Tecnológico de Monterrey – Campus Guadalajara
AC-8: Campus as a Living Laboratory

Sustainability and Climate Change Laboratory

Tec de Monterrey in Guadalajara introduced the Sustainability and Climate Change Laboratory (LSCC) to promote applied research and innovations that contribute to face and mitigate said phenomenon. It is a Living Climate Lab focused on developing evidence-based public policies through interinstitutional collaboration between the private sector, government, society, and academia. It is a space dedicated to solving public and industry issues with science focused on regional problems, high-level human resource development, and addressing challenges for climate change mitigation and adaptation.

The research priorities are based in regional priorities and are the following:

1. Tequila sector
2. Water bodies monitoring
3. Life cycle analysis of different waste chains
4. Circular models for agriculture
5. Livestock sector and animal waste.

https://conecta.tec.mx/es/noticias/guadalajara/sostenibilidad/cambio-climatico-tec-gdl-presento-su-laboratorio-de

Water Collaborative

Addressing water research challenges with an international focus, such as greenhouse gas emissions and water pollution management, is the goal of the Water Collaborative project, a joint initiative between Tec Guadalajara and the University of Leeds (UoL) in the United Kingdom. The project will delve into the topic of water quality by bringing together collaborators from Tec and UoL from different disciplines and career stages to co-produce new research and promote international funding procurement. This will be achieved through joint projects in Mexico and the UK, by identifying internationally-oriented research ideas in water-related practices. The project will also provide training for young researchers with a global perspective, who will lead high-quality research topics and contribute to improving the environment in terms of sustainability and climate change. Specifically, the project will address topics such as emerging contaminants in water, pollution management and resource efficiency, greenhouse gas emissions from water bodies, and artificial intelligence and water quality.

https://conecta.tec.mx/es/noticias/guadalajara/sostenibilidad/en-pro-del-agua-tec-gdl-y-universidad-de-leeds-generan

Air Quality Stations:

Campus Guadalajara research teams developed a series of devices and a measurement network through technological integration based on sensors to increase the monitoring stations for air and water quality in the southern area of the Guadalajara Metropolitan Zone (ZMG). Regarding air measurements, the innovation in the generated device is based on the Internet of Things (IoT) and consists of integrating sensors connected to each other with a microcontroller. As a result, various sensors will be connected at each of the 10 new measurement points in the southern part of the city, whose location and installation were also defined and executed by Tec Guadalajara. These 10 new measurement stations will be added to the existing one installed in early 2022, forming a network of 11 air quality monitoring sites in the southern area of the ZMG. This will provide much more real-time information to the Jalisco State Secretariat of Environment and Territorial Development (SEMADET) and even enable short-term air quality forecasting (up to 2 days).

https://conecta.tec.mx/es/noticias/guadalajara/investigacion/miden-calidad-del-aire-y-agua-tec-ayuda-monitorear-el-sur-de-gdl

Valorization of livestock waste through combined anaerobic  digestion and microalgae-based treatment in México: A  technical analysis for distributed biogas generation, animal feed production, and carbon credits trading.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eti.2023.103321

Mapping Organic Waste Streams for Developing Sustainable Food Systems on Campus: A Living Lab Perspective​

Organic waste from food systems is a significant environmental issue, including on university campuses where it contributes to the carbon footprint and environmental impact when it ends up in landfills. To address this, the Guadalajara campus of the Tec system is developing a living lab pilot for sustainable food systems that can be replicated across other campuses. The project involves mapping organic waste, evaluating current waste separation, integrating environmental impact indicators for campus food products, and exploring waste valorization strategies such as waste-to-food and waste-to-energy. Support from administrative and maintenance staff, alongside collaboration with top universities like Leeds and Birmingham, is crucial for the project's success.

The comprehensive approach includes outreach and education activities to embed sustainable food systems and waste management into the academic curriculum. Comparing the campus's environmental footprint before and after implementation using a global warming potential indicator is essential. The project's benefits extend beyond the university community to neighboring areas, providing a model for effective municipal solid waste management. Institutional support and a dedicated budget for a postdoctoral position, experimental equipment, travel, and outreach activities are planned. The project aims to reduce the campus's environmental footprint by diverting organic waste from landfills and developing replicable waste management models, thereby supporting broader environmental goals of the Ruta azul initiative.

Mapping Organic Waste Streams for Developing Sustainable Food Systems on Campus: A Living Lab Perspective​

Organic waste from food systems is a significant environmental issue, including on university campuses where it contributes to the carbon footprint and environmental impact when it ends up in landfills. To address this, the Guadalajara campus of the Tec system is developing a living lab pilot for sustainable food systems that can be replicated across other campuses. The project involves mapping organic waste, evaluating current waste separation, integrating environmental impact indicators for campus food products, and exploring waste valorization strategies such as waste-to-food and waste-to-energy. Support from administrative and maintenance staff, alongside collaboration with top universities like Leeds and Birmingham, is crucial for the project's success.

The comprehensive approach includes outreach and education activities to embed sustainable food systems and waste management into the academic curriculum. Comparing the campus's environmental footprint before and after implementation using a global warming potential indicator is essential. The project's benefits extend beyond the university community to neighboring areas, providing a model for effective municipal solid waste management. Institutional support and a dedicated budget for a postdoctoral position, experimental equipment, travel, and outreach activities are planned. The project aims to reduce the campus's environmental footprint by diverting organic waste from landfills and developing replicable waste management models, thereby supporting broader environmental goals of the Ruta azul initiative.

AI Water Analysis

The research team developed a monitoring probe proposal that remotely and in real-time estimates the Water Quality Index of the Santiago River in the State of Jalisco (ICA-RS). Their solution is based on the use of Principal Component Analysis to reduce the number of parameters needed to calculate the ICA-RS. They utilized time series analysis and clustering to select the most representative dataset and train a predictive model that estimates the ICA-RS using AI algorithms. Additionally, they designed an Internet of Things (IoT)-based prototype probe to remotely measure selected water quality parameters and, with AI algorithms, observe other indicators that are difficult to measure automatically.

https://conecta.tec.mx/es/noticias/guadalajara/investigacion/agua-de-calidad-equipo-de-tec-gdl-creo-prototipo-para-muestras