Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 65.95
Liaison Susan Powers
Submission Date Feb. 12, 2016
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.0

Clarkson University
AC-8: Campus as a Living Laboratory

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 4.00 / 4.00 Susan Powers
Assoc. Dir. Sustainability
ISE
"---" 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 Yes
Purchasing Yes
Transportation Yes
Waste Yes
Water Yes
Coordination, Planning & Governance No
Diversity & Affordability No
Health, Wellbeing & Work Yes
Investment No
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 Env. Health Science degree program regularly measure air quality in campus buildings and report findings to the Campus EHS officer for further action.
* An MS thesis related to education and agroforestry projects for carbon offsets coupled with travel class to Uganda for microfinance has led to the establishment of tree nurseries and transplants to sequester carbon for university carbon offsets.


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 in civil engineering capstone design projects have designed options for many campus buildings, including theme housing, control system for the smart housing project, and conceptual designs for a zero-net energy science center renovation. The smart housing concept was implemented and the zero-net energy science center still under consideration.


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:

Two student-led sustainability projects addressed the purchase and disposal of disposable to-go boxes. This led to new policies and a major change toward use of (almost) only reuseable to-go boxes. http://www.clarkson.edu/news/2015/index.html * A student completing her ES&P capstone design project worked to assess the GHG emissions for several popular food service meals.


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 in several classes use campus energy data from the greenhouse/digester system or solar PV array in their classes. Research on the use of the GH/digester data have shown the value of these students engaging in the subject matter as a result of using a campus system for project. Students investigating the digester operations have resulted in improved operations and better understanding of how it operates.
* A multi-year student Sustainability Fund project resulted in the installation of two small wind turbines on the roof of the TAC.
* Graduate students are actively involved in research related to campus and community microgrid for increased resilience - this work is on-going.


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:

* Biology and ecology students regularly use our campus natural environment for class and research studies. For example, they have estimated carbon uptake by our campus woods (ES&P capstone project), identified endangered plant species, and marked trees with species names.
* Civil Engineering sophomores designed boardwalks for hiking/biking trails to preserve sensitive vernal pools. The boardwalks are being implemented as part of a Sustainability Fund Project.
* students in GIS classes and student interns are helping to map the campus, including sustainability aspects such as our woods and river trail systems. The trail map has been included in the campus GIS and map.
* Students evaluated the scour potential for culverts on the Munter Trails and the effect on the Raquette River. Students designed more appropriate culverts based on drainage area and soil types.


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:

The student-run Entreprenuer Coffee enterprise has worked hard to establish policies for and implement fair trade sources of coffee and reuseable container systems to reduce waste. http://www.clarkson.edu/entrepreneur/experiential_entrepreneurship/coffee.html


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 studied transportation on campus and into the village to assess the potential for improved pedestrian and bike traffic. The study was presented to village officials and is under consideration as part of complete streets initiative.
* Graduate students identified access to bikes a limiting factor for many international graduate students. They developed and implemented the KnightRider bike loan program.


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:

Student groups (clubs and classes) have assessed many aspects of waste - implemtation and operation of anaerobic digester, collection of food waste to feed the digester, feasibility of on-site composting, feasibility of improved recycle and landfill waste receptacles etc. Outcomes have included a three year volunteer effort to encourage apartment residents to separate food waste for collection and delivery to the digester, trash on the lawn measurement days for awareness and data, and an understanding of the high cost for an effective compost system.


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:

An undergraduate student research project investigated the energy use and regulations related to our treatment system of rainwater collected from roof of TAC building. Based on existing building codes, the system was initially designed to treat water to drinking water standards, even though it was only used for toilets. The results of the study showed that this was not really required so the $$ and energy intensive UV treatment system could be removed.


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:

N/A


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:

N/A


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 in the Environmental Health Sciences classes regularly support the campus EHS officer by measuring air quality and noise in response to complaints throughout campus.


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:

N/A


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 created an award winning TV series - North Country Matters - to showcase campus and regional topics of local interest, such as environmental issues, poverty and education, each of which is examined from multiple perspectives. http://www.clarkson.edu/news/2015/news-release_2015-07-14-1.html


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:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

These activities are happening throughout campus. There is no single website that can capture the diversity of these activities.


These activities are happening throughout campus. There is no single website that can capture the diversity of these activities.

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.