Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 71.75
Liaison Cindy Shea
Submission Date July 24, 2017
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
AC-8: Campus as a Living Laboratory

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 4.00 / 4.00 Cindy Shea
Sustainability Director
Sustainable Carolina
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Air & Climate 

Is the institution utilizing its campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in relation to Air & Climate?:
Yes

A brief description of the student/faculty projects and how they contribute to understanding campus sustainability challenges or advancing sustainability on campus in relation to Air & Climate:
Students in a capstone course surveyed high traffic areas in Chapel Hill to make policy recommendations to improve air quality. https://ie.unc.edu/files/2017/01/Air-Pollution-in-Chapel-Hill_Final_Report.pdf

Buildings  

Is the institution utilizing its campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in relation to Buildings?:
Yes

A brief description of the student/faculty projects and how they contribute to understanding campus sustainability challenges or advancing sustainability on campus in relation to Buildings:
Students analyzed building design, operations, and management practices and assessed how current practices compare to LEED EB standards.

Energy 

Is the institution utilizing its campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in relation to Energy?:
Yes

A brief description of the student/faculty projects and how they contribute to understanding campus sustainability challenges or advancing sustainability on campus in relation to Energy:
Students in an environmental capstone course worked with UNC Energy Management to systematically review the energy efficiency of nine campus buildings of three different types, including some designed and constructed as high-performance resource-efficient structures. http://ie.unc.edu/files/2016/03/campus_buildings_report.pdf

Food & Dining 

Is the institution utilizing its campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in relation to Food & Dining?:
Yes

A brief description of the student/faculty projects and how they contribute to understanding campus sustainability challenges or advancing sustainability on campus in relation to Food & Dining:
Students in a spring 2017 sustainability consulting course analyzed the impacts of a community supported agriculture program on campus.

Grounds 

Is the institution utilizing its campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in relation to Grounds?:
Yes

A brief description of the student/faculty projects and how they contribute to understanding campus sustainability challenges or advancing sustainability on campus in relation to Grounds:
The Carolina Campus Community garden partners with various courses such as Food Politics, Agriculture and the Environment, and Communications and Non-Profits, to enhance student involvement with grounds and gardens.

Purchasing 

Is the institution utilizing its campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in relation to Purchasing?:
Yes

A brief description of the student/faculty projects and how they contribute to understanding campus sustainability challenges or advancing sustainability on campus in relation to Purchasing:
Students calculated Real Food purchases by Carolina Dining Services using the Real Food Calculator and worked with faculty to receive course credit.

Transportation 

Is the institution utilizing its campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in relation to Transportation?:
No

A brief description of the student/faculty projects and how they contribute to understanding campus sustainability challenges or advancing sustainability on campus in relation to Transportation:
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Waste 

Is the institution utilizing its campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in relation to Waste?:
Yes

A brief description of the student/faculty projects and how they contribute to understanding campus sustainability challenges or advancing sustainability on campus in relation to Waste:
Students work the Office of Waste Reduction and Recycling to encourage and enable recycling and composting at athletic events and other green certified events on campus.

Water 

Is the institution utilizing its campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in relation to Water?:
Yes

A brief description of the student/faculty projects and how they contribute to understanding campus sustainability challenges or advancing sustainability on campus in relation to Water:
A fall 2016 Restoration Ecology class linked concepts in ecosystem restoration with the practical application of restoration techniques that students were learning. Students in this course studied and took water samples at a once-soggy area behind McIver Residence Hall that has been turned into a daylighted stream. The new Battle Branch stream was designed with a filtration process that would naturally filter pollutants and contaminants out of runoff water, benefitting water quality downstream as well as in the immediate area. http://college.unc.edu/2017/03/10/battle-grove-serves-as-a-model-for-living-learning-lab/

Coordination & Planning 

Is the institution utilizing its campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in relation to Coordination & Planning?:
Yes

A brief description of the student/faculty projects and how they contribute to understanding campus sustainability challenges or advancing sustainability on campus in relation to Coordination & Planning:
Both undergraduate and graduate students serve on the Sustainability Advisory Committee that makes recommendations on how to advance campus sustainability to the Provost and the Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration.

Diversity & Affordability 

Is the institution utilizing its campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in relation to Diversity & Affordability?:
Yes

A brief description of the student/faculty projects and how they contribute to understanding campus sustainability challenges or advancing sustainability on campus in relation to Diversity & Affordability:
Two environmental science capstone projects researched sustainability as it related to social issues. One investigated coal ash sites in minority and low-income communities in North Carolina and another partnered with a local tribe to assess the quality of their stream water.

Investment & Finance 

Is the institution utilizing its campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in relation to Investment & Finance?:
Yes

A brief description of the student/faculty projects and how they contribute to understanding campus sustainability challenges or advancing sustainability on campus in relation to Investment & Finance:
Students in a spring 2015 Institute for the Environment capstone course explored coal divestment at UNC. https://ie.unc.edu/files/2015/12/coal_divestment_slides.pdf

Public Engagement 

Is the institution utilizing its campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in relation to Public Engagement?:
Yes

A brief description of the student/faculty projects and how they contribute to understanding campus sustainability challenges or advancing sustainability on campus in relation to Public Engagement:
Students work with the Town of Chapel Hill to conduct greenhouse gas emissions inventories and research on strategies for reducing GHG emissions.

Wellbeing & Work 

Is the institution utilizing its campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in relation to Wellbeing & Work?:
Yes

A brief description of the student/faculty projects and how they contribute to understanding campus sustainability challenges or advancing sustainability on campus in relation to Wellbeing & Work:
Students are active planners of, participants in, and marketers for the Carolina Campus Community Garden and Hope Gardens. Produce from the former is made available to staff in UNC's Housekeeping department.

Other Impact Areas 

Is the institution utilizing its campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in relation to other areas (e.g. arts & culture or technology)?:
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A brief description of the student/faculty projects and how they contribute to understanding campus sustainability challenges or advancing sustainability on campus in relation to other areas:
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Optional Fields 

The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
http://www.ie.unc.edu/for_students/courses/capstone.cfm

Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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