Overall Rating	Gold
Overall Score	76.71
Liaison	Gioia Thompson
Submission Date	Feb. 6, 2023

STARS v2.2

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

Status	Score	Responsible Party
	4.00 / 4.00	Gioia Thompson Sustainability Strategist UVM Office of Sustainability

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Campus Engagement

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Campus Engagement?:

Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Campus Engagement:

Eco-Reps do peer-to-peer outreach about sustainability on campus to encourage more students to utilize existing programs. https://www.uvm.edu/sustainabilityoffice/eco-reps-program

Public Engagement

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Public Engagement?:

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Public Engagement:

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Air & Climate

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Air & Climate?:

Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Air & Climate:

Greening of Aiken class is examining how the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources could reach net zero energy buildings with solar energy. See also below "Buildings" below.

Buildings

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Buildings?:

Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Buildings:

Greening of Aiken is a long-running class that studies energy use of the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources buildings and recommends efficiency and conservation measures.

Energy

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Energy?:

Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Energy:

Internship in summer/fall 2022 studying the merits of purchasing renewable natural gas for Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources buildings.

Food & Dining

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Food & Dining?:

Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Food & Dining:

UVM Dining hosts interns and fellows who contribute to many sustainability efforts including measuring local, Real and plant-based food purchases.

Grounds

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Grounds?:

Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Grounds:

Salt Mitigation Taskforce is a collaboration between staff, students and faculty to test and study ways to reduce salt use on campus: https://www.uvm.edu/physicalplant/salt-mitigation

Purchasing

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Purchasing?:

Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Purchasing:

Internship developing sustainable purchasing guidelines for tshirts in spring 2022. Internship pursuing permanent on campus thrift shop in spring/summer 2022. https://www.uvm.edu/news/cleanenergyfund/slowing-down-fast-fashion

Transportation

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Transportation?:

Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Transportation:

Student employees developed and are piloting a ridesharing board for students to use to address the gap left by Wheeli going out of business.

Waste

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Waste?:

Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Waste:

In fall 2022 student employees are piloting a program to collect compost from residence halls by electric cargo bike instead of a departmental vehicle: https://www.uvm.edu/news/sustainabilityoffice/collecting-campus-food-waste-using-pedal-power

Water

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Water?:

Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Water:

An engineering class did a project on graywater collection in Fall 2020 to determine feasibility and cost for a system in the UVM student center: https://www.uvm.edu/cems/cems-50

Coordination & Planning

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Coordination & Planning?:

Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Coordination & Planning:

2 graduate students and 2 undergraduate students serve on the Comprehensive Sustainability Plan Working Group, contributing to the develop of the plan: https://www.uvm.edu/csp

Diversity & Affordability

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Diversity & Affordability?:

Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Diversity & Affordability:

Internship quantifying Women and Minority-owned Business Enterprises (MWBE) in UVM contracts in spring 2021.

Investment & Finance

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Investment & Finance?:

Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Investment & Finance:

2 graduate and 4 undergraduate students serve on the Socially Responsible Investing Advisory Council which administers UVM’s Sustainable Campus Fund: https://www.uvm.edu/sriac

Wellbeing & Work

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Wellbeing & Work?:

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Wellbeing & Work:

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Optional Fields

Website URL where information about the institution’s living laboratory program is available:

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Additional documentation to support the submission:

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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

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The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.