Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 49.10
Liaison David Husemoller
Submission Date March 6, 2020

STARS v2.2

College of Lake County
AC-8: Campus as a Living Laboratory

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 4.00 / 4.00 David Husemoller
Sustainability Manager
Facilities
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Campus Engagement

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Campus Engagement?:
Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Campus Engagement:
The College of Lake County Living Lab Trail transforms its campus into a meta-learning experience, not just a place to learn, but also a place from which to learn.

Interpretative signage connects sustainable features on campus with issues and opportunities both in the community and with similar issues around the world. These signs also point to learning opportunities at the college and also related careers in that field.

Public Engagement 

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Public Engagement?:
Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Public Engagement:
The Living Lab Trail provides interpretive signage around campus to help engage students, faculty/staff, and community visitors with the sustainable features on campus. The signage was designed by a consultant to be attractive and understandable to people of a broad age range. Community members are frequently invited to visit campus for special events. Events such as the Community Partners for Sustainability and the Lake County Green engage community members directly about sustainability efforts.

Air & Climate 

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Air & Climate?:
Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Air & Climate:
CLC students are involved in a variety of projects on campus that impact air quality. Students helped with planning and planting a butterfly garden, designing other native landscaping and also 2 green roofs. By removing turf grass and planting these gardens, students are helping our grounds crew to reduce the use of air-polluting landscape machinery and to increase the sequestration of carbon on campus. Living Lab Trail signage helps to explain the benefits of sustainable landscaping. Students are also learning about geothermal exchange systems for heating and cooling, which dramatically increases efficiency and improves our air quality.

Buildings  

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Buildings?:
Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Buildings:
CLC receive LEED Platinum for its new Science Building. Living Lab Trail signage explains LEED, the USGBC green building rating system, and what goes into making green building infrastructure and operations beneficial to building occupants. Instructors are encouraged to use this construction in their teaching engineering, architecture, HVAC , economics etc.

Energy 

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Energy?:
Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Energy:
CLC hast two geothermal heating/cooling systems and both solar thermal and solar PV systems. HVAC students have gone out to the work site to meet with crews drilling the 500 ft wells and have visited the college's utility rooms to see the process of geothermal heating and cooling, as they do currently with our older existing systems in other buildings.

Food & Dining 

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Food & Dining?:
Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Food & Dining:
CLC has the Cafe Willow and a student-run restaurant called the Prairie. Culinary students cook and serve the food and manage the reservations in the Prairie. Both the Cafe and Prairie contract with CLC's Learning Farm to feature greens and vegetables that are grown on campus. The campus opened its apiary with 7 hives in the fall 2016. The culinary students are able to use CLC honey in cooking recipes. CLC honey is also for sale in the LancerZone store.

Grounds 

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Grounds?:
Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Grounds:
As described above, students studying horticulture and environmental biology have been involved with designing and installing native plant gardens and green roofs. We have had success in encouraging student volunteers to cut and remove buckthorn, participate in prescribed burns of prairie and wetlands. Students learn about natural areas management and fire safety. Student workers are paid to work with our grounds crew on maintenance management tasks, including performing maintenance on the campus green roofs.

Purchasing 

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Purchasing?:
Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Purchasing:
Students have made recommendations about they felt CLC could be more sustainable. They have recommended more vegetarian entree options and more local and organic food choices. They also recommended the ban on polystyrene in dining services. Business services amended its purchasing policy to allow for consideration of bids that may cost more but have environmental/sustainability benefits.

Transportation 

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Transportation?:
Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Transportation:
CLC serves as the hub for the public bus system in Lake County. Students interact with the busses which park by our main entrance. CLC also offers bike racks and connections with the countywide bike path system. Information about these sustainable transportation options with information in the hallways. Students at the Sustainability Forum made the recommendation that those who carpool or drive high efficiency vehicles be given preferential parking. This recommendation will go forward to the Campus Environment and Operations committee.

Waste 

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Waste?:
Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Waste:
Students participate in the recycling program on campus by serving as ambassadors at the beginning of the school year or semester. Waste stations identify options for "Recycling" and "Landfill." In the Cafe, there is a third option to "Compost" food scraps. The First Generation Club has held "Recycling Games" events on several occasions in the past year, to teach people about what items are recyclable. CLC is observing America Recycles Day on November 15 with a variety of student and community member sponsored education activities.

Water 

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Water?:
Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Water:
Willow Lake is a man-made detention pond adjacent to the buildings of our Grayslake Campus. The Willow Lake stop on the Living Lab Trail identifies opportunities taken by biology classes that study water quality and test for microinvertibrates in the lake. Horticulture students study the use of rain barrels at the student farm for irrigation of crops, saving municipal water supplies. Newly installed bioswales with native landscaping and water-saving faucets both serve to save water and provide material for student learning.

Coordination & Planning 

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Coordination & Planning?:
Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Coordination & Planning:
Students are working with staff and faculty to increase rates of recycling and reduce spoilage of recycling with inappropriate items in the recycling bins. Students assist staff and faculty to enhance signage for recycling, trash and compost, with the goal of making choices easier and more intuitive. Students are also involved with annual waste audits that help us to measure success.

Diversity & Affordability 

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Diversity & Affordability?:
Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Diversity & Affordability:
CLC serves a diverse population of race, ethnicity, ability, age, sexual orientation and gender identification. The college has identified Diversity as one of its areas of excellence. The college's Diversity Council plays a prominent role on campus with enhancing policies, contracting speakers and entertainers, and supporting student clubs.

As a community college, CLC stands out as an excellent value for college education. CLC reaches out to our diverse high schools across its district to promote awareness of this opportunity.

Investment & Finance 

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to 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 

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Wellbeing & Work?:
Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Wellbeing & Work:
Along with Sustainability and Diversity, the college has identified Wellness as one of its areas of excellence, each with a council providing guidance and oversight of the college governance system. Employees of the college are constantly being offered wellness initiatives to improve the sense of well being among faculty and staff. The Living Lab Trail highlights opportunities to learn about wellness with dedicated wellness signage and a wellness stop on the trail. Students provide free massages during finals and other times of the year.

Optional Fields 

Website URL where information about the institution’s living laboratory program is available:
https://www.clcillinois.edu/aboutclc/who-we-are/green-initiatives/greening-our-campus/living-lab-trail

Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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