Northwestern University
IN-3: Innovation 3

The Northwestern Sustainability Fund (NSF), established in 2013 and sponsored by sustainNU, is a $50,000 annual pool available for Northwestern University students who are seeking to make an impact in energy and sustainability. The fund acts as a resource to financially enable student-led initiatives that have a focus on furthering continued sustainability efforts at Northwestern University. NSF works to serve as a link for students through which they can have an active hand in helping further the University's long-term sustainability goals, which are outlined in the Strategic Sustainability Plan. Student engagement with the University's Strategic Sustainability Plan and its goals is key for successful implementation. The Northwestern Sustainability Fund has awarded grants to many deserving candidates, including our largest recipient to date, House by Northwestern (HBN). HBN is a United States Department of Energy Solar Decathlon 2017 participant. This project is currently using NSF funds to produce a fully functional solar powered home that will serve as a living lab concept for Northwestern students and Evanston community members after it returns from competition. NSF seeks to specifically promote community and student engagement on campus to further the reach of the University's sustainability initiatives. Projects that seek to not only engage and educate the campus and surrounding community, but that also seek to have a lasting impact on Northwestern's campus, are given funding priority.

NSF has funded many projects since its inception. Notable successes include helping bring Bill McKibben to campus to speak; funding innovative events like the annual Summit on Sustainability and the Associated Student Government's Environmental Day of Service; launching a fellowship program for students in Engineers for a Sustainable World; and supporting student-led projects like Northwestern's Solar Car and the Solar Tree. The 2013-2014 annual report, which details the successes and challenges of funded projects, is available at http://sustainability-fund.northwestern.edu/uploads/1/5/2/1/15211484/2013-2014_finalreport.pdf The largest grant recipient to date is the House by Northwestern Solar project. This project is a part of the US Department of Energy's Solar Decathlon, a competition between universities in which students design, build and bring to competition a fully functional, solar powered house. This project received a sizable grant from the Northwestern Sustainability Fund, making Northwestern's involvement in the competition a reality. After returning from competition, the house will be a vital learning tool for students and community members to engage in energy efficient and sustainable building options. House by Northwestern (HBN) is Northwestern University’s first-ever entry to the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon, a competition that showcases innovative solar powered houses designed, built, and operated by collegiate teams from around the world. Comprised of students from diverse disciplines including engineering, design, sciences, and the arts, the HBN team is designing and building a house that will blend technology, market potential, and design excellence with smart energy production and maximum efficiency. The result will be a sustainable home that is well-adapted for the extreme seasons of the Chicago climate and minimizes its impact on the surrounding environment. House by Northwestern will be 90% more energy efficient than the average home in our community. Quote from William Bach, House by Northwestern Project Manager "My favorite part of being on HBN is the ability to learn far more than I ever could in coursework. This project has allowed me to interact with students from other disciplines and industry professionals. At the end of the project, our hard work will have accomplished a tangible and impressive result."

http://www.northwestern.house/