University of South Florida (Tampa)
AC-8: Campus as a Living Laboratory

Anthropology / NSF Pire Living Laboratories for energy and water: This PIRE (Partnerships in International Research and Education) project addresses integrated water and energy systems fundamental to social, economic, and environmental well-being and prosperity. The project seeks to merge water and energy concerns with appropriate cultural models of local knowledge, institutions, and resource limits. It also seeks to initiate a cultural shift in individual and university research and education programs by developing international research competence and building capacity through global partnerships. Engineering systems will be adapted to environmental and cultural changes associated with growth in human populations, urbanization, and resource consumption by focusing on the interstices of geographical context, cultural analysis, and how the scale of implementation of a solution impacts results. The overarching research question is: can effective, geographically-appropriate, and culturally relevant engineered systems be established that utilize wastewater as a resource for recovery of energy, water, and nutrients. https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1243510

SGEF students are completing a LED conversion at BSF. The LED conversion project has provided hands on project management experience for three USF students, in addition to its initial goal which was focused on simple payback through LED conversion. This project will be implemented by USF students in collaboration between USF Facilities Management. Students will survey building spaces to record the quantity and type of bulbs present in each area and verify that lighting levels and specifications of the fixtures. The team will prepare a detailed technical specification for the bid document based on the survey data. http://www.usf.edu/student-affairs/green-energy-fund/documents/in-progress-pdfs/sgef-green-gold-lighting-project.pdf

Department faculty (Ken Christensen) and graduate student (Merhgan Mostowfi) in partnership with USF IT were funded $50K from the USF Student Green Energy Fund in 2012 for a multi-year project to reduce the energy consumption of desktop computers on the USF Tampa campus. The goal was to install a commercial software agent (from Verdiem) in PCs throughout the campus – this software would enable PCs to sleep (that is, to enter a low-power state) at night and during the day when unused. The savings potential for the USF campus was over $150K per year. In CO2 and car equivalents this was (using the EPA CO2 calculator) 1131 metric tons of CO2 equal to 222 cars per year. This was to have been the largest single-site installation and operation of PC power management software in the country (if not the world). To date, this software has been put to in use in some labs in the campus – the full $150K per year savings potential has not yet been realized. To get more information about the status of the “Verdiem project” I suggest that USF IT be contacted. USF IT will have savings information – not just economic savings, but also CO2 reduction. http://www.usf.edu/student-affairs/green-energy-fund/documents/success_pdfs/campus-computer-sleep-mode-software.pdf

The tree-mapping project at the University of South Florida Tampa campus (USF) is a unique initiation. This ongoing survey completed by student interns is establishing a tree repository on campus with detailed information of trees. This data will provide an important tool for campus tree management, research, and education as well as for developing future campus sustainability reports. The project utilizes the TampaTreeMap software, a web-based mapping database, that can be accessed through a mobile phone application. It is unique in that it supports the interactive engagement with the public to enhance tree awareness and stewardship that will also be used by the facilities department for tree management. The tool has been used with student volunteers to inventory trees on campus and it has been demonstrated to Hillsborough County school students during Arbor Day events. The project involves experts from USF the City of Tampa and Hillsborough County. Funded by the Florida Forest Service and USF, this project strives to make USF one of the first institutions to have an inventory of its entire tree population in a dynamic web-based platform accessible to the public. Project implementation has been successful with over 8000 trees documented. https://www.opentreemap.org/tampa/map/?z=15/28.0633/-82.4151

“Strategic Plan for Sustainable USF”, researched and written by four graduate students Paul Cleveland, Mogoshadi Shakong, and Rachel Peet, with support from Suchi Daniels. Instructor: Sharon Hanna-West, Muma College of Business. This project is interesting because it addresses several sustainability topics to support recommendations with respect to purchasing campus fleet vehicles might qualify as an example that could be used in relation to Purchasing.

Under the guidance of Dr. Sean Barbeau, Center for Urban Transportation Research, College of Engineering, three computer science and engineering students developed the USF Transportation Maps App. This was a multi-year project. These students are Joseph Fields, Jean-Baptist Subils, and Anil Kandula. It is a mobile trip planner that layers all types of alternative transportation in one convenient place. Using the Trip Planner link, you can plan trips to and from USF buildings and areas around campus via USF Bull Runner, HART bus, Share-A-Bull bike share (including real-time availability), bike, and walking (based on actual USF sidewalks). It is also available via the MyUSF App on Android and iOS, under Tampa Maps. Using the Layers link, you can see where different travel-related resources are on the Tampa campus including USF Bull Runner routes (stops and live vehicle locations), parking lots (permit types and link to pay by phone for pay stations), bike rack locations. USFF Share-A-Bull bikes, and Electric Vehicle charging stations. It is also available via the MyUSF App on Android and iOS, under Tampa Maps. USF Maps App encourages use of cleaner transportation alternatives. http://www.usf.edu/administrative-services/parking/maps/index.aspx

We are assessing the potential of microalgae to sequester carbon dioxide emitted by the USF boilers and convert the waste stream into natural fertilizer that will be applied to the campus grounds. STUDENTS Ahmet Manisali (Ph.D. student) Alondra Soto (undergrad) Alex Kirk (undergrad) Tasnif Rahman (undergrad) ACADEMIC ADVISOR: Dr. George Philippidis

Environmental Engineering Laboratory (ENV 4004L): This is an undergraduate course taught in the Fall and Spring semesters to approximately 60 students each semester. Under Dr. Trotz, students work on group projects that include interventions to make stormwater management on campus more sustainable. Many of these projects include the design and installation of green infrastructure, especially rain gardens. On campus they have evaluated engineering buildings and proposed green infrastructure design, some of which are being considered for installation. The idea would be to use them for nutrient management research studies as a part of an EPA Nutrient Management Center at USF. http://usf-reclaim.org/

A Student Engineering team studied the feasibility of installing gym equipment that can be modified to create energy By: Tyler Gehring, Kyle Worth, Daniel Costa Da Silva, Sydney Nichols, Spencer Phillips. This included investigating the possibilities of energy generation in new equipment, Identify how much energy will be generated by changing the gym equipment, determining the upfront cost the changes would incur vs the final savings the changes would produce. PDF of presentation is included in the Additional documentation at the bottom

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The Student Managed Investment Fund is an educational 'business' housed in the Muma College of Business. The investment fund offers motivated, well-prepared students the opportunity to participate in simulated financial management strategies and decisions as well as to manage 'real money in real time.' http://www.usf.edu/business/departments/finance/smif/

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In partnership with St. Joseph’s John Knox, the AlwaysNear in-home sensory system is installed in a 506 sq-ft one bedroom apartment in Tampa FL near USF campus. This “Living Lab” serves as a test bed for new technology evaluation, sensory system validation, and alert and notification testing. The sensory system consists of a combination of custom made and off-the-shelf sensors. Presently, there are 4 types of sensors operating in the Living Lab (LL): Contact Sensors, Proximity Sensors, Motion Detectors and Pressure Switches. http://health.usf.edu/publichealth/create/living-lab.htm

Building Bridges: Campus Community Engagement” – a grant program from the Association of Performing Arts Presenters. USF College of The Arts in conjunction with Arts2Actionwas one of 6 national awards for the inaugural round (2014-16). The focus was on introducing students and audiences to the diversity of Muslim and Arab identities, cultures and aesthetics. Partners in the project included schools in the College of The Arts, departments in the College of Arts and Sciences, multiple centers and offices of the university and multiple student organizations of the university. http://theatreanddance.arts.usf.edu/content/templates/?a=4016&z=374