Overall Rating Bronze
Overall Score 41.51
Liaison Lori Chance
Submission Date May 16, 2024

STARS v2.2

Messiah University
AC-8: Campus as a Living Laboratory

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.60 / 4.00 Brandon Hoover
Director of Sustainability
Operations
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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:
Students in the Sustainability Capstone class learn about campus related sustainabiltiy work and conduct research on the ways in which students utilize our campus for recreation to help better inform our recreation and conservation practices. These students present their research to campus constituents as well as outside firms. Additionally, students in the Honors Environmental Issues course propose changes to the campus focused on sustainable practices and education that better impact their peers. Many ideas have been put into practice either by the students or staff members who attend these presentations.

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:
In 2022 and 2023 students participated in a state-level effort to connect Universities to local municipalities. For two years, students conducted greenhouse gas assessments and developed climate action plans for Camp Hill Borough. They also helped facilitate local engagement in the plan through surveys and a town hall meeting.

Furthermore, the Collaboratory for Applied Research connects engineering students with projects all over the world - many of which focus on water and energy systems. https://www.messiah.edu/info/22228/our_projects

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?:
No

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Air & Climate:
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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:
Courses take tours of the college's solar thermal array on our residence hall. Additionally, the Office of Sustainability provides "mock electric bills" to all of our residential apartment buildings as a way of showing consumption habits and equivalent Greenhouse Gas Impacts.

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:
The College has two on campus energy production units that are regularly toured as part of class. First, is our natural gas power plant that generates power using natural gas, and then utilizes waste heat from that process to provide heating and cooling to many campus buildings. The College Engineering department was involved in the design phase of this new power plant. Additionally, the College provides heat and hot water to 3 residence halls through a 112 panel solar thermal array. This is used in 4 different classes to educate about the difference between solar PV and solar thermal, as well as renewable energy.

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:
Students have worked on developing a food recovery network on campus to reduce food waste and address hunger as part of a class and further on-campus internship. This work has lead to the college starting a food recovery network chapter in the fall 2017 and continuing this chapter in partnership with students from the Nutrition and Dietetics program. Furthermore, there is a garden program on campus that sells food through a CSA as well as selling produce to Dining Services.

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:
Messiah is a Tree Campus USA-certified campus and is currently pursuing the Audubon International certification. Both of these have lead to student opportunities for research and service to the campus. Students in classes have planted edible and medicinal gardens using heritage plants, they have planted a pollinator-friendly wildflower meadow, and have reforested numerous acres of campus.

Purchasing 

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Purchasing?:
No

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Purchasing:
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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:
In the Senior Sustainability Capstone classes, students work on Messiah's Sustainability Action Plan which assesses transportation and fleet options for the university and has conducted an assessment of the ChargePoint charging station to determine usage rate and when/if new stations are needed.

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:
We compost most all of our pre and post-consumer food waste. Students taking one of our Biology classes will conduct research on composting efforts in order to better enhance waste diversion or be required to assist in compost collection and sorting, giving students a first-hand experience of waste.

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:
The Collaboratory for Applied Research conducts research and projects for communities around the globe dealing with clean water and stormwater management. In many classes and research projects, students use the topography of our own campus and the rain gardens present on campus to look at stormwater management practices.
https://www.messiah.edu/info/22228/our_projects

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?:
No

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Coordination & Planning:
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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?:
No

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Diversity & Affordability:
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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?:
No

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Wellbeing & Work:
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Optional Fields 

Website URL where information about the institution’s living laboratory program is available:
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Additional documentation to support the submission:
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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.