American University
AC-8: Campus as a Living Laboratory

Institution is utilizing its infrastructure and operations for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research that contributes to understanding campus sustainability challenges or advancing sustainability on campus in at least one of the following areas:

• Air & Climate
• Buildings
• Energy
• Food & Dining
• Grounds
• Purchasing
• Transportation
• Waste
• Water
• Coordination & Planning
• Diversity & Affordability
• Investment & Finance
• Public Engagement
• Wellbeing & Work
• Other (e.g., arts and culture or technology)

This credit includes substantive work by students and/or faculty (e.g. class projects, thesis projects, term papers, published papers) that involves active and experiential learning (see the Credit Example in the STARS Technical Manual). On-campus internships and non-credit work that take place under supervision of faculty members, sustainability staff, or sustainability committees may count as long as the work has a formal learning component (i.e., there are opportunities to document and assess what students are learning).

This credit does not include immersive education programs, co-curricular activities, or community service, which are covered by the Immersive Experience credit,credits in Campus Engagement, and the Community Service credit in Public Engagement, respectively.

Projects that utilize the local community as a living laboratory to advance sustainability may be included under “Public Engagement”. A single, multidisciplinary living lab project may simultaneously address up to three of the areas listed above.

This credit applies to all institutions where students attend the physical campus.

Institutions earn 0.4 points for each area covered, regardless of how many projects there are in each area. Institutions with projects that cover 10 or more areas earn the maximum of 4 points available for this credit.

Timeframe

Projects and initiatives currently in progress or conducted within the three years prior to the anticipated date of submission are eligible for this credit.

Sampling and Data Standards

Not applicable