University of Utah
AC-8: Campus as a Living Laboratory

Air Quality (GCS, 2014, 2015) Students in the GCSC’s Global Changes & Society course focused class projects in 2014 and 2015 on local air quality issues and have developed several innovative solution-driven initiatives. #MovingU (GCS, 2015, SCIF grant, 2015) With over 31,000 students, the University of Utah is a large school. It is also primarily a commuter campus. As a result, the University campus, as well as its students, faculty, and staff, are significant contributors to the air quality problems in the Salt Lake Valley. To assist in addressing the impact of the University on our local air-shed, Global Changes & Society students designed MovingU: a multi-faceted initiative to help the campus community reduce the daily air pollution emissions. The project included social media, orientation materials, sustainable campus transportation maps, building energy literacy material, and Real People, Real Stories, a writing contest to collect personal stories about the effects of Utah's poor air quality. Program for Air Quality, Health and Society (2013- present) For those living along the Wasatch Front, the most notable problem is high wintertime levels of fine particulate matter. These levels exceed National Ambient Air Quality Standards and lead to a variety of adverse health effects including increased morbidity and mortality. Utah is unique in that a large population is exposed to short-term (several day or week long) spikes in fine particulate matter. This environment provides researchers with the opportunity to understand the health and economic impacts of air pollution, as well as the ability to develop optimal mitigation strategies. URL: http://www.airquality.utah.edu/ University of Utah Air Quality Monitoring Center (SCIF grant, 2015) To make air quality information from the Air Quality and Trace Gas Monitoring Center readily accessible to the campus community. URL: http://air.utah.edu/ Clean Air at the U (SCIF project, 2016) Leveraging the measurement expertise and outreach infrastructure of the SCIF supported Utah Atmospheric Trace Gas and Air Quality (UATAQ) lab. The addition of high precision ozone measurements to the UATAQ lab would allow us the unprecedented ability to speak to the quality of the air that the campus community is exposed to and provide data that can be used to warn students and faculty of potential air quality hazards (Fig.1). The project would also allow an opportunity for an undergraduate student to assist with monitoring ozone concentrations. Air Filter Mask Distribution (SCIF grant, 2015) An air filtration mask distribution program on the University of Utah campus in order to engage the community in a dialogue on the impacts of their commuting choices on environmental conditions.

Ecological Planning Center (City + Metropolitan Planning, 2011- present) The goal of ecological planning is to develop human habitat that is ecologically integrated, builds on local natural assets and community values, and optimizes social and ecological well-being. The Ecological Planning Center encourages interdisciplinary collaboration. Our members — with backgrounds ranging from architecture, to geology, to environmental dispute resolution — work closely with academic and community partners to shorten the pipeline between research and application. We apply principles of urban ecology, environmental planning, and design and engineering to generate sustainable solutions in planning for equitable, vibrant, and healthy human habitats. High Efficiency Windows (SCIF grant, 2016) Install energy efficient windows in place of the current single and period windows in building 180 Space Planning and Management on central campus. Distributed Energy Generation Project - B-TEMS (SCIF grant, 2016) Funds for the Localized Distributed Power Generation group to build and implement Building Thermal Energy Monitoring Systems (B-TEMS). The purpose of these B-TEMS is to accurately understand how much energy is lost to the environment through building walls and windows and how that affects the energy demand and usage of the building. Green Roofs (Alta Sustainability Leadership, 2014-15) Youcan Feng, PhD student in Civil & Environmental Engineering, won the 2014-15 Alta Sustainability Leadership Campus as a Living Lab Award for his work in quantifying water and energy budgets for green roofs at the University of Utah. Greening Our New Home (SCIF grant, 2015) Strategies to improve sustainability in the historic building that houses the Environmental Humanities Graduate Program include energy efficient lighting, insulation, native plants, office landscaping, and eco-friendly rugs.

