| Overall Rating | Platinum |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 86.26 |
| Liaison | Karen Oberer |
| Submission Date | Jan. 17, 2024 |
McGill University
AC-8: Campus as a Living Laboratory
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
4.00 / 4.00 |
Karen
Oberer Sustainability Officer McGill 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:
McGill Robotics Sustainability Transition
This student-led SPF-funded project aims to improve the culture of sustainability at McGill in the field of technology by 1) building robots and using them for environmental data collection and 2) hosting sustainability oriented tech workshops and hackathons. Their application reads, "As students, we have noticed the absence of visible passionate leaders, intentionally working on innovative environmental technology and promoting a culture of sustainably purposed oriented technology. This lack of representation in turn limits students' awarness on the different ways technology can be used to support global sustainability goals. Therefore, our team is motivated to bridge the exisiting gap between sustainability and innovative technology at McGill. We are aware of the importance of inspiring all students to build a better world via concrete actions. Therefore, within our robotics team, we have decided to undergo a radical change of mindset and commit to promoting a culture of sustainability."
Because this was in part an SPF-funded project, the applicants have submitted a detailed report at the end of the project assessing its impact on the McGill community, the successes and challenges in implementation, lessons learned, and recommendations for the future, with oversight from the McGill Office of Sustainability staff (see Notes below) Moreover, the McGill Robotics team is overseen by Prof. Meyer Nahon, who provides academic expertise and guidance.
https://www.mcgill.ca/sustainability/sp0336-mcgill-robotics-sustainability-transition
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:
ENVR 401 is an upper-year course in which students work in an interdisciplinary team on a real-world research project involving problem definition, methodology development, ethical research approval, execution of the study, and dissemination of results to the research community and to the people affected. Students often use the campus and the McGill community as a "living lab" for their research. Below is an example of one ENVR 401 project from 2021.
Understanding the Impacts of Mass Transit Infrastructures Projects on the Socio-Economic Fabric of a Neighbourhood
(Prof. Kevin Manaugh, Bieler School of Environment & Department of Geography)
The Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain (ARTM) hopes to better understand the potential negative impacts of large-scale transit development projects with a particular concern surrounding gentrification. To address their concerns, we formulated three research questions: 1) What are the potential impacts of large-scale transit infrastructure projects?; 2) which areas of Montreal are currently underserved by public transit and which areas are susceptible to gentrification?; and, 3a) how can the benefits and losses caused by mass transit infrastructure projects be equitably distributed? 3b) what factors should be considered when making transit policies in Montreal?
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:
ENVR 401 is an upper-year course in which students work in an interdisciplinary team on a real-world research project involving problem definition, methodology development, ethical research approval, execution of the study, and dissemination of results to the research community and to the people affected. Students often use the campus and the McGill community as a "living lab" for their research. Below is an example of one ENVR 401 project from 2021.
Vulnerability Assessment of the MacDonald Campus Farm
(Dr. Maria Camila Florez Bossio, Department of Geography)
A vulnerability assessment of the Macdonald Campus Farm (henceforth referred to as ‘the farm’ or ‘the Mac Farm’) to climate change was conducted to identify the impacts of climate change on the farm, with an emphasis on the most vulnerable aspects and potential adaptation options that could help prevent or alleviate the most pressing challenges. This research was prompted by the McGill Office of Sustainability's need for a climate vulnerability assessment of the Mac Farm, which had not previously been carried out. We employed a framework that includes both top-down and bottom-up components in order to adequately deliver a second-order vulnerability assessment of the farm.
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:
ENVR 401 is an upper-year course in which students work in an interdisciplinary team on a real-world research project involving problem definition, methodology development, ethical research approval, execution of the study, and dissemination of results to the research community and to the people affected. Students often use the campus and the McGill community as a "living lab" for their research. Below is an example of one ENVR 401 project from 2021, which was also supported by the SPF.
Low Environmental Impact Concrete
(Prof. Madhav Badami, Bieler School of Environment & School of Urban Planning)
Humanity is facing a series of critical challenges related to environmental and climate change. Major polluting industries such as concrete production are playing significant roles as large emitters of CO2 — a greenhouse gas that has been at the center of the global environmental debate. At the same time, this concern deserves no less attention at the local and regional scale, which is why this semester-long research project focused on assessing the current situation of the concrete manufacturing industry and determining possible approaches to lower its environmental footprint in Quebec.
This project was also supported by SPF funding, The project enlisted the ENVR 401 students to assess the Quebec concrete landscape to evaluate the industry’s capacity to integrate leading edge practices in reducing GHG emissions associated with the production and transportation of concrete used for construction. The students evaluated the methods currently proposed to reduce emissions associated with concrete. The primary deliverable for this project was an updated McGill Design Standard, a comprehensive document detailing the sustainability performance requirements for concrete in all McGill construction projects. The document was the result of the joint research and collaboration of the ENVR 401 group, Design Services, and mandated consultants.
