Yale University
AC-8: Campus as a Living Laboratory

The Yale Carbon Charge Project is testing the effectiveness and feasibility of carbon pricing on Yale’s campus. This applied research has implications for energy policy, climate change mitigation, and environmental economics. It was conceptualized by a task force of faculty, students, and staff, and is currently being piloted by two alumni in 20 buildings.

In the 2015-2016 academic year, a student at the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies engaged in a comprehensive analysis of Kroon Hall, a LEED Platinum building on campus. He conducted a survey of building occupants to understand their experience of a "green" building; researched the building's history to give tours and understand the social dynamics that lead to the creation of a green building; and create an Energy Management Plan for the building to ensure proper use and management and maximum efficiency.

Launched in May 2009, the Prospect Street Windmill Project involved the construction and installation of ten innovative micro-wind turbines on the roof of the Becton Engineering and Applied Science Center. The Micro-Wind turbines are an integral demonstration of how Yale can meet its greenhouse gas reduction goal, test new technologies for future opportunities and enable students to explore first hand, the burgeoning technologies that will contribute to solving national energy issues and global climate change.

The Yale Sustainable Food Program (YSFP) is the steward of two multi-functional farms, one on central campus and the other situated within the Yale Landscape Lab on West Campus. On the farm, in the classroom, and around the world, the YSFP serves as a hub for diverse activities related to food, agriculture, health, and the environment. The YSFP offers a range of paid and unpaid internships, fellowships, awards, and both curricular and co-curricular experiences for Yale students at all levels of study, both during the regular academic year and over the summer. We also convene and support a range of workshops, conferences, colloquia, and guest speakers for the benefit of students and the wider Yale and New Haven community.

Students in an ecosystem services class analyzed various sections of the Yale campus and offered recommendations for urban meadows and rain gardens throughout campus. To-date, seven meadows covering 50,000 gross square feet have been created and three rain gardens have been established.

Through a course taught at the Yale School of Forestry & Enviornmental Studies, students have done various life cycles assessments for products sourced by Yale procurement. Notable examples include durable v. disposable plates and hand driers v. paper towels. Both of these have impacted best practices at the university.

Students in the Energy Scholars program have done several capstone projects, including an analysis of possible fuel types for the Yale Shuttle. This resulted in a transition from bio-deisel to CNG.

A student at the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies completed a material flow analysis on HVAC filters used by the university. Through her work, she identified the most commonly used filter on campus, the changeout and replacement rates for the filter, and the cost and disposal impacts of using the filter.

Students in an ecosystem services class helped to conduct research and develop content for the Yale Stormwater Management Plan. This plan examines the impact of stormwater runoff on the Yale campus and New Haven and the importance of mitigation. It outlines strategies for better understanding stormwater on campus, investigating green infrastructure potential, integrating stormwater management into the University’s design and planning standards, and adapting the management plan as more information becomes available.

The Urban Resources Initiative, along with key partners, constructed eight bioswales in Westville, a neghborhood directly west of Yale University’s campus. The goals of this project were to 1) improve water quality in New Haven and the Long Island Sound, 2) understand the role green infrastructure plays in reducing pollution associated with stormwater runoff, and 3) demonstrate the feasibility of bioswale installation in our region. The year-long project addressed problems associated with stormwater in New Haven, engaged the community through workshops and outreach, and promoted scientific research.