| Overall Rating | Silver |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 55.02 |
| Liaison | Rob Williams |
| Submission Date | July 2, 2024 |
Capilano University
AC-8: Campus as a Living Laboratory
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.40 / 4.00 |
Rob
Williams Project Manager Facilities |
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indicates that no data was submitted for this field
Campus Engagement
Yes
A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Campus Engagement:
The Early Childhood Care and Education program utilizes the existing daycare facilities to host practicum students. This provides students with real time immersive experience to compliment their studies. Whilst not specifically focusing on sustainability, the existing childcare facilities do promote inclusivity, equity and sustainable practices within their operations (such as child led wast recycling). Students studying within the live daycare spaces would be provided exposure to such practices.
Public Engagement
No
A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Public Engagement:
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Air & Climate
No
A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Air & Climate:
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Buildings
No
A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Buildings:
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Energy
No
A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Energy:
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Food & Dining
Yes
A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Food & Dining:
The Childcare Center at CAPU is actively focused on educating children on the origins of food. The facility has its own garden plots which are used to grow natural food and vegetables that can be eaten at source. Additionally, the Bread Project further helps to educate children on food production, where food comes from and the process of planting food that can be harvested in the fall. Students studying their practicum within the Childcare centre will have direct exposure to these educational initiatives.
Grounds
Yes
A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Grounds:
CAPU's North Vancouver campus contains a large proportion of forestry which is actively utilized for student learning. Biology courses frequently utilize these natural habitats and exposure to wildlife as part of the curricular learning, including the development of a sustainable forestry management strategy. As part of the Biology Restoration Ecology course, students actively marry funadamental ecological restoration principals with case studies based on campus. This includes a lab component whereby students will implement a campus or community-based restoration project. Biology uses of the campus for learning include:
- BIOL 105
- Students complete vegetation surveys to characterize human impacted 'disturbed' and undisturbed forest habitat on campus and how patterns of disturbance and succession affect biodiversity in the short and long term.
- Students undertake field assessment of impacts of invasive species on campus
- BIOL 111
- Students complete term research projects exploring how habitat variation on campus affects bird biodiversity. Specifically, students compare recently disturbed patches and contrast these with recovered forest.
- BIOL 208
- Students undertake an experiment with moss patches on rocks and tree trunks in the campus forest, exploring how habitat patch size and connectivity affect biodiversity.
- BIOL 408
- Students undertake a term long restoration planning project for a campus habitat. This has included restoration of the campus marshland.
- Earthworks
- We conduct two invasive plant pulls per annum including use of mapping data collected by BIOL 105 students.
CAPU also utilizes is natural environment to educate students and visitors about the wealth of flora and fauna on campus. This is best captured in the CAPU 50 Trail, a 1.6km trail in and around the campus forest. The CAPU 50 trail is actively used by students and includes QR codes to provide further information on the various flora species encountered. The project also enbles classes to access the wetland, identify different plant assemblages, locate native and non-native species and participate in a bird monitoring program.
Purchasing
No
A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Purchasing:
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Transportation
No
A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Transportation:
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Waste
Yes
A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Waste:
Historically CAPU has been active in the promotion of waste reduction on campus. This has taken the form of student led waste audits, reusable dining initiatives and on site composting. However, since the onset of COVID, many schemes are currently inactive.
However, the Childcare center and it's practicum students continue to be active in the early education of waste segragation and composting. This actively involves the children in separating waste scraps into the associated recycling bins. Waste recyling education has also been included as part of the CSU led elements of the 2024 SDG campaign.
Water
No
A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Water:
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Coordination & Planning
No
A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Coordination & Planning:
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Diversity & Affordability
Yes
A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Diversity & Affordability:
CAPU has a dedicated Indigenous Education and Affairs Center aimed at providing support and education to Indigenous students, staff and faculty. The center is inclusive by nature and strongly advocates for Indigenous learning and wellbeing. Such programs include the Elder in Residence program, utilising the facilities to promote student mentoring and knowledge sharing. The CAPU daycare also includes an Indigenous educator enabling further diversification of learning experiences to the children therein.
The CAPU daycare has also been capped at $10/day. This greatly improves the affordability of daycare provision for Students, staff and faculty.
Investment & Finance
No
A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Investment & Finance:
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Wellbeing & Work
Yes
A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Wellbeing & Work:
As noted above, the Indigenous Center actively promotes the wellbeing of the Indigenous community through community engagement, support and mentoring. Additionally, the organization utilises it's infrastructure and operations to help further general wellbeing within the campus community. This includes access to free wellbeing events and classes, such as yoga, access to the sportsplex and facilities and facilitating of various social engagement and community groups.
Optional Fields
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Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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