University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
EN-10: Inter-Campus Collaboration

The University of Minnesota is engaged in several inter-campus collaboration efforts on sustainability. The E3 Conference is an increasingly successful annual conference presented by the University of Minnesota Initiative for Renewable Energy and the Environment. It is an opportunity for researchers, legislators, business and nonprofit leaders, and students to share ideas and information about renewable energy in the Midwest. Building Research Information Data Gathering Exchange(BRIDGE) is a tool created by the University of Minnesota Center for Sustainable Building Research to create a continuously evolving knowledge base for building projects. Post Occupancy Building Evaluations are conducted and the resulting information is made available to BRIDGE participants. The increasing library of information allows agencies the opportunity to learn from others' mistakes and successes, so future building projects will operate at the highest performance level possible.

The E3 Conference: St. Anthony Falls Laboratory and speakers from 3M, DuPont, Agricultural Utilization Research Institute, McKnight University Center for Sustainable Polymers, and others. BRIDGE: Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system and Minnesota State Agencies.

Campus sustainability staff are active in AASHE and the Upper Midwest Association for Campus Sustainability (UMACS). Staff have planned and hosted Sustainability Across the Curriculum Workshops which have been open to faculty from other institutions. The Director of Sustainability is a member of the Penn State Center for Sustainability Advisory Board . Sustainability departments from satellite campuses meet together for a monthly phone call to talk about what they are doing and how we can collaborate together in any way.