ENVR 401 project: https://www.mcgill.ca/environment/undergraduate-studies/undergraduate-research/401-research-projects/2021
SPF project description: https://www.mcgill.ca/sustainability/sp0284-sustainable-concrete
New Design Standard: https://www.mcgill.ca/buildings/files/buildings/mcgill_03_30_00_beton_coule_en_place_0.pdf
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:
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:
ENVR 401 is an upper-year course in which students work in an interdisciplinary team on a real-world research project involving problem definition, methodology development, ethical research approval, execution of the study, and dissemination of results to the research community and to the people affected. Students often use the campus and the McGill community as a "living lab" for their research. Below is an example of one ENVR 401 project from 2021.
Multi-Criteria Analysis of Options for Organic Waste Management at McGill University Cafeterias
(Prof. Madhav Badami, Bieler School of Environment & School of Urban Planning)
Our team was tasked with assessing various scenarios for managing organic waste generated by McGill’s downtown cafeterias. In the context of McGill’s Climate and Sustainability Strategy, it is important that the university determines ways of optimizing organic waste management to reduce emissions and be more sustainable. As such, we evaluated the option of installing organic waste dehydrators in the cafeterias and selling the output of this process, dehydrated organic matter, to third parties. Ideally, this would reduce the costs and emissions associated with McGill’s current organic waste management, which consists of sending the organic waste to our partner Compost Montreal, where the waste is then composted.
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:
The Wong Community Gardens project was a student-led initiative to green underutilized space at the M. H. Wong building by establishing several raised bed gardens to grow produce. The garden space is open to all students and staff of the Wong building to enjoy as an opportunity to learn, participate, de-stress, and exercise by working in the garden space.
The mandate of this garden space project was:
(1) To provide space for gardening that can promote mental wellbeing and physical health, as well as create social and educational opportunities about sustainability
(2) To grow produce that can possibly be used for community member social events
(3) To add aesthetic value on a side of the building that is barren
The project organizers were successful in growing several vegetables and have generated a social media following as well as individual interest to form a club around the garden space to maintain and build a community.
Because this was in part an SPF-funded project, the applicants have submitted a detailed report at the end of the project assessing its impact on the McGill community, the successes and challenges in implementation, lessons learned, and recommendations for the future, with oversight from the McGill Office of Sustainability staff (see Notes below).
https://www.mcgill.ca/sustainability/sp0245-wong-community-gardens
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:
ENVR 401 is an upper-year course in which students work in an interdisciplinary team on a real-world research project involving problem definition, methodology development, ethical research approval, execution of the study, and dissemination of results to the research community and to the people affected. Students often use the campus and the McGill community as a "living lab" for their research. Below is an example of one ENVR 401 project from 2023.
Characterisation and quantification of McGill’s Scope-3 emissions from purchased goods and services
(Prof. Madhav Badami, McGill School of Environment & School of Urban Planning)
Over a four month term, our team conducted an accounting project mandated by McGill Procurement Services focused on the characterization and quantification of McGill’s Scope 3, Category 1 emissions for fiscal year 2023 (FY2023). Our efforts began with an extensive literature review, defining the importance of the need for Scope 3 emissions accounting and analyzing the applied methods of other large institutions. After receiving the itemized purchasing activity from Procurement Services detailing the project-relevant purchased goods and services, we analyzed the availability of supplier data and took guidance from the Greenhouse Gas Protocol’s “Technical Guidance for Calculating Scope 3 Emissions” (2013).
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:
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:
ENVR 401 is an upper-year course in which students work in an interdisciplinary team on a real-world research project involving problem definition, methodology development, ethical research approval, execution of the study, and dissemination of results to the research community and to the people affected. Students often use the campus and the McGill community as a "living lab" for their research. Below is an example of one ENVR 401 project from 2023.
McGill Sustainable Labs Initiative: Lab Waste Reduction Plan
(Prof. Fiona Soper, Bieler School of Environment & Department of Biology)
This project created a baseline for waste production across McGill’s wet research and teaching labs. By auditing a day’s building-level-wide lab waste, we were able to gather waste data by type and quantity for seven buildings across McGill’s faculties and campuses. In cooperation with Buildings and Grounds, we established a replicable auditing methodology that can be easily re-implemented for future audits. Within McGill’s Zero-Waste initiative, this project laid the foundation for the recommendation and implementation of waste recycling and diverging strategies for labs.
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:
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:
Campus Crops
This student-led SPF-sponsored project allowed for the continued administration of the Campus Crops collective gardens. Thanks to the SPF, Campus Crops leadership was able to regroup and enrich its archive of documentation, formalize a long-term partnership with Student Society of McGill University to fund paid coordinators yearly, and install drip irrigation to reduce water consumption and labour required to maintain the gardens. The foundational outcome of all of these items is to ensure the viability, and beyond that the health, of the project into the future. The organizers obtained a five-year commitment of support from the SSMU Green Fund, with the possibility of renewal. Where the Campus Crops student administrators previously struggled with financially-inaccessible leadership positions and information that was lost year to year, this new structure helps to increase institutional knowledge and takes burden off of volunteers.
