University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
AC-8: Campus as a Living Laboratory

FALL 2015 A student performed research for a senior project on LEED Certification and the Energy Star Label to determine if these programs are worth the cost and if they are actually making an impact. He requested data on campus buildings to identify existing building standards and energy consumption of LEED certified buildings on campus. SPRING 2016 An Environmental Science-Resource Management major at UW-Whitewater did an individual study with the goal of proposing Hyland Hall become LEED-EB certified. The student submitted a recommendation at the end of the project with an anticipated LEED-EB scorecard.

FALL 2017 Through a partnership with Dr. Carol Brunt in MGMT 364: Sustainable Management, several student groups were assigned semester projects on various areas of weakness in our last STARS report. One group focused on energy and buildings and recommended that the University take the following actions: - Install motion sensors and LED lighting throughout the stairwells across campus. - Implement a data management software and accompanying analysis tool, such as eSight, EnergyCAP, Sustain, and QA Graphics. SPRING 2018 The project I am planning on doing is similar to what we’ve been learning in the solar class. My ultimate goal is to run a cost/benefit analysis of putting solar on our campus buildings. I am aware that is the ultimate goal of the class we took, however I would do a much less in depth and intensive analysis since I only have a few months to finish the paper.

SPRING 2017 A student worked on conducting various dining waste audits over the course of the academic year. This project also included an analysis of disposable products to determine if they can be recycled in our current operation and also focused on implementation of compost programs. Several students worked with campus dining staff to improve vegan and vegetarian signage and communication in the dining halls. They are also working toward a goal of having vegetarian protein options offered during all meal periods at dining halls.

FALL 2017 Our group decided on 5 spots we wanted to include in our project: Campus garden, Upham greenhouses, prairie plants/area by the football field, Hyland Hall and the fountain by the UC. However, with the fountain and Hyland Hall, we are struggling to remember exactly how you said they were resourceful to campus. We remembered Hyland Hall has solar panels, use of natural light, and possibly some recycled materials to build the building itself. As well the fountain- we remembered the water runs in an energy efficient way and the plants are a variety of different native plants, seasonal, and perennials. If anything I stated about these two locations was incorrect, please correct me. A student volunteered at the campus garden and wrote a report on her experiences there and about the broad goals and mission of the campus garden project. A student focused on writing information about the geological landscape of Whitewater to add to a public display of the University's 150 year history. A student did an independent research project on the impact of sustainable grounds practices at the University, looking at the financial impact of implementing these projects. SPRING 2018 A student was engaged in an Independent Study project to develop course materials and training to support a School Garden Internship program in the surrounding counties. Additionally, another student was engaged to conduct survey research to identify various logistical and/or support needs at local K-12 school gardens in our area. A student was engaged in a GIS mapping project of the historic Salisbury and Chopp arboretums in the campus core, including a tree inventory. Bryce and I are continuing to move forward with our Geography of Wisconsin project, and we decided to add a section about the nature preserve next to campus.  Do you happen to have any resources or information on the preserve, such as why it is there, when it was created, what type of habitat it is, how it is managed, etc.? Also any photos would be very helpful as well.  Thanks!

FALL 2015 A student did a research paper on the topic of Green Logistics and interviewed sustainability staff to determine how this topic was related to the purchasing, transportation, and life-cycle accounting process of the university in purchasing goods and services. FALL 2017 Through a partnership with Dr. Carol Brunt in MGMT 364: Sustainable Management, several student groups were assigned semester projects on various areas of weakness in our last STARS report. One group focused on waste handling, composting, and custodial purchasing and recommended that the University take the following actions: - Increase the number of green cleaning supplies used by janitorial staff - Improve recycling rates to reduce pickup costs for waste - Implement a composting program SPRING 2018 A student in Innovation and Marketing engaged in a project to study eco-friendly furniture options and their use or possibly implementation in campus buildings.

FALL 2015 A student did an Innovation and Marketing project on electric vehicle charging stations and focused on the Chargepoint stations recently installed on campus.

FALL 2015 A student conducted research and applicability of using the Tradepal app as a method of developing a reuse marketplace, particularly focused on furniture used in off-campus housing. A student focused on the feasibility of implementing a composting program on campus. This same research was also conducted in Spring 2015 and typically comes up at least once per year every year as a possible project to implement on campus. SPRING 2017 A student did a project focused on the impact of plastic pollution on the landscape and how those impacts can help motivate additional change in plastic recycling rates at the university if integrated into an outreach campaign. Two students did a public knowledge/opinion project on recycling and sustainability on campus. One of the students worked with the student newspaper on communicating waste/recycling production and policies regarding recycling. FALL 2017 Through a partnership with Dr. Carol Brunt in MGMT 364: Sustainable Management, several student groups were assigned semester projects on various areas of weakness in our last STARS report. One group focused on waste handling, composting, and custodial purchasing and recommended that the University take the following actions: - Increase the number of green cleaning supplies used by janitorial staff - Improve recycling rates to reduce pickup costs for waste - Implement a composting program

FALL 2017 A student conducted broad stormwater planning and management research to identify the approaches taken by campus to manage all stormwater runoff. This included a review of the Stormwater Management Plan and requirements of the MS4 permit. SPRING 2018 A student did her Integrated Science-Business Water capstone project on water consumption patterns on campus. This included identifying metering and flow rates into various buildings and how a water purchase agreement could be implemented on campus to mitigate increasing water rates.