Utah Smart Energy Lab, U-Smart Campus (Dept. of Electrical & Computer Engineering) Our mission is to design the next generation of resilient and sustainable power and energy systems that integrates clean renewable energy resources as well as emerging distributed energy resources.The University of Utah’s Smart and Connected Campus (U-Smart Campus) brings together technology, campus governance, students, and faculty to enable smarter energy, water, transportation, health, waste, and food systems for our University. URL: http://usmart.ece.utah.edu/smart-campus/ Solar Parking Canopy (funded by the S.J. Quinney College of Law, the Alternative Visions Fund of the Chicago Community Trust,SCIF grant, 2016) Install solar structures to cover about 40 parking spaces near University of Utah parking lots near S. J. Quinney College of Law. Hydrogen Fuel Cell (SCIF grant, 2016) Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicle group is seeking funding to retrofit a Fleet Services vehicle with a Hydrogen Fuel Cell (HFC) stack. The HFC stack will replace the vehicle’s existing gasoline-powered engine as the vehicle’s primary power source. The principal goals of this project are to design and implement the powertrain centered around an HFC stack, and evaluate the viability of HFC conversions for the purpose of energy conservation and emission reduction. The Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicle group is a student Senior Design team in the Mechanical Engineering Department. Fueling Up (Honors College Praxis Lab, 2015-16) Explore the science, engineering, policy, environmental consequences, economics, and sociopolitical complexities of energy systems.

Edible Campus Gardens (1996- present) The Edible Campus Gardens is an volunteer and student powered community garden managed by the Sustainability Office. Our mission is to empower campus to grow food sustainably; to cultivate ecological and personal health; to facilitate community engagement in alternative food systems; and to provide opportunity of academic applications. Our produce is distributed at the University of Utah Farmers Market, sold to campus restaurants, and exchanged with ECG volunteers. Volunteers go home with a small share of harvest and learn about ecological gardening in a hands-on setting. Additionally, the gardens provide service opportunities for student volunteers from the Bennion Community Service Center. URL: http://sustainability.utah.edu/resource-center/get-involved/edible-gardens.php Real Food Challenge (2015- present) in 2015, President Pershing signed the "Real Food Challenge" committing the University of Utah to 20% “real” food by 2020. The Real Food Challenge at the U of U is a student group that is tied to a national movement that aims to shift $1 billion of existing university food budgets away from industrial farms and junk food and towards local/community-based, fair, ecologically sound and humane food sources—what we call “real food”—by 2020. URL: http://president.utah.edu/tag/real-food-challenge/ Social Soup Lecture/Discussion Series (SCIF grant, 2010, 2011- present) Social Soup features distinctive speakers who reflect on local and national social, economic and environmental issues surrounding food. People from all over campus and the community come together to increase awareness, build knowledge and have conversations over a delicious, vegetarian bowl of soup. Local Food and Human Diets (HONORS Praxis Lab, 2015-16) eating local carries different connotations, often associated with being environmentally conscious, health oriented and globally minded. But is local food a sustainable reality?

Landscape Lab: Interdisciplinary, Collaborative Redesign of the Williams Building Landscape (2012- Present, Global Changes & Society course) Although the upper portion of the Red Butte Creek watershed is a protected natural area, the creek’s lower reaches run through the University of Utah campus and have faced over a century of degradation, diversion, and neglect. Graduate students in the 2012 and 2013 Global Changes and Society course recognized this and brought it to the attention of University administration, thus beginning a larger conversation. In 2014-15, the Office of Sustainability, the GCSC, and the Ecological Planning Center carried out a broad engagement and planning process to develop a Strategic Vision for Red Butte Creek, which proposes an approach to revitalize the creek and its watershed and profoundly change the relationship between the university, the surrounding community, and this ecological corridor. The new vision for Red Butte Creek aims to foster healthy ecosystems and build campus sustainability, while advancing the university’s mission as a platform for research, education, and community engagement. Tree Campus USA (U of U Campus Tree Committee, 2014) The Tree Campus USA project was an effort, on the behalf of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism’s Sustainability Committee, to help the University of Utah become recognized as a “Tree Campus USA” through the Arbor Foundation. Students worked with landscape manager, Sue Pope, to coordinate planting and to select trees. This project led to the successful recognition of the University of Utah as “Tree Campus USA” (designated March, 2015), and brought much needed attention to the University’s urban forest. Red Butte Creek Strategic Vision (Alta Sustainability Leadership Award, 2015-16) Robin Rothfeder, PhD student in City and Metropolitan Planning, was awarded the Campus as a Living Laboratory Award for his work as the project manager and lead author of the Red Butte Creek Strategic Vision.