Because this was in part an SPF-funded project, the applicants have submitted a detailed report at the end of the project assessing its impact on the McGill community, the successes and challenges in implementation, lessons learned, and recommendations for the future, with oversight from the McGill Office of Sustainability staff (see Notes below).
https://www.mcgill.ca/sustainability/sp0260-campus-crops-sustainability-2020
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:
The Menstrual Health Project
This student-led SPF project provides free period products across campus to address the high cost of reusable menstrual products. It also addresses the equity issue of period poverty, a lack of access to menstrual products, education, hygiene facilities, waste management, or a combination of these.
The project supplied disposable pads and tampons in washrooms on campus as well as reusable products that could be picked up on a first-come first-served basis once a month. The organizers offered period underwear, reusable pads, menstrual cups and discs, and a more eco-friendly option for disposable pads and tampons. Finally, organizing team supplied all first year residences with disposable pads and tampons.
Since receiving funding in January 2023, the organizers successfully handed out approximately 450 period boxers, 600 pairs of period underwear (hipster), 120 menstrual discs, and 400 menstrual cups. Reusable pads were not nearly as popular as our other products they offered (only giving out around 10 each month). Around 200-300 disposable pads and tampons were given out, as well. Furthermore, the team have supplied residences with products for the semester, totaling to around 9,000 pads and over 17,000 tampons. On top of this, the project organizers supplied more baskets for each residence to place in common spaces to provide more visibility to the products and make them more accessible.
The student organizers aimed to not only educate about sustainable practices, but to break down the stigma surrounding periods. By normalizing them and empowering menstruators and the community to embrace period talk allows the culture to shift towards a more positive, accepting and open one. By diving into educational topics that ranged from sustainability to period poverty, to just explaining how to use each product, the organizers chipped away at the idea that periods are something to be hidden away.
Because this was in part an SPF-funded project, the applicants have submitted a detailed report at the end of the project assessing its impact on the McGill community, the successes and challenges in implementation, lessons learned, and recommendations for the future, with oversight from the McGill Office of Sustainability staff (see Notes below).
https://www.mcgill.ca/sustainability/sp0314-reusable-menstrual-product-initiative
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:
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:
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:
McGill's new Campus as a Living Lab (CLL) website provides a central hub where students, staff, and faculty can learn more about what a CLL project looks like and how they can to get involved. It provides a list of CLL courses, funding opportunities, and past examples of CLL projects to inspire prospective participants.
https://www.mcgill.ca/sustainability/learn/campus-living-lab
SPF projects are not necessarily overseen by teaching faculty nor are they completed for academic credit. However, the amount of time spent on SPF projects is comparable to (or greater than) time spent on coursework. Duration will vary according to the type and nature of the project. Some students spend weeks, months, or even a year or more on SPF projects. The Wong Community Gardens project (SP0245), ran from May 2021 to April 2022, for instance. The Sustainable Menstrual Products Campaign (SP0314) ran over the length of a term, from Jan. to June 2023; similarly Campus Crops (SP0260) ran from Dec. 2020 to May 2021.
SPF projects are also rigorously overseen by staff in the McGill Office of Sustainability. Applicants must have their projects approved by independent committee, track expenses, submit expense reports, and produce a progress report and final report. The final report template also asks project organizers to self-assess whether they have improved their knowledge of sustainability and which skills they have improved upon (e.g., budgeting, problem solving, project management, systems thinking, etc.).
McGill's new Campus as a Living Lab (CLL) website provides a central hub where students, staff, and faculty can learn more about what a CLL project looks like and how they can to get involved. It provides a list of CLL courses, funding opportunities, and past examples of CLL projects to inspire prospective participants.
https://www.mcgill.ca/sustainability/learn/campus-living-lab
SPF projects are not necessarily overseen by teaching faculty nor are they completed for academic credit. However, the amount of time spent on SPF projects is comparable to (or greater than) time spent on coursework. Duration will vary according to the type and nature of the project. Some students spend weeks, months, or even a year or more on SPF projects. The Wong Community Gardens project (SP0245), ran from May 2021 to April 2022, for instance. The Sustainable Menstrual Products Campaign (SP0314) ran over the length of a term, from Jan. to June 2023; similarly Campus Crops (SP0260) ran from Dec. 2020 to May 2021.
SPF projects are also rigorously overseen by staff in the McGill Office of Sustainability. Applicants must have their projects approved by independent committee, track expenses, submit expense reports, and produce a progress report and final report. The final report template also asks project organizers to self-assess whether they have improved their knowledge of sustainability and which skills they have improved upon (e.g., budgeting, problem solving, project management, systems thinking, etc.).
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.