Central New Mexico Community College
AC-8: Campus as a Living Laboratory

Data collected is used in creative & technical writing classes to write technical writing papers on the subject. Data collection is currently taking place for a behavioral modification program (AMERESCO) to reduce the institution's carbon footprint. Students and staff will be involved in writing the institutional energy policy through survey and sub-committees. LEED tours of buildings and HVAC systems in place. Upcoming energy controls project will emphasize energy consumption via individually metered buildings on a public dashboard. This will help students engage with HVAC processes that consume energy and will help to establish a baseline for future carbon footprint studies.

Applied Technology Staff & Students, tour LEED facilities and HVAC systems to gain understanding on how the buildings function. A USGBC Student Charter was formed in 2015. They are leading LEED tours of certified buildings during events like Recyclemania to showcase the recyclable materials and other aspects of LEED design criteria. This allows for USGBC students to study for the LEED exam and to gain experience in the field.

Culinary Arts harvests lettuces planted in a bed adopted by the USGBC student charter group and serves them at thier nightly Bistro Services as "CNM Salad". They are learning about farming, harvesting and taking pride in food production. https://www.cnm.edu/news/faculty-and-staff-news/culinary-students-harvest-lettuce-from-garden-on-southwest-corner-of-max-salazar-hall Composting is now up at the same site (summer 2016) and will be used as a campus as a living lab project in combination with the garden beds. Soils produced by composting campus materials (food waste, paper waste and grounds waste) will be used to amend garden bed soils as needed by curriculum-based projects. This is a multi-disciplinary approach to learning about how waste is turned into soil needed for food. It will be utilized by culinary arts and biology department, at minimum.

-Energy is tracked by meter and the information is used by students in technical writing. -Installation of the photovoltaic systems are being used by Adult Education, Creative writing and Applied Technologies. They are planning on using the dashboard information in the classroom. -Upcoming energy controls project will emphasize energy consumption via individually metered buildings on a public dashboard. This will help students engage with HVAC processes that consume energy and will help to establish a baseline for future carbon footprint studies. -Student and staff tours of new ground-source heat pump installation part of the Smith Brasher building renovation. Energy Data is used in Math Classes for statistical analysis (Math 1310), helping them garner "real life" applicability to math classes.

As a part of the Campus as a Living Lab sustainability program, implemented by the Sustainability Curriculum Committee and Facilities, a "Wayfinding" path has been designed and executed, including climate appropriate plants and plants that produce fruit for the culinary arts program (gooseberries and raspberries, for example). -Composting is now up at the garden-beds site (summer 2016) and will be used as a campus as a living lab project in combination with the garden beds. Soils produced by composting campus materials (food waste, paper waste and grounds waste) will be used to amend garden bed soils as needed by curriculum-based projects. Rather than tossing grasses, sticks and other grounds refuse into the landfill, we will be recycling it. Many students do not think of compost as a method of recycling. -There is a project in planning phase to place signage for plant identification. -Storm water drain markers have been placed by students (assisted by groundskeepers) throughout campus as a reminder that "drains to river". https://www.cnm.edu/news/faculty-and-staff-news/signs-remind-cnm-community-that-storm-water-drains-lead-to-rio-grande-so-avoid-polluting-the-ground-1

-There is a nutrition project in place for nutrition students to choose foodstuffs being purchased for vending machines and grab and go shops on campus.

-More bike racks and a bike rack caged area have been installed as a part of the Campus as a Living Lab Wayfinding Project. -In process is advertising a "ride your bike to school day" to enhance the sustainable culture on campus.

-CNM entered the recyclemania competition, and faculty engaged the students in as service learning projects to bring awareness on issues regarding recycling at CNM. https://www.cnm.edu/news/faculty-and-staff-news/keep-america-beautiful-presents-cnm-with-youth-recognition-award -Composting project: Soils produced by composting campus materials (food waste, paper waste and grounds waste) will be used to amend garden bed soils as needed by curriculum-based projects. Rather than tossing grasses, sticks and other grounds refuse into the landfill, we will be recycling it. Many students do not think of compost as a method of recycling. - A student generated proposal for new streamlined recycle bins will be implemented as a part Smith Brasher Renovation. -Math teachers are using campus waste data in classrooms.

CNM has be woring with the USGS on a water project testing underground well. The information is being reported to CNM and the information is being used in the environmental classrooms. Water in the desert is an 8 week experiential learning series for students to gain credit. There are many Campus as a Living Lab opportunities during this program -Hydration stations have been added in most buldings. -Art installation: https://www.cnm.edu/news/faculty-and-staff-news/idea-flow-honors-conclusion-of-water-in-the-desert-series -strom water drain markers have been placed by students (assisted by groundskeepers) throughout campus as a reminder that "drains to river". https://www.cnm.edu/news/faculty-and-staff-news/signs-remind-cnm-community-that-storm-water-drains-lead-to-rio-grande-so-avoid-polluting-the-ground-1

-The Student Government is investing in a revolving fund for sustainability projects, including multi-generational campus initiatives, such as feeding stations for mothers with children, as well as curricular projects such as Water in the Desert and Recyclemania programs. -Information Technology and Facilities have combined goals for Wellness Path and Wayfinding Path. - There is an Energy Controls Study and Implementation Project on the 5-year capital plan for facilities.

- The "Wellness Path" has been combined with Campus Living Lab and encourages the walking of campus down a sustainably designed pathway with fitness equipment that runs along a building with pv panels, the garden beds, compost, a terraced path with berries and native plants, etc. It has been coordinated with the Wayfinding Path Project. https://www.cnm.edu/depts/purchasing/master-plan-projects-list -Students in nutrition classes will be participating in choosing foods purchased for campus. -Mindful CNM Community Program led by faculty: http://www.cnm.edu/mindful

-Under energy contracts with two vendor AMERESCO savings generated will be invested back into Living Lab Projects and utility studies.

Service Learning projects are being developed to reach the community at large and bring awareness on the issues of sustainability, such as Recyclemania and Water in the Desert. These programs bring in outside speakers from the Water Utility, Pueblos, the City and other entities so that students are able to make connections with outside businesses and organizations. These events are open to the wider public. The Compost to Garden Committee has just generated an "adopt-a-garden bed" process which has been implemented among CNM faculty and students who currently have their own projects up and running. The ultimate goal is to extend this program to the surrounding public schools and community when funds are in place.

The CNM facilities department is working on four test pilot projects related to campus as aliving lab, documenting progress and process for the implementation of a campus wide system. The goal is to engage all disciplinary programs to the concept of living lab to get more student involvement.