initiatives in the future.
Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Buildings?:
A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Buildings:
In 2022, a group of four students conducted room-level energy audits of the Water Tower and Health Sciences Campuses to support energy master planning efforts for both locations. Students recorded information about lighting and bulbs to inform retrofits and plug-load information to inform policies around energy-using items in classrooms, office spaces, labs, and conference rooms. Results were presented to Loyola’s Facilities Department and external consultants drafting the campus energy master plans.
Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Energy?:
A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Energy:
In addition to the room-level energy audit listed above, a group of students also walked through all dining halls and commercial kitchen spaces on the Lake Shore Campus to audit and inventory lighting and appliances that use electricity and natural gas. These inventories will inform decarbonization planning and energy efficiency improvements.
Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Food & Dining?:
A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Food & Dining:
A group of students worked with the Loyola Dining Sustainability Manager in 2021/2022 to develop a report on the Lifecycle of Food at Loyola. This involved interviewing food and beverage vendors to give an overview of sustainability in food sourcing for the university. Students also included information about food waste reduction, food rescue, composting, and biodiesel production to provide a holistic view of organic material coming into and leaving our campuses.
Additionally, students in the Urban Agriculture program grow mushrooms and other produce for donation and sales at a neighborhood farmers market.
Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Grounds?:
A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Grounds:
Students have conducted research and developed several proposals related to sustainability of campus grounds. One example from 2022 is a Food Forest feasibility assessment for the Lake Shore Campus. Students researched sunlight availability, water retention, soil quality, and neighboring plant species at several sites on campus and proposed a design and crop plan for the most optimal site.
Additionally, one of the rain gardens on the Lake Shore Campus is maintained by a student organization, Restoration Club.
Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Purchasing?:
A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Purchasing:
A graduate intern partnered with the Purchasing Department to analyze the recycled paper content for all expenditures with our Office Supply vendor as part of this STARS submission.
This led to an understanding of the LUC spend on sustainably certified and recycled-content paper products.
Another example of a purchasing-related Campus as Lab project would be data provided for School of Environmental Sustainability Ecology Lab Course. In order for them to experiment with the statistics software "R", Office of Sustainability provided datasets including Aramark purchasing. They used R to look for patterns and outliers.
Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Transportation?:
A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Transportation:
Student projects include evaluating the biodiesel and fossil diesel in shuttle buses, running the on-campus bike shop and rental program, ChainLinks, and conducting an inventory of bike parking on campus in partnership with Facilities and Campus Safety to inform recommendations around increased and improved bike parking infrastructure.
Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Waste?:
A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Waste:
After returning to campus after COVID-19 remote learning in 2021, masks were required in all university spaces. A student involved with the Student Government of Loyola Chicago approached the Office of Sustainability with proposed recycling solutions to keep face masks from being discarded on campus grounds, landfilled, or contaminating standard recycling. The TerraCycle disposable face mask recycling program was selected from the student proposal, and a collection site was added to the student-run Cycle & Recycle Center for difficult-to-recycle materials.
Additionally, students run several programs like the compost bucket program, Think Green & Give year-end move out donation event, Wipe Out Waste Challenge in dining halls, and backyard composting in the Urban Agriculture production garden.
Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Water?:
A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Water:
As a capstone research project, the Office of Sustainability advised a student conducting research on the hydrology of the Chicago regions and impacts of projected shifts (e.g. extreme precipitation, rising and falling lake level) on Loyola’s Lake Shore Campus. The report also covered lakefront resiliency strategies both for the region, and what has been implemented on Loyola’s campus thus far.
Additionally, a group of students within a Solutions to Environmental Problems: Water class conducted an audit of water fixtures in student recreation spaces to recommend retrofits and develop messaging campaigns to conserve water in those spaces.
Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Coordination & Planning?:
A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Coordination & Planning:
The Student Government of Loyola Chicago (SGLC) has implemented the Chief Sustainability Officer position in 2012. This position provides oversight and direction for student-led sustainability initiatives at Loyola. Legislation passed by SGLC is a powerful tool in demonstrating student will and implementing change on campus.
Additionally, one undergraduate student and one graduate student supported data collection for the 2023 STARS submission.
Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Diversity & Affordability?:
A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Diversity & Affordability:
Students have led the way in increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion resources on campus including several mentorship programs (B4E: Brothers for Excellence, LUCES: Loyola University Chicago Empowering Sisterhood, QUEST: Queer Undergraduates of Empowerment, Support, and Triumph, and STARS: Students Together Are Reaching Success) and events and campaigns related to supporting social justice at Loyola.
Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Investment & Finance?:
A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Investment & Finance:
Loyola’s recent Sustainable Investment Policy was prioritized in response to several student initiatives, including a fossil fuel divestment campaign led by the Student Environmental Alliance.
A student representative of Student Government sits on the Investment Policy Committee.
The Loyola Fund is a student-led investment fund.
Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Wellbeing & Work?:
A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Wellbeing & Work:
Started in 2021, Nourish LUC is a new program supported by the School of Environmental Sustainability, Wellness Center, and Loyola Dining to engage a cohort of students throughout the academic year on topics related to the intersection of sustainability, health equity, and nutrition. In the second half of the academic year, the cohort will develop a project or program based to support these initiatives on Loyola’s campuses.
Website URL where information about the institution’s living laboratory program is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.