FALL 2017 Through a partnership with Dr. Carol Brunt in MGMT 364: Sustainable Management, several student groups were assigned semester projects on various areas of weakness in our last STARS report. One group focused on sustainability planning, office, and committees and recommended that the University take the following actions: - Reinstate the Sustainability Council: The council should include faculty, staff, and students from different positions in the university like the original council. For example having people from University Housing to improve living of students as well as Facilities and Dining. Each person should have a commitment to sustainability in their respective areas. They should bring ideas to meetings to help push the idea of sustainability from their departments and help with data collection from their areas as well. They could collect data on greenhouse gas emissions as well as amount of waste. SPRING 2018 A student contacted the Sustainability Office to do an informational interview with the Sustainability Coordinator to obtain career advice and an overview of sustainability in higher education.

SPRING 2018 Several students were engaged in the process of developing policies, procedures, and volunteer training programs for a new Campus Food Pantry opened in March 2018. Additionally, various Social Work students and faculty were involved in the process of setting up these materials through a Food Pantry Steering Committee.

FALL 2017 Through a partnership with Dr. Carol Brunt in MGMT 364: Sustainable Management, several student groups were assigned semester projects on various areas of weakness in our last STARS report. One group focused on sustainability planning, office, and committees and recommended that the University take the following actions: - Develop a Committee on Investor Responsibility: Erik Gross mentioned that they had people in mind for the committee already before creating it fully. The idea had been talked about for around five years, but the committee was finally created this past year in May before their STARS report in July. The idea was originally generated to help the sustainability board make better decisions on how to allocate money and to which projects needed the money the most. The group was set up to create the biggest pay off for the university with each dollar they were given to spend on sustainability. By having people with investment background they can talk about each plan and come up with new plans and ideas to talk about at their meetings every other month. The committee provides a huge opportunity for a couple of students who hold seats and go to each meeting. Then as they graduate new students can fill their spot. However, the first plans the committee has narrowed down will not start to take effect until January of 2018. The group UNH has put together works well with each other and talks have been smooth thus far and Erik is confident that their plans for the future and sustainability at UNH will be better with this committee. Lastly the committee may also talk about divestment opportunities to improve the image of the university overall and its commitment to sustainability.

FALL 2017 The Sustainability Office participated in the Community Health Internship Program and engaged a student focused on health and wellness topics to use the backdrop of the Campus Garden to create educational materials to support healthy eating through basic gardening practices. This support focused on engagement with the Community Food Pantry patrons and Whitewater City Market customers. Through a partnership with Dr. Carol Brunt in MGMT 364: Sustainable Management, several student groups were assigned semester projects on various areas of weakness in our last STARS report. One group focused on sustainability planning, office, and committees and recommended that the University take the following actions: - Offer new sustainability programming options through Continuing Education, including conferences for professional development and certificates in various fields of study. - Expand the current 20 hours per week community service requirement for the College of Business and Economics to a campus-wide requirement. - Explore implementation of Fair Trade purchasing practices in campus dining.

FALL 2017 Through a partnership with Dr. Carol Brunt in MGMT 364: Sustainable Management, several student groups were assigned semester projects on various areas of weakness in our last STARS report. One group focused on staff engagement in sustainability and recommended that the University take the following actions: - Create a sustainability brochure to share with new faculty and staff members during new employee orientation. - Implement a Green Office Certification Program. - Incorporate a building dashboard program for interactive use throughout campus. Through a partnership with Dr. Carol Brunt in MGMT 364: Sustainable Management, several student groups were assigned semester projects on various areas of weakness in our last STARS report. One group focused on sustainability planning, office, and committees and recommended that the University take the following actions: - Reinstate the Sustainability Council: The council should include faculty, staff, and students from different positions in the university like the original council. For example having people from University Housing to improve living of students as well as Facilities and Dining. Each person should have a commitment to sustainability in their respective areas. They should bring ideas to meetings to help push the idea of sustainability from their departments and help with data collection from their areas as well. They could collect data on greenhouse gas emissions as well as amount of waste. - Include Hazardous Waste web page: This would provide a quick and easy access point for faculty and staff if they are using cleaning supplies or simply throwing out a battery. Could also teach them new ways to stay healthy when there are others around who are sick. Would hopefully increase the standings on Workplace Health and Safety.

FALL 2017 Through a partnership with Dr. Carol Brunt in MGMT 364: Sustainable Management, several student groups were assigned semester projects on various areas of weakness in our last STARS report. One group focused on sustainability integration in academics and recommended that the University take the following actions: - Giving Incentives to Professors to Attend Sustainability Related Conferences - Increasing the Amount of Internships and Adding a Cleanup day Organized by the Interns - Sustainable Criteria in the New Student Seminar Courses Through a partnership with Dr. Carol Brunt in MGMT 364: Sustainable Management, several student groups were assigned semester projects on various areas of weakness in our last STARS report. One group focused on sustainability integration in housing and orientation and recommended that the University take the following actions: - Implement better sustainability education in the First Year Experience events on campus. - Change the Hawkfest lunch to incorporate sustainability themes.