Portland State University
AC-8: Campus as a Living Laboratory

In a freshmen inquiry course, students conducted No Scrap Left Behind, a week-long event to track and raise awareness about food waste in campus eateries. Other students in the course conducted observational data collection near campus food cart pods and take-out style dining options. Based on their observations and interactions with the campus community, the students developed recommendations and presented them to campus waste management and food service staff to reduce post-consumer food waste.

Students partnered with waste management staff to conduct an audit of the recycling stream in a large academic building. Using data from the recycling sort, students designed educational infographics that displayed both quantitative results and tips on how to better sort recycling.

The Montgomery Pop-Up Plaza was a culmination of multiple terms of Living Lab projects with undergraduates designing and proposing ideas to "pedestrianize" (close the street to vehicles) a block of SW Montgomery in the heart of campus. In May 2019, the street was officially closed as a pilot and a variety of events and activities were held with the help of students. The pilot resulted in a longer-term street closure, currently pending approval for permanent closure and transformation into a public space.

Undergraduate and graduate urban planning students held a pop-up design charrette on the skybridge network, which connects a number of PSU buildings. The students proposed and accepted ideas to add plants, furniture, and lighting to the skybridge in order to create a safer, healthier, and more accessible public space.

A graduate student continued research on options for offsite and onsite renewable energy procurement and development options.

An engineering and architecture student are working together with mechanical engineering faculty to conduct a year-long study of outdoor versus indoor air quality at the Karl Miller Center, a passively ventilated building at PSU. The results will be shared with building operations staff and may inform how the building automation systems are programmed.

Students in a climate change management course studied PSU's climate action plan as well as plans from other higher education institutions. The plans were scored and compared using an objective scorecard. At the end of the term, sustainability staff held a workshop with the students to brainstorm opportunities for PSU's next climate action plan, based on best practices observed in other plans, and weaknesses of PSU's current plan. Following the term, a graduate student presented the students' work to other operational staff.

Two Green Building student interns study building performance and develop recommendations for improvements to campus buildings each summer.

A graduate student conducted occupant comfort and other post-occupancy surveys for a portion of the new Karl Miller Center, which opened in September 2017.

A graduate student researched and designed a green leasing program which, if implemented, would better align tenant spaces with institutional design standards, including resource-efficient appliances, low-emitting materials and finishes, and more.

Undergraduate students measured lighting levels in the student union building to help inform future lighting retrofits and consider lighting levels for accessibility, safety, and energy savings. They shared lighting levels and mapped to the building's floorplan with building operations staff.

A graduate student continued research on options for offsite and onsite renewable energy procurement and development options.

A graduate student conducted a feasibility study for solar and storage at the Viking Pavilion, PSU's basketball arena. The project considered emergency management benefits, as this building would be used as a shelter in an emergency. Project estimates and recommendations were presented to sustainability, facilities, construction, and emergency management staff.

In a freshmen inquiry course, students conducted No Scrap Left Behind, a week-long event to track and raise awareness about food waste in campus eateries. Other students in the course conducted observational data collection near campus food cart pods and take-out style dining options. Based on their observations and interactions with the campus community, the students developed recommendations and presented them to campus waste management and food service staff to reduce post-consumer food waste. Ideas included changing dining hall serving arrangements, altering waste bin signage and infrastructure, and more.

GIS students developed a system for mapping landscaping beds. This methodology is not being expanded in an effort to map landscaping beds and collect data on plant type, native/invasive status, and more.

Environmental Science students updated the Campus Tree Inventory and estimated ecosystem services from trees in a small zone of campus. Based on their findings, each group developed recommendations to enhance ecosystem services in their zone.

Two students conducted a study of baseline ecosystem services on the block of SW Broadway on campus, to inform the "Broadway Aboretum" vision. A monoculture of Norway Maples on this street will be replaced in coming years; the students worked with a faculty member to estimate current ecosystem services and model ecosystem services under different tree replacement options. Once the tree replacements begin, the modeled scenarios can be compared to the actual tree selection.

A graduate student researched and designed a green leasing program which, if implemented, align tenant procurement practices with the University Sustainable Procurement and Life Cycle Consideration Policy.

Using publicly available data on the City of Portland's bike share program Biketown, a geography student conducted data analysis and developed an online Story Map to explore trip origin, destinations, and ride time on and around the PSU campus. The analysis was presented to identify potential priority areas for PSU's Transportation and Parking Services department when considering how to promote the Biketown program, where to place future stations, and how to advocate for services from Biketown to better meet the needs of PSU commuters.

A Civil Engineering capstone group studied City and other relevant codes and design standards to design a "floating bus island" stop for SW Broadway on campus. The proposed floating bus stop, presented to Transportation and Parking Services staff, would replace and consolidate two existing stop for better service and efficiency. The design, if implemented, would also provide better cyclist and pedestrian safety.

In a freshmen inquiry course, students conducted No Scrap Left Behind, a week-long event to track and raise awareness about food waste in campus eateries. Other students in the course conducted observational data collection near campus food cart pods and take-out style dining options. Based on their observations and interactions with the campus community, the students developed recommendations and presented them to campus waste management and food service staff to reduce post-consumer food waste. Ideas included changing dining hall serving arrangements; altering waste bin signage and infrastructure, and more.

Students partnered with waste management staff to conduct an audit of the recycling stream in a large academic building. Using data from the recycling sort, students designed educational infographics that displayed both quantitative results and tips on how to better sort recycling. A high rate of contamination was found in the recycling stream and students reflected on how their findings relate to global recycling trends.

Two consecutive Civil & Environmental Engineering capstone groups have studied PSU's wells and other water sources to serve as a potable water supply in an emergency or major earthquake. Working with Facilities and Emergency Management staff, the students recommended a water storage system and initial plans to use one specific campus well near the science building in an emergency, laying the groundwork for future Living Lab projects to explore a mobile pump power source.

A graduate student researched and designed a green leasing program which, if implemented, would better align tenant spaces with institutional design standards, including resource-efficient appliances, low-emitting materials and finishes, and more. This project was completed under the guidance of the Campus Planning Office, Campus Sustainability Office, and Facilities & Property Management.

Two student capstone groups studied PSU's commercial real estate portfolio to understand how retail tenants can support the needs of the diverse PSU community. The project included looking at both existing tenants and upcoming vacant spaces. Surveys were used to capture information from the PSU community about wants and needs from campus retail options, including the type of retail available, cost of goods and/or services, and more. Students developed recommendations to inform leasing priorities of upcoming vacant spaces.

Using publicly available data on the City of Portland's bike share program Biketown, a geography student conducted data analysis and developed an online Story Map to explore trip origin, destinations, and ride time on and around the PSU campus. The analysis was presented to identify potential priority areas for PSU's Transportation and Parking Services department when considering how to promote the Biketown program, where to place future stations, and how to advocate for services from Biketown to better meet the needs of PSU commuters.

Students in a climate change management course studies PSU's climate action plan as well as plans from other higher education institutions. The plans were scored and compared using an objective scorecard. At the end of the term, sustainability staff held a workshop with the students to brainstorm opportunities for PSU's next climate action plan, based on best practices observed in other plans, and weaknesses of PSU's current plan. Following the term, a graduate student presented the students' work to other operational staff.

Two student capstone groups studied PSU's commercial real estate portfolio to understand how retail tenants can support the needs of the diverse PSU community. The project included looking at both existing tenants and upcoming vacant spaces. Surveys were used to capture information from the PSU community about wants and needs from campus retail options, including the type of retail available, cost of goods and/or services, and more.