Overall Rating Bronze - expired
Overall Score 39.47
Liaison Kirk Hemphill
Submission Date March 1, 2017
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Florida Institute of Technology
AC-8: Campus as a Living Laboratory

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.20 / 4.00 Ken Lindeman
Professor, Sustainability Studies
Ocean Engineering & Marine Sciences
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Air & Climate 

Is the institution utilizing its campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in relation to Air & Climate?:
Yes

A brief description of the student/faculty projects and how they contribute to understanding campus sustainability challenges or advancing sustainability on campus in relation to Air & Climate:
The GHG emissions of the entire FIT commuter fleet were calculated in a campus project by a College of Business major in the Sustainability minor and will be used in upcoming GHG inventories. This project was presented as a research poster at the Northrup Grumman Science Showcase.

Buildings  

Is the institution utilizing its campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in relation to Buildings?:
Yes

A brief description of the student/faculty projects and how they contribute to understanding campus sustainability challenges or advancing sustainability on campus in relation to Buildings:
- For their sustainability capstone projects, Construction Management and Civil Engineering majors in the Sustainability minor have worked with other Sust. minors from several other colleges to research LEED certification of campus buildings. Currently several student teams are completing a report and business plan on alternatives for LEED certification of a proposed rebuild of the Academic Quad on campus in a partnership with two faculty members via two courses. - Right before the three yr period for this credit, in 2013, multiple campus buildings were evaluated with one building receiving a LEED ratings of Silver in part derived from the work of the students, This is only an fyi, we are not claiming this specific achievement for points as it was four years ago.

Energy 

Is the institution utilizing its campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in relation to Energy?:
Yes

A brief description of the student/faculty projects and how they contribute to understanding campus sustainability challenges or advancing sustainability on campus in relation to Energy:
Two student projects for the Applied Sustainability class have cost-estimated: a) solar panels for one dormitory building (Roberts Hall) and b) using LED lighting in the Evan’s Library.

Food & Dining 

Is the institution utilizing its campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in relation to Food & Dining?:
No

A brief description of the student/faculty projects and how they contribute to understanding campus sustainability challenges or advancing sustainability on campus in relation to Food & Dining:
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Grounds 

Is the institution utilizing its campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in relation to Grounds?:
Yes

A brief description of the student/faculty projects and how they contribute to understanding campus sustainability challenges or advancing sustainability on campus in relation to Grounds:
Several students have done year to year composting projects for applied sustainability classes that involved vermiform and tumbler-based compost production. The compost is used for soil on campus.

Purchasing 

Is the institution utilizing its campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in relation to Purchasing?:
No

A brief description of the student/faculty projects and how they contribute to understanding campus sustainability challenges or advancing sustainability on campus in relation to Purchasing:
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Transportation 

Is the institution utilizing its campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in relation to Transportation?:
Yes

A brief description of the student/faculty projects and how they contribute to understanding campus sustainability challenges or advancing sustainability on campus in relation to Transportation:
For a capstone project, two students developed a draft Campus Sustainable Transportation Plan that is housed in the Facilities Operations Office.

Waste 

Is the institution utilizing its campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in relation to Waste?:
Yes

A brief description of the student/faculty projects and how they contribute to understanding campus sustainability challenges or advancing sustainability on campus in relation to Waste:
Several students have done projects on recycling on campus and also during spring move-out, with substantial results in terms of waste diversion. We are a STEM university with a substantial Arabic student population and recycling posters in Arabic have been distributed around campus in the spring from a class project to increase recycling awareness by a Lebanese Sustainability minor in the Electrical Engineering major.

Water 

Is the institution utilizing its campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in relation to Water?:
Yes

A brief description of the student/faculty projects and how they contribute to understanding campus sustainability challenges or advancing sustainability on campus in relation to Water:
The capstone project of a Civil Engineering major with the Sustainability minor involved the construction of the first stormwater plan for the campus. Residing in the Facilities Office, this stormwater plan was consulted on by senior facilities staff and an outside engineering firm.

Coordination & Planning 

Is the institution utilizing its campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in relation to Coordination & Planning?:
Yes

A brief description of the student/faculty projects and how they contribute to understanding campus sustainability challenges or advancing sustainability on campus in relation to Coordination & Planning:
One student did a formal Sustainability capstone project on the cross-organization planning and execution of the campus Earth Week using systems science in 2015. She evolved into the lead planner of a four-organization series of events and the may events were more efficient and successful than if she had not done this project.

Diversity & Affordability 

Is the institution utilizing its campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in relation to Diversity & Affordability?:
No

A brief description of the student/faculty projects and how they contribute to understanding campus sustainability challenges or advancing sustainability on campus in relation to Diversity & Affordability:
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Investment & Finance 

Is the institution utilizing its campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in relation to Investment & Finance?:
No

A brief description of the student/faculty projects and how they contribute to understanding campus sustainability challenges or advancing sustainability on campus in relation to Investment & Finance:
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Public Engagement 

Is the institution utilizing its campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in relation to Public Engagement?:
No

A brief description of the student/faculty projects and how they contribute to understanding campus sustainability challenges or advancing sustainability on campus in relation to Public Engagement:
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Wellbeing & Work 

Is the institution utilizing its campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in relation to Wellbeing & Work?:
No

A brief description of the student/faculty projects and how they contribute to understanding campus sustainability challenges or advancing sustainability on campus in relation to Wellbeing & Work:
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Other Impact Areas 

Is the institution utilizing its campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in relation to other areas (e.g. arts & culture or technology)?:
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A brief description of the student/faculty projects and how they contribute to understanding campus sustainability challenges or advancing sustainability on campus in relation to other areas:
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Optional Fields 

The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
http://www.fit.edu/sustainability/academics

Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
Student projects on the topics above include required capstone sustainability research by all majors and minors in two courses (Sustainability Project Design, ISC 3999, and Applied Sustainability, ISC 4000). Many projects by individual students and teams apply to this credit (guided by faculty course instructors).

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.