Saint Louis University
AC-8: Campus as a Living Laboratory

Abby Kansal, Masters student in the Center for Sustainability and Graduate Assistant in the department of Sustainability & Benchmarking compiled a comprehensive report of the University's greenhouse gas inventory in the Fall of 2014. Her research and support by department staff enabled SLU's first inventory of its greenhouse gases, which was integral in developing a baseline for measurement purposes. Without the additional assistance by Abby, SLU would be without this baseline data.

1.) In the College of Engineering, Aviation and Technology three students in the Civil Engineering program are developing a capstone project on LEED-EB certification for Chaifetz Arena. This project is a comprehensive analysis of building operations with recommended solutions on increasing the efficiency of the building by walking through the LEED checklist. 2.) Caeden Sweet, Masters student in the Center for Sustainability and Graduate Assistant in the division of Facilities Services developed a capstone project entitled " Building for a Higher Purpose". His capstone was an evaluation of existing processes and practices at SLU with regard to green building and developed a framework and implementation plan for how sustainable design and construction could be better integrated so that SLU could fulfill its mission through the campus built environment.

"1.) Fresh Gatherings Café in Saint Louis University's Doisy College of Health Sciences is operated by the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics. Their mission is to be a leader in sustainable food service while providing exceptional education-based experiences. They are committed to supporting local farmers in the community who use sustainable farming practices. The menu explores new flavors and emphasizes local products sourced at the peak of freshness, serving them when they taste best. As part of Fresh Gatherings' commitment to sustainability, they operate an organic farm on campus with a comprehensive composting program. By integrating the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics undergraduate and graduate student practicum experiences and dietetic internship rotations in the café with chefs committed to sustainable food systems, they create an environment that fosters unique experiences for student development and professional growth. 2.) Campus Kitchen is an on-campus student service program that is a member of the nonprofit organization, The Campus Kitchens Project. At a Campus Kitchen, students use on-campus kitchen space and donated food from their cafeterias to prepare and deliver nourishing meals to their communities"

Sarah Burke, Masters student in the Center for Sustainability and Graduate Assistant in the department of Sustainability & Benchmarking, is part of the Facilities Services strategic action team, Energy and Utilities Strategies. This action team is focused on utility and water reduction strategies that are not only beneficial for the environment, but also provide payback opportunities for the University. Sarah has been instrumental in developing a methodology to normalize the University's energy data and assisted in the development of goals in water and energy reduction.

In 2014, the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics at Saint Louis University broke ground on the Garden to Table Teaching Orchard, located just west of the Garden to Table organic garden located at the intersection of S. Compton Ave and Rutger St. The orchard will primarily be used for teaching with a focus on organic growing techniques while providing fresh, local fruit to Fresh Gatherings Café, the café operated by the Department on the lower level of the Allied Health Building. The fruit will also be provided to the surrounding community through Fresh Harvest, the Department's Community Supported Agriculture program. Finally, any excess fruit will be provided to Campus Kitchen, a community outreach program that coordinates food donations to use in meals delivered by various organizations, including the Salvation Army Family Haven, Blumeyer Community Center and the Ronald McDonald House.

1.) Students in the College of Engineering, Aviation and Technology developed a proposal entitled "Grand Boulevard Multi-Modal Transportation Improvement Plan" in April 2013. This plan focused on four intersections that run through the middle of the campus along Grand Blvd; Lindell, Laclede Ave, West Pine Pedestrian Crosswalk, and Forest Park Parkway. The proposal discussed safety, vehicle traffic, and traffic signaling. 2.) Amy Hargis, Masters student in the Center for Sustainability and Graduate Assistant in the department of Sustainability & Benchmarking developed, coordinated, and collected a comprehensive assessment of transportation patterns and alternative transportation needs of the SLU campus in the Fall of 2014. This transportation assessment survey that was developed was used in the greenhouse gas inventory, understanding commuter travel patterns, and will be used to develop an alternative transportation plan for the University.