The Paper Project (2012 - since last STARS submittal, but not current enough for this version) Every year over 3 million sheets of alkaline paper are consumed within the Marriott Library. This project strives to implement a collaborative project between Todd Lehman, the U of U EnviroClub, and the Marriott Library Green Committee in order to reduce the amount of waste and paper impact. The project also plans to pave the way for 100% of paper used in the library to be composed of post-consumer waste. There will also be an awareness campaign to educate individuals on the benefits of reducing the amount of paper used when printing and on making environmentally friendly choices. http://www.lib.utah.edu/info/green/green-tips/paper-project.php

Smart CommUte (Spring 2014 Global Change & Society Course) Aimes to foster an informed University community and empower students, faculty, and staff to make commuting choices that will improve airquality in the Wasatch Front airshed. This project included three Initiatives, all of which were funded by the Sustainable Campus Initiative Fund (SCIF): Air Quality Literacy, Long-term bicycle rental and Zimride membership. Zimride is the largest rideshare program in the United States and is already in use at over 100 university campuses. The partnering campuses have demonstrated an average annualized reduction of 300,000 pounds of carbon emissions, as well as saving an average of $200,000 per year in vehicle operating costs.

Project Youth Lunch Supplies (SCIF grant, 2016) Funds to purchase reusable and durable pie tins for plates, restaurant style cups, and storage bins to keep everything in order in order to reduce waste from Project Youth events. Project Youth hosts approximately 1000 sixth graders annually from Title 1 schools in the Salt Lake Valley, inviting them to take part in actual college classes Sustainable Practices on Greek Row (SCIF grant, 2016) Bring recycling services to the Sigma Chi fraternity house. Glass Recycling at the U of U (SCIF grant, 2016) This project will bring glass recycling bins to the U that will collect glass that gets dropped off to momentum. Facilities management has agreed to run the program, including the use of a truck and bin to store/transport the glass.

Urban Water Group (Dept. of Civil & Environmental Engineering) The Urban Water Group at the University of Utah addresses problems related to urban water resources and water infrastructure systems including water supply, stormwater management, flood control, and wastewater management. The group is led by Dr. Steve Burian and Dr. Christine Pomeroy and consists of more than 15 full-time and part-time graduate and undergraduate students. The group conducts research using a range of computational resources, a green infrastructure research facility, analytical wet lab space, and a network of green infrastructure and urban hydrology study sites in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area. Red Butte Creek (Global Changes & Society Course 2012, 2013) Through creation of the “Friends of Red Butte Creek” (FoRBC) group we are opening up pathways to action that can transform Red Butte Creek from a neglected corner of campus into a living laboratory that facilitates scholarship and exploration of human-natural systems and promotes the university’s mission to disseminate knowledge to the wider community. A related project was Red Butte Creek Stormwater Assessment (SCIF grant, 2016). OSH Rain Harvesting (SCIF grant, 2016) A project proposed by the ENVST Fall 2015 capstone course to install a rainwater harvesting system in the new Orson Spencer Hall (OSH) building. One benefit to the project would be the opportunity to set an example for all future building projects on campus. Water Resiliency Survey (SCIF grant, 2015) Project to evaluate attitudes and current awareness of risks associated with loss of access to water systems in the event of catastrophic failure. Red Butte Creek Stormwater Quality Assessment (SCIF gant, 2015) Since the Chevron oil spills in June and December, 2010, Red Butte Creek has become an increasingly important symbol of both the challenges and the opportunities for University of Utah campus sustainability. A year-long stormwater quality assessment including sampling, analysis, data management, interpretation and synthesis Hidden Water Worlds of Red Butte Canyon (GCSC Reseach grant, 2014)

Sustainability Action Plan (2016-17) The University of Utah is in the midst of updating our Sustainability Action Plan. The goal to reach climate neutrality by 2050 requires campus-wide coordination and planning, and our original Climate Action Plan from 2010 to achieve this goal is in need of an update both for climate neutrality but also to address realms of social justice, food systems, investment practices, and wellness. Committees made up of faculty, staff and students are working on the chapters listed below. The report is expected to be complete in 2017. Sustainability Action Plan Chapters Administration and Communication Sustainability Education Sustainability Research Engagement (student and community) Air Quality, Emissions, Buildings and Energy Food Systems (dining, gardens & wellness) Grounds and Water Purchasing Transportation (commuting and campus mobility) Waste Diversity and Affordability, and Sustainable Investments More information, including lists of committee members, is available at URL: http://sustainability.utah.edu/sustainability-plan.php.

