Florida State University
IN-24: Innovation A

The Sustainability Hub was built in 2017 with support from Facilities, Sustainable Campus, and FSU alumni to increase educational capacity in an expanding “Garden District” at FSU. Currently, the Seminole Organic Garden exists in a high traffic area next to the FSU High Flying Circus and across the street from Doak Campbell Stadium. The Sustainability Hub increases the functionality of the garden and is a developing tool to communicate sustainability not only to the thousands of students who utilize the path through the “Garden District” as a thoroughfare from residence halls to academic buildings, but also to the hundreds of thousands of sports fans and alumni who visit campus each year. By expanding the “Garden District” into a more tangible and interactive environment, FSU strives to create hands-on spaces for integrated learning on campus. To support the educational opportunities at the Hub, FSU Facilities built an ADA assessable 16 x 22 foot covered pavilion with a Trex walkway made of reused materials. The pavilion serves to optimize teaching and learning opportunities by providing shaded space during garden workdays and events, and to serve as an outdoor classroom and laboratory for a variety of academic courses. This provides a unique programming space outside of a physical office and brings together multiple sustainability elements in one place. The Sustainability Hub is open for use by all campus partners for teaching and learning. To reserve the space, campus partners must sign a use agreement that outlines sustainable behaviors required to use the Hub, thus supporting and educating partners on how to plan a green event. The installation of solar panels to power the Sustainability Hub and surrounding “Garden District” bring the vision of the area full circle. Three FSU alum, now professionals in solar and renewable energy, collaborated to provide and install 12 solar panels onto the outdoor educational classroom to highlight the importance clean energy to future generations. The Sustainable Campus program and Florida State University recognize this project to be a significant opportunity to advance the institution’s commitment to the teaching and learning of sustainability and climate action in an accessible approach, which Sustainable Campus would not have been able to realize at this level on its own. The Sustainability Hub is utilized by students, classes, groups, and departments on campus and is surrounded by the Seminole Organic Garden, providing a living model of sustainability at FSU. https://sustainablecampus.fsu.edu/about/article/alumni-give-back-solar

https://sustainablecampus.fsu.edu/about/article/alumni-give-back-solar