Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 70.01
Liaison Cindy Shea
Submission Date July 18, 2014
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.0

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
AC-8: Campus as a Living Laboratory

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 4.00 / 4.00 Cindy Shea
Director, Sustainability Office
Campus Enterprises
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Is the institution utilizing the campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in the following areas?:
Yes or No
Air & Climate Yes
Buildings Yes
Dining Services/Food Yes
Energy Yes
Grounds ---
Purchasing ---
Transportation Yes
Waste Yes
Water Yes
Coordination, Planning & Governance Yes
Diversity & Affordability ---
Health, Wellbeing & Work Yes
Investment Yes
Public Engagement Yes
Other ---

A brief description of how the institution is using the campus as a living laboratory for Air & Climate and the positive outcomes associated with the work:

Students in an environmental studies capstone class surveyed campus forests and calculated the actual and potential carbon sequestration.


A brief description of how the institution is using the campus as a living laboratory for Buildings and the positive outcomes associated with the work:

Students analyzed building design, operations, and management practices and assessed how current practices compare to LEED EB standards.


A brief description of how the institution is using the campus as a living laboratory for Dining Services/Food and the positive outcomes associated with the work:

Students calculated Real Food purchases by Carolina Dining Services using the Real Food Calculator and worked with faculty to receive course credit.


A brief description of how the institution is using the campus as a living laboratory for Energy and the positive outcomes associated with the work:

Students manage the green energy fee and invest in renewable energy infrastructure and energy efficiency upgrades. Students work with Energy Management to enter building energy performance into portfolio manager.


A brief description of how the institution is using the campus as a living laboratory for Grounds and the positive outcomes associated with the work:
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A brief description of how the institution is using the campus as a living laboratory for Purchasing and the positive outcomes associated with the work:
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A brief description of how the institution is using the campus as a living laboratory for Transportation and the positive outcomes associated with the work:

Using the Bicycle-Friendly University application (League of American Bicyclists) as a framework, an environmental studies capstone team assessed Carolina’s current and planned infrastructure, policies and programs in support of bicycling and bicyclists; conducted a bicyclist and pedestrian survey; developed a scalable web-based map of bus, bicycle and other facilities on campus; interviewed peer institutions about their bicycling conditions; and developed recommendations to improve the bicycling environment at Carolina.


A brief description of how the institution is using the campus as a living laboratory for Waste and the positive outcomes associated with the work:

Students work the Office of Waste Reduction and Recycling to encourage and enable recycling and composting at athletic events and other green certified events on campus.


A brief description of how the institution is using the campus as a living laboratory for Water and the positive outcomes associated with the work:

Using an EPA campus rainwater challenge as a framework, an environmental studies capstone team focused on stormwater management at the Outdoor Education Center. They reviewed best practices; identified problem areas, analyzed the quantity and quality of runoff; and made recommendations on engineering, landscape management, and policy.


A brief description of how the institution is using the campus as a living laboratory for Coordination, Planning & Governance and the positive outcomes associated with the work:

Both undergraduate and graduate students serve on the Sustainability Advisory Committee that makes recommendations on how to advance campus sustainability to the Provost and the Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration.


A brief description of how the institution is using the campus as a living laboratory for Diversity & Affordability and the positive outcomes associated with the work:
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A brief description of how the institution is using the campus as a living laboratory for Health, Wellbeing & Work and the positive outcomes associated with the work:

Students are active planners of, participants in, and marketers for the Carolina Campus Community Garden and Hope Gardens. Produce from the former is made available to staff in UNC's Housekeeping department.


A brief description of how the institution is using the campus as a living laboratory for Investment and the positive outcomes associated with the work:

Both MBA and undergraduate students evaluated endowment investment practices at UNC and across the United States. They prepared a report on options for incorporating sustainability into investment practices for the Sustainability Advisory Committee, Provost, and Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration.


A brief description of how the institution is using the campus as a living laboratory for Public Engagement and the positive outcomes associated with the work:

Students work with the Town of Chapel Hill to conduct greenhouse gas emissions inventories and research on strategies for reducing GHG emissions.


A brief description of how the institution is using the campus as a living laboratory in Other areas and the positive outcomes associated with the work:
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The website URL where information about the institution’s campus as a living laboratory program or projects is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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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.