Native Voices (the Native Waters of the Red Butte Creek) (SCIF grant, 2013) Native Voices focused on utilizing Utah's tribal communities’ historical knowledge of Red Butte Creek as a way to better understand the long-term regional values and the necessary stewardship of this great local resource. Despite the long- term affiliation with the Ute community, the University understands little about the history, current status, and future of Ute people. The goals of the research project were to correct misconceptions as well as describe Ute culture and history from the perspective of Ute people. This project identified sources of Tradition Ecological Knowledge (TEK) that are available for use in future research. Subsequently, tribal representatives were invited to a panel discussion, held by Innovative Urban Transitions & Arid-region Hydro-sustainability (iUTAH), that focused on state-wide water conservation efforts and concerns. This project offered tribal communities a much needed voice in water resource discussions. In addition, Utah water research was infused with social justice and historical ecological knowledge. Double Your Dollars at the Farmers Market (SCIF grant, 2014) The Double Your Dollars initiative allowed students and anybody who received Supplemental Nutri on Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to double their dollars at the U Farmer’s Market through the use of one -to-one currency equivalent tokens. While the token service had been previously available, it was stigmatized and not widely used on campus. Because of this stigma, Annaleigh Sanderson proposed a pilot project that used Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) tokens as a way of awarding sustainable behavior on campus; increasing token visibility; encouraging the use of EBT at the market; and providing students with low-cost healthy food options. SCIF funded the supplemental purchases by doubling dollar-value with the tokens. For example, if you paid $5 you would then receive 10 tokens in return. Additionally, students received tokens if they rode their bike to the market or used the market’s veggie valet, which stores their purchases in a refrigerator until 6 pm. Ecosystem Services & the American Dream (Honors College Praxis Lab, 2012-13) Explore the notions of ecosystem services and the American dream with a special focus on water resources along the Wasatch Front. Students will follow water as it flows from its original state (free and clean) as snow

Real People Real Stories (SCIF grant, 2016) Real People, Real Stories is an ongoing project intended to expand the dialogue surrounding locally variable air quality. While numerical data helps us monitor and manage the health effects of Salt Lake City’s pollution, RPRS aims to invite more personal anecdotes to the table – something missing from the current conversations on the issue. Building on the success of 2015-2016, essays regarding personal experiences with air pollution will be solicited from Salt Lake City residents throughout the coming fall semester. Judged by a panel of environmentalists and local air quality activists/experts, finalists will then be selected to read their stories on campus at a narrative sharing event during the 2017 GCSC Symposium, as well as in downtown Salt Lake City at the public library in the spring of 2017. Essays will also be compiled into the second-annual Voices of Air printed publication and distributed to the community. Discovering our Campus Arboretum (SCIF grant, 2015) The University of Utah houses the State Arboretum of Utah which acts as a living museum and laboratory for exploration. The project updates campus tree maps and signage in order to bridge the gap between higher education and the ecology of place. Community Energy Dashboard (SCIF grant, 2016) Install an interactive touch screen dashboard that will be displayed in a public space in order to increase public awareness of building energy consumption and motivate people to become a part of the movement towards a more sustainable society. U of U Commuter Challenge (SCIF grant, 2016) Evaluating two interventions designed to shift people from external to internal reasons for participating in “Clean Air for U,” a single occupancy vehicle trip reduction challenge sponsored by the University of Utah Office of Sustainability. Valley as a Laboratory: Steps Towards a Restorative Urbanism (Honors College Praxis Lab, 2014-15) Our mountains, emerging circulation systems (transit and bicycle), community self-esteem and relatively strong economy are among the strengths and signs of the good health of our city. But how can we make an impact now to ensure a healthy future?

Air Quality, Health & Society (HONORS Praxis Lab, 2014-15) The Utah Medical Association will presented the University of Utah’s Honors College’s 2014-2015 Air Quality, Health and Society Praxis Lab with its annual Environmental Health Award. Infant Childcare Upgrades (SCIF grant, 2014) Provide toxic free products that will be in direct contact with the babies, such as cribs, bedding, toys, chairs, utensils and changing tables for campus infant daycare room. Early Childhood Education Center Upgrades (SCIF grant, 2015) Provide equipment that is made from organic materials and are free of toxins for children ages two through five years of age who attend the The University of Utah Early Childhood Education Center. Huntsman Cancer Institute Gardens (SCIF grant, 2013) The Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI) Gardens was funded by a SCIF grant in an effort to bring gardening activities to Huntsman Cancer Institute patients. Raised beds were built to allow patients in wheelchairs to comfortably access the plots. The gardens have increased in popularity over the past year. The project executive is a founding member of an ever-growing group of faculty, staff, and students who have formed the HCI Garden Club. The club is working to provide webcasts, cooking demonstrations, and other programs based around plants grown in the garden. The programs are accessible by patients of varying levels of mobility. The club continues to establish relationships with additional gardening groups including Wasatch Community Gardens and Red Butte Gardens, which have donated plants in the past years.

