| Overall Rating | Silver - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 49.70 |
| Liaison | Michael Lizotte |
| Submission Date | Sept. 18, 2016 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
University of North Carolina, Charlotte
AC-8: Campus as a Living Laboratory
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
4.00 / 4.00 |
Michael
Lizotte University Sustainability Officer Facilities Planning |
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 | Yes |
| Purchasing | No |
| Transportation | Yes |
| Waste | Yes |
| Water | Yes |
| Coordination, Planning & Governance | Yes |
| Diversity & Affordability | Yes |
| Health, Wellbeing & Work | No |
| Investment | No |
| Public Engagement | No |
| Other | No |
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:
Engineering Senior Design Projects collaborated with Facilities Management on projects: 1) to study the feasibility of converting the Heating Plant to a co-generation heat/electricity plant during an upcoming Heating Plant upgrade; 2) to specify generator replacements that can reduce air pollution, operate on biofuels, and contribute to peak shaving of electrical loads..
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:
Architecture graduate students have used older campus buildings as measurement and design projects for the Daylighting and Energy Performance Laboratory.
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:
The student Garden Club negotiated for space to establish an on-campus food garden, which will include plots dedicated to producing food for use in campus food operations.
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:
Engineering Senior Design Projects collaborated with Facilities Management on projects to design photovoltaic systems for buildings scheduled for future roof replacement projects; one was a masters thesis covering several university buildings.
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:
The MacMillan Greenhouse and VanLandingham Gardens on campus have expanded their collection of native plants, which is helping the campus understand which plants should be used more widely in campus landscaping.
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:
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:
Students in Geography course projects and sustainability interns mapped bicycle parking spaces, and studied the type, condition, and % spaces in use, which is being used to develop proposals to improve an expand bicycle parking on campus. A Senior Engineering Design project has used systems engineering software tools to model the flow of bicycles between buildings based on occupant data and available bicycle parking.
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:
The student-run Charlotte Green Initiative funded and volunteered their time to institute organic waste collection towards a zero-waste system at the new football stadium.
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:
Biology and geology courses have utilized Toby Creek crossing campus to study stream physics, chemistry and biology; the information is useful in justifying a stream restoration project as part of campus stormwater control and treatment. A stream restoration course made repairs to an unnamed stream in the University Gardens as a class project, with funding from the student green fund.
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:
The Charlotte Green Initiative, a student organization that supervises a student green fee, has been actively developing grant programs that promte innovative projects from students, but also govern when and how projects can be proposed by the university, such as Facilities Management.
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:
The Chancellor’s Diversity Challenge Fund and the Crossroads Charlotte Initiative Grants have funded projects that promote the value of diversity on campus. A 2012-13 project was "Communication, Community Building, and Social Justice Work through Dance". It supported an on-campus residency with internationally renowned dance company Urban Bush Women, who conducted open community events and participated in a variety of UNC Charlotte dance classes for students across disciplines.
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:
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:
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:
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:
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:
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.