University of Nebraska at Omaha
AC-8: Campus as a Living Laboratory

Engagement subcommittee (infrastructure) developing a strategy for engaging students in sustainability. Data-driven, case studies, development, implementation, feedback

Bus Scavenger Hunt - student project using public transportation to local businesses and attractions to encourage and incentivize students to us the city bus using their free bus passes.

Students in sustainability courses regularly do various "Trash sorts" on and off campus led by faculty advisors.

SUST 1000 - Air quality service learning project (studying ozone and generating communication pieces to reduce idling on campus)

New physical plant chillers are now monitored for efficiency after installation in summer 2023.  The new HVAC systems in the Durham Science Building (installed 2024) are regularly monitored for new efficiency.

Retrofitting of Durham Science Building with sensitive thermostats for room occupancy is a demonstration project in savings

SUST 1000 - Every Bite Counts class assignment. Every Bite Counts is the food recovery program on campus. Students are asked to sign up for one recovery shift during the semester.

The campus bioretention garden is a living laboratory utilized by horticulture students. Students observe the way plants adapt and move throughout the garden. The UNO Welcome Center bioretention gardens recently had a number of pieces of monitoring equipment installed to assess how the gardens are performing. Installed equipment includes soil moisture sensors, temperature sensors, data loggers, and cameras. The soil moisture and temperature sensors have been installed in groups of three in two locations in both of the bioretention gardens. The depths of the sensors are at 6 inches, 18 inches, and 30 inches. These sensors will provide a better understanding how moisture moves through the soil throughout a given year and over the long term, how it changes from year-to-year. Soil temperature can play a significant role in bioretention plant and soil health as well as infiltration; this equipment will help expand the limited research that has focused on garden soil temperatures. The two live web cameras will provide excellent insights into how the gardens perform during a given rain event and also provide a visual assessment of how the plants perform within the gardens. Time-lapse video will show how the garden grows and changes throughout the year, providing an excellent way to assess plant performance as well as illustrate the seasonal beauty and diversity of native and adapted garden plants throughout the year. The data collected by the sensors and web cameras will be displayed online as well as in real-time on a kiosk to be installed in the Durham Science Building. It will also be utilized by multiple classes at UNO to teach about green infrastructure and stormwater management in general.

New capcity to incorporate sustainability in purchasing has just been added as of May 2024 (this department is system wide for all campuses)

Sustainability 1000 - Traffic Study/Intersection Study of campus roadways. Students go on Dodge St (main street in Omaha) and observe width and differences in sidewalk in terms of accessibility. Students report back on if Dodge St is ADA compliant. Students watch a video from Mode Shift Omaha on dangerous intersections in Omaha and study behavior on using crosswalks. Additionally, for SUST 1000, students spend a class period riding public transportation (ORBT) along Dodge St. Students receive a free bus pass with their student ID.

SUST 1000 does a semesterly waste sort at the Milo Bail Student Center to show where a day's worth of trash should go and if we can divert it from the landfill. Students wear aprons and gloves and sift through the waste in a public area on campus, allowing other students to observe the process. Students sort waste items and weigh how much can be diverted. Almost every time, students find that over 85% of the waste could be diverted from the landfill.

The campus bioretention garden is a living laboratory utilized by horticulture students. It provides students with a demonstration of how native plants effectively deal with stormwater. The UNO Welcome Center bioretention gardens recently had a number of pieces of monitoring equipment installed to assess how the gardens are performing. Installed equipment includes soil moisture sensors, temperature sensors, data loggers, and cameras. The soil moisture and temperature sensors have been installed in groups of three in two locations in both of the bioretention gardens. The depths of the sensors are at 6 inches, 18 inches, and 30 inches. These sensors will provide a better understanding how moisture moves through the soil throughout a given year and over the long term, how it changes from year-to-year. Soil temperature can play a significant role in bioretention plant and soil health as well as infiltration; this equipment will help expand the limited research that has focused on garden soil temperatures. The two live web cameras will provide excellent insights into how the gardens perform during a given rain event and also provide a visual assessment of how the plants perform within the gardens. Time-lapse video will show how the garden grows and changes throughout the year, providing an excellent way to assess plant performance as well as illustrate the seasonal beauty and diversity of native and adapted garden plants throughout the year. The data collected by the sensors and web cameras will be displayed online as well as in real-time on a kiosk to be installed in the Durham Science Building. It will also be utilized by multiple classes at UNO to teach about green infrastructure and stormwater management in general.

Independent study of Omaha's Complete Street Policy and how UNO would adopt a similar policy for our campus streets.

BCorp is taught in the Business School

H&K Wellness Center Building is open during J-term (January term) so students still have access to recreation spaces including the weight room, treadmills, gyms, rock wall, yoga, and more. Effect of Mindful Meditation and Gratitude Journaling on College Student Stress and Well-Being Overtime. https://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/srcaf/2018/schedule/192/