Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 53.46
Liaison Winnie Mulamba
Submission Date March 13, 2017
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

University of South Florida St. Petersburg
AC-8: Campus as a Living Laboratory

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 4.00 / 4.00 Brian Pullen
Sustainability Planner
Facilities Services
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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:

The Bayboro Food Forest is a living laboratory and community garden which was led, designed, partly funded and maintained by students. The food forest is designed using the principles of permaculture and the carbon-sequestering, dense plant coverage design of a natural forest. This is a great example for city parks and other green spaces which must be utilized as food forests to produce local food, combat droughts, provide ground cover, etc.


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:

The buildings are in the works for being upgraded with LED lighting, motion sensors, efficient faucets, shower heads and toilets once the Energy Management System is in place


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:

The solar array on the parking garage can be researched and the data obtained by students interested in it; the energy management system is partly led by students; LED lighting in the garage and on the new field is funded by the student green energy fund


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:

The students have proposed a project which was passed to get a salad growing wall in the cafeteria; this exemplifies local, fresh, organic produce and how easily it can be grown; once the food forest is heavily yielding fruits and vegetables, they will be donated to the dining hall for smoothies, salads, etc.


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 grounds have to use certified green equipment and chemicals; the facilities and landscaping people plant only native plants; they use reclaimed water to irrigate, they are planning a rain garden which will capture rainwater runoff and utilize native plants to filter it before it infiltrates into the groundwater


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:

Purchasing has a green purchasing policy which means all of the soaps, sanitizers, cleaners, fertilizers and herbicides used on campus are eco-certified products; the paper used by offices, toilet paper and disposable plates, silverware and to-go boxes are all recyclable and compostable


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

Students are enabled to participate in the car share program which the university offers; students have unlimited access to public transportation through a PSTA partnership; soon the bike-share program will be available for all students


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:

The campus recycles plastic, aluminum, paper, glass and cardboard; there are labeled recycling bins in each classroom and office; there are recycling bins outdoors and in each hallway


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

The students organized the planned the publishing of Climate Action Plan; the students are now working on the Energy management system project; the students are planning the sustainability event in Spring 2017 which will be on our campus


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

The solar array on the campus parking garage, energy management system, LED lights and other efficiency and renewable energy investments educate the future graduates on the importance of such responsibilities


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:

Our partnership with the City of St. Petersburg and Duke Energy engage a large, diverse group of community stakeholders in the furtherance of sustainability; this also paves the way for the innovation district committee


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

The College of Education utilizes the campus as a living laboratory for bringing in K-12 students from low-income public schools to teach them about our different sustainability initiatives: recycling, solar array, gardening which helps these students better understand why they should not only take care of the environment but also why they should stay in school and pursue higher education. This also applies towards helping alleviate poverty in these lower-income areas.


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