1.) Abuduwasiti Wulamu, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Center for Sustainability received a $30,000 grant from the St. Louis-Jefferson Solid Waste Management District. His grant is titled "Campus Recycling Program Expansion: SLU Center for Sustainability/Chaifetz Arena." To improve recycling availability and awareness on campus, Brandon Verhoff, Director of Sustainability and Benchmarking, assisted Wulamu with plans that introduced six Big Belly Solar recycling units to high traffic areas on campus, including Chaifetz Arena, to encourage recycling and to help divert recyclable materials from landfills. These units were proposed to increase recycling collection by 55 tons, decreasing emissions through reduced collection trips and diminished collection expenses. The program could not have been completed without the partnership between the Center for Sustainability, Facilities Services, Business Services, Marketing and Communications, and Global Spectrum which have partnered to upgrade the recycling program at Chaifetz Arena. Located on SLU's campus, Chaifetz Arena is a large sized event space that hosts more than 365,000 people from the campus, district and region annually, with 45,000 from area schools' commencement ceremonies alone last year. The grant's goal was to increase recycling efforts at Chaifetz Arena through the addition of single-stream recycling receptacles and event equipment, as well as through the introduction of educational signage for the promotion of single-stream recycling. By increasing recycling availability at the arena, location-specific waste diversion will increase, increasing the university's total recycling by 55 tons, while also educating and encouraging patrons from the campus, district and region to increase their recycling habits elsewhere. 2.) Doisy College of Health Sciences is pleased to announce that Mildred Mattfeldt-Beman, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics at Saint Louis University, has received a $35,000 grant from the St. Louis-Jefferson Solid Waste Management District. Dr. Mattfeldt-Beman's grant is titled Start to Actively Recycle Today III. The primary goal of START III is to expand on SLU's Department of Nutrition and Dietetics' current composting operations to include the Food Innovation Center (FIC), with the goal of composting 21,590 pounds of solid food waste, paper, and landscaping waste using Earth Tubs, NatureMill composters, traditional composting, and vermiculture. START III will also explore mechanisms for breaking down compostable dinnerware to increase composting potential. The total estimated impact on reducing the quantity of waste is approximately 10.8 tons. Cost savings for solid waste diversion is $324 the pilot year. The project also includes extensive training and education for both the university as well as the community. 3.) Tara Grant, a Behavior Analyst student in the College for Public Health and Social Justice performed a practicum on campus recycling behaviors and the use of the University's recycling program. 4.) Stephanie Simowski, graduate from the master's program in sustainability, conducted her capstone research

1.) Rainworks stormwater management garden, also known as BMP (Best Management Practice) garden, designed by four engineering students as part of the EPA's Campus RainWorks Challenge was installed in April 2014. The garden outside Busch Student Center in an area prone to erosion and flooding. The garden affected 5,800 square feet of impervious surface and is estimated to redirect 13,000 cubic feet of water from the combined sewer system. The BMP garden includes 3 rain barrels, 2 bioretention areas and a pervious path. 2.) Sarah Burke, Masters student in the Center for Sustainability and Graduate Assistant in the department of Sustainability & Benchmarking, is part of the Facilities Services strategic action team, Energy and Utilities Strategies. This action team is focused on utility and water reduction strategies that are not only beneficial for the environment, but also provide payback opportunities for the University. Sarah has been instrumental in developing a methodology to normalize the University's energy data and assisted in the development of goals in water and energy reduction.

1.) Kelley Krejnik, Masters student in the Center for Sustainability and Graduate Assistant in the department of Sustainability & Benchmarking, facilitated summer sessions on strategic planning for the Sustainability Advisory Council (SAC). Throughout the summer of 2013 a sub-committee of the SAC met and developed building blocks forming a baseline on sustainability strategic planning efforts with a definition/purpose for sustainability and vision elements. 2.) In MOS 506 Enviornmental Aspects,a core requirement in the M.S. in Sustainability, students apply classroom knowledge to develop a real-world, professional environmental assessment. The projects focus on sustainability assessments for campus as well as other organizations in the local community. At a minium the projects must (1) define a vision for sustainability that fits the organizational mission and context, (2) identify key sustainability issues for the organization in the areas of energy, water, waste, transportation, etc., and (3) develop a set of recommendations that that includes the basic steps of how sustainability should be implemented at the organization. The environmental assessment projects must also include a cost/benefit analysis of recommendations and any economic, social, and environmental metrics that can be used to evaluate goal achievement.

Saint Louis University partners with The Vitality Group to manage the wellness program. Vitality is a comprehensive, interactive and personalized wellness program that makes it easy for SLU employees to learn how to live a healthy lifestyle at work and beyond. Employees receive discounts on their health insurance premiums for participating in the program and have access to a suite of online tools to manage their personal health and fitness goals. Sponsored programs and educational seminars are also provided to help employees manage diet, stress, and other demands of life/work.