Arts: Marriott Library Recycle Bin Design (Art 4696, SCIF grant 2015) During the spring 2015 session of ART 4695, Sustainable Design Practice, students came up with new graphics for Marriott Library recycle bins. They worked with the Marriott Library’s Green Committee to ultimately select three new designs to be implemented on each of the three main floors of the library in hopes of increasing recycling and reducing contamination of materials places in the bins. Wildlife Habitat: Kestrel Boxes (SCIF grant, 2015) Build 12 cedar nest boxes and place them right here on campus, as well as in Red Butte Canyon and the foothills nearby.

SOURCES Examples of projects that exemplify the campus as a living laboratory were selected from activities supported by SUST 6000, Campus Sustainability Initiative Fund, Honors Praxis Labs, and Alta Sustainability Leadership Awards. SUST 6000: Global Changes & Society (Course Projects 2012-present) The purpose of this course is to develop an interdisciplinary perspective to explore the complex systems of environmental change and the links to society through a project-based approach. This course will encourage students (a) to analyze critically - and reflect deeply about - the complex interconnections among social, economic, and environmental systems; (b) to appreciate the value of diverse perspectives and collaborative approaches to sustainability; and (c) imagine and implement visions of sustainable practices and values through the translation of knowledge of sustainability into interdisciplinary actions for sustainability. URL: http://environment.utah.edu/students/gcsc-courses/ Sustainable Campus Initiative Fund (SCIF) The Sustainable Campus Initiative Fund is a grant program that facilitates students to work directly with, and/or lead in “real world” projects with faculty, staff, administration and other campus entities. SCIF was proposed and implemented by students in 2008 in response to an increasing demand for both greater sustainable infrastructure on campus and opportunities to gain real-world project management experience. ASUU and the Board of Regents unanimously voted in favor of the program, which is funded by a $2.50 student fee per semester. SCIF proposals are screened and approved by a committee of students, faculty, and staff. Student projects must directly address environmental sustainability on University of Utah’s campus, or in the capacity that on-campus activities influence sustainability off campus. Student projects must be sponsored by a faculty person or department URL: http://sustainability.utah.edu/resource-center/get-involved/sustainable-campus-fund.php Honors College Praxis Labs Honors College Praxis Labs draw students from all disciplines to collaborate on innovative project-based solutions to pressing societal challenges. Under the guidance of distinguished faculty and community leaders,students analyze a topic through in-depth classroom and field research such as lectures, panels, one-on-one interviews, readings and off-campus trips. After problems have been identified and solutions developed, students work together to put ideas into action in the community. Topics vary each year, but fall under our three focus areas of Health & Society, Energy & Environment and Social Justice. URL: http://honors.utah.edu/course-planner-degree-requirements/cool-courses/praxis-labs/ Alta Sustainability Leadership Awards: Campus as a Living Laboratory Award (Annual, 2015-present): Recognizes graduate or undergraduate student who completes an outstanding project or initiative that makes the U more sustainable. REFERENCES SCIF 5 Year Report, 2010-2015. (2016), Sustainble Campus Initiative Fund. Ehleringer, Jim, Shaun Daniel, Sylvia Torti, Brenda Bowne, Tom Parks. (2016) "Embedded in Nature: The University of Utah Field Stations. University of Utah. 120 pp. [p 39-54, "Campus as a Living Laboratory."] Chambless, Ross, Alexandra Parvaz, Lesley A. Chesson, and James S. Ruff. "University of Utah Campus Gardens: A Living Laboratory for Sustainability." Sustainability: The Journal of Record 5, no. 3 (2012): 160-164. [Describes role of Edible Campus Gardens as a living laboratory] Walsh, Thomas C., Olivia L. Miller, Brenda Bowen, Zacharia A. Levine, and James R. Ehleringer. "Sphere of sustainability: lessons from the University of Utah’s Global Changes and Society course." Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management 141, no. 12 (2015): A5015001. [Describes the development of SUST 6000]