| Overall Rating | Silver - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 49.29 |
| Liaison | Bonnie Dong |
| Submission Date | Oct. 30, 2014 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
MacEwan University
AC-8: Campus as a Living Laboratory
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
3.60 / 4.00 |
Chantal
Beaudoin Head of Sustainability Office of Sustainability |
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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 | No |
| Buildings | Yes |
| Dining Services/Food | Yes |
| Energy | Yes |
| Grounds | No |
| Purchasing | Yes |
| Transportation | No |
| Waste | Yes |
| Water | Yes |
| Coordination, Planning & Governance | No |
| Diversity & Affordability | Yes |
| Health, Wellbeing & Work | Yes |
| Investment | No |
| Public Engagement | Yes |
| Other | No |
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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:
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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:
A team of students participated in the Sustainable Campus International Competition (SCIC) in 2013 and explored space and office utilization by faculty members. MacEwan University employs more than 600 faculty members and most are provided with an individual and closed-off office. These offices require a lot of resources to light, heat and equip but remain unoccupied while faculty members are teaching classes, away on sabbatical, or out of the office during the summer. The team reviewed MacEwan University's plans for new faculty offices in order to provide better resource allocation and foster an open-plan collaborative work and engagement space environment. The team looked at the University Service Center (USC) - a cutting edge open space office hosting 300 staff as a model to determine if this concept could be applicable to faculty office environment. The team was faced with a lot of resistance but also generated healthy debates and conversations. The seed for open-space faculty offices has been planted and more work will be required for a new model to be developed and adopted in future building and renovation plans. The upcoming Centre for the Arts and Communications is planning a hybrid model of open and closed offices for faculty members. This will serve as a pilot and first testing ground for open-space faculty offices.
http://sustainablecampusic.com/university-faculty-space-optimization-project/
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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:
The incrEDIBLE Campus Club (Club), which operates under the auspices of the Students' Association of MacEwan University (SAMU), was formed in the fall of 2013 as the result of an entry into the first annual Sustainable Campus International Competition (SCIC). The Club's project was short-listed as one of the three SCIC 2013 finalists and earned mentorship support from MacEwan University’s Head of Sustainability. In the fall 2013 the Club was awarded $15,000 from the Student-Led Initiatives fund to build an aquaponics Display to promote, pilot, and proliferate food production at MacEwan University.
This project will conduct important research into the best methodologies to maximize food production in an interior urban setting while offering an interdisciplinary opportunity for academia, youth education, and community partnerships.
The Display will be located in the Child Care Centre. The initial phase will offer opportunities for volunteers interested in industrial design, technical writing, ethical animal husbandry, construction knowledge and skills, horticulture, and project management. Once the Display is operational, the volunteer opportunities will shift more towards the technical aspects that define aquaponics.
The Club’s mandate is to:
• Promote on-campus food production with an Aquaponics Display;
• Provide research and educational opportunities for MacEwan University stakeholders;
• Partner with like-minded community groups for operational opportunities;
• Pilot the larger potential of urban food production using aquaponics; and
• Proliferate future expansion of food production on campus with new initiatives.
http://sustainablecampusic.com/solar-greenhouse-test-module/
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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:
A team of students participated in the Sustainable Campus International Competition (SCIC) 2013 and explored the idea of implementing roof-top solar panels at City Centre Campus as a viable option to partially offset current hydro-carbon based energy consumption.
The university's Facilities department is now considering piloting solar panels to determine the feasibility of implementing this technology and calculate potential long-term returns and carbon savings from this alternative energy source.
http://sustainablecampusic.com/sun-for-fun-solar-panels/
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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:
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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:
A group of MacEwan University students participated in the Sustainable Campus International Competition (SCIC) 2013 and explored the idea of using digital textbooks in lieu of printed ones. The team estimated that each student produces roughly 200 pounds of carbon emissions from purchasing an average of eight textbooks per school year.
The students proposed a digital textbook rental system to allow students to purchase digital course materials that would be available across a variety of media. As a result, the University's Retail and Campus Services department is now working towards implementing this program.
http://sustainablecampusic.com/a-new-chapter-for-sustainability-at-macewan-university/
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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:
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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:
In 2011 a group of students conducted an audit of the recycling stream and, for one week, measured the proper disposal of paper, plastics, and refundables in the student cafeteria. A recycling awareness campaign was then performed followed by another measurement. After the campaign, paper and plastic recycling increased from 8% and 7%, respectively, to 22% and 15%. Refundables went down from 91% to 89%.
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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:
The MacEwan Environmental Student Society (MESS) reviewed the floor plans of MacEwan University and looked at the current provision of water fountains and their usage and proposed new locations for additional water refill stations with the aim of reducing the use of disposable water bottles on campus.
MESS recommended at least one water bottle refill station be installed on every level to increase access to water for students. These stations would ideally offer filtered water and include a bottle counter.
MESS submitted a report outlining their findings in relation to the location of water stations, type of fountains currently in place, and usage counters, when applicable, along with recommended new areas on marked floor plans.
As a result, the university's Facilities department has implemented water refill stations in a high traffic areas and has agreed to consider the recommendations and phase in the installation of new water stations every year, budget permitting.
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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:
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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:
The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is an annual event at the University. During the 2014 edition, the Students' Association MacEwan University (SAMU), MacEwan International, the Department of Sociology, and the United Nations Association in Canada invited MacEwan University students to submit a photo showcasing how they are breaking a stereotype on campus.
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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:
U-SOLVE (University Students Offering Leadership for Violence Elimination) is an initiative between MacEwan University and the Sexual Assault Centre of Edmonton, and is comprised of a group of students committed to ending gender-based violence. To commemorate the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on November 25, 2013, U-SOLVE launched a poster campaign across campus to encourage students to ask questions and spark conversations around the importance of white, male, class, able-bodied and straight privilege. The ultimate purpose of this campaign was to spotlight gender-based violence on campus. The poster campaign ran until United Nations Human Rights Day on December 10, 2013.
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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:
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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:
The BUSN 301 (Nonprofit Management) class partnered with the City of Edmonton to promote Earth Hour 2014. These students developed a social media campaign to spread Earth Hour awareness and develop Earth Hour kits for local elementary schools. The kits included a window decal, light switch covers, and information about Earth Hour and the We Love Cities campaign. With the assistance of these MacEwan University students, 3,000 Earth Hour kits were distributed to Edmonton teachers and presentations were given to 934 students in 15 schools.
Additionally, these students helped the Office of Sustainability to promote the One Hour, No Power: Campus Challenge, which is an annual competition hosted by the University of Alberta that invites Alberta post-secondary institutions to collect pledges from their students, staff, and faculty to participate in Earth Hour. The institution with the highest participation rate (based on total population) wins the challenge. In 2014, MacEwan University received 383 pledges (2.73% participation) and placed sixth out of 13 participating institutions.
As a result of everyone's combined efforts, Edmonton decreased its power consumption by approximately 3% during Earth Hour, and Edmonton was voted Earth Hour Capital of Canada.
http://www.edmonton.ca/environmental/programs/earth-hour.aspx
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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:
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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.