Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 59.34
Liaison Elizabeth MacKenzie
Submission Date July 24, 2018
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

University of Iowa
IN-24: Innovation A

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.00 / 1.00 Sara Maples
Interim Director
The UI Office of Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Name or title of the innovative policy, practice, program, or outcome:
Resource Conservation & Development Partnership (RC&D)

A brief description of the innovative policy, practice, program, or outcome that outlines how credit criteria are met and any positive measurable outcomes associated with the innovation:

The University of Iowa’s Resource Conservation & Development (RC&D) Partnership is a community engagement initiative that partners the University of Iowa with Iowa’s nine Resource Conservation & Development non-profit organizations to help build strong, sustainable communities and improve the quality of life in Iowa. The University of Iowa works with the nine RC&Ds through a variety of projects, workshops, and grant collaborations that cover topics including environmental conservation, sustainable development, arts and culture, economic development, community health and wellness, and non-profit development. The Office of Outreach & Engagement also works closely with the Iowa League of Resource Conservation & Development which provides leadership, services, and a unified voice to its member RC&D organizations.


Which of the following impact areas does the innovation most closely relate to? (select up to three):
Buildings
Water
Arts & Culture

A letter of affirmation from an individual with relevant expertise or a press release or publication featuring the innovation :
---

The website URL where information about the innovation is available :
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

The partnership could theoretically pair with almost all sustainability impact areas. A sample of past projects are included below:
1) Water: Turkey River Watershed Economic Impact Analysis Project
With the guidance of Professor Haifeng Qian, Urban and Regional Planning student Juliana Lucchesi evaluated the economic impacts of a new policy for the Turkey River Watershed in partnership with Northeast Iowa RC&D. Juliana delivered a final report including framework for a cost-benefit analysis and an economic analysis of the new policy. Due to the timeline for data collection, this project developed into an ongoing partnership between Northeast Iowa RC&D and the School of Urban & Regional Planning.
2) Buildings: Macedonia Folk Art Center Design Project
Golden Hills will be working with a Design & Management Civil Engineering course taught by Professor Paul Hanley to partner on a design project for the proposed Macedonia Folk Art Center in Macedonia, Iowa. Students will design and address engineering solutions related to the building site. Recommendations for site development, facility design and sustainable building practices will be part of the project. Once complete, the student-led project will be used to support a capital campaign to raise funds for the Folk Art Center’s construction and development as well as inform the final architectural and construction documents.
3) Other (Arts & Culture, Food& Dining): Farmers' Markets Bring Us Together Project
Anna Swanson, MFA candidate in Film/Video Production in the Cinematic Arts Department, partnered with Southern Iowa RC&D to complete a local foods video project. The video aims to promote farmers’ markets in Southern Iowa by showing consumers and farmers in Southern Iowa RC&D’s seven-county region the vibrancy of local agriculture. The video frames local foods as sustainable, healthy, cost-effective, and community-oriented choices.


The partnership could theoretically pair with almost all sustainability impact areas. A sample of past projects are included below:
1) Water: Turkey River Watershed Economic Impact Analysis Project
With the guidance of Professor Haifeng Qian, Urban and Regional Planning student Juliana Lucchesi evaluated the economic impacts of a new policy for the Turkey River Watershed in partnership with Northeast Iowa RC&D. Juliana delivered a final report including framework for a cost-benefit analysis and an economic analysis of the new policy. Due to the timeline for data collection, this project developed into an ongoing partnership between Northeast Iowa RC&D and the School of Urban & Regional Planning.
2) Buildings: Macedonia Folk Art Center Design Project
Golden Hills will be working with a Design & Management Civil Engineering course taught by Professor Paul Hanley to partner on a design project for the proposed Macedonia Folk Art Center in Macedonia, Iowa. Students will design and address engineering solutions related to the building site. Recommendations for site development, facility design and sustainable building practices will be part of the project. Once complete, the student-led project will be used to support a capital campaign to raise funds for the Folk Art Center’s construction and development as well as inform the final architectural and construction documents.
3) Other (Arts & Culture, Food& Dining): Farmers' Markets Bring Us Together Project
Anna Swanson, MFA candidate in Film/Video Production in the Cinematic Arts Department, partnered with Southern Iowa RC&D to complete a local foods video project. The video aims to promote farmers’ markets in Southern Iowa by showing consumers and farmers in Southern Iowa RC&D’s seven-county region the vibrancy of local agriculture. The video frames local foods as sustainable, healthy, cost-effective, and community-oriented choices.

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.