Abstracts of Other Student Research on Campus Sustainability
This resource lists student research papers on campus sustainability (except graduate theses or dissertations, which are listed in a separate resource). Many of these papers were submitted through AASHE's annual Student Research on Campus Sustainability Award program. Winning papers are noted with a winner icon.
The papers are divided into categories roughly corresponding with AASHE's Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS).
Education and Research
Co-Curricular Education
Designing a Social Online Network: Decreasing Fragmentation in the UBC Student Led Sustainability Movement
Hodgson, Emma, and Sarah Nyrose, student paper, University of British Columbia, April 21, 2008. [Full Text]
The University of British Columbia has recognized sustainability as being a prominent issue over the past decade, and has become a leader in advocating sustainable practices. Although the University has made many admirable steps, due to the size of the campus, the existing communities remain fragmented. This hinders the overall success of the student led sustainability movement and considering the present time and dire need for change, addressing this issue is of utmost importance. Through careful research of the sustainability movement on campus, we identified the key issues surrounding student groups involved in such initiatives at UBC. Under the overarching issue of fragmentation, a lack of communication, collaboration and consensus, create barriers that prevent groups from reaching their full potential. With these issues, and our target audience in mind, we designed a social online network aimed at bridging these gaps. Built upon the three pillars of sustainability, stressing the social, economic and environmental implications of our actions, this social online network provides an essential core for this decentralized community. The process of designing this site included research into elements of web design and programs that target sustainable behaviour, which translated into the creation of grey box diagrams (illustrations which outline the information layout of the site). This paper covers all the components of our project, and contains the resulting implementation plan for the creation of the site at UBC.
Environmental Ethics and the Culture of Sustainability at Santa Clara University
Mooney, Meghan, student paper, Santa Clara University, Spring 2008. [Full Text]
Though Santa Clara University has made a strong commitment to sustainability—one that impacts University spending, building, and planning—little information exists on to what extent and in what forms sustainability has become part of the student culture. This anthropological study on the culture of sustainability examines how Santa Clara University students understand, define, and express environmental values as individuals and members of the campus community. Though students almost universally subscribe to a utilitarian ethic that privileges people over the environment, their ethical codes do not show a lack of concern for the environment, merely that they assign sustainability a practical position somewhere amongst their other ethical commitments. While SCU students can easily verbalize why sustainability is important, they are unable to define what sustainability means or how to become more sustainable. Similarly, they have little idea what a person who chooses to live sustainably but is not an "environmentalist" would look like or be called. Most importantly, environmental discourse at Santa Clara University suffers from divisiveness resulting from the mistaken conclusion that people who do not take action simply do not care. Thus, a misguided focus on raising awareness about environmental problems misses the opportunity for both capacity building and more complex discussions about sustainability in which debate and criticism is welcome—the very sort of discussions non-environmental students want.
Earth Day as a Catalyst for Campus Environmental Leadership
Sarkis, Anthony, student paper, Antioch University New England, undated. [Full Text]
This paper explores the impact of Earth Day on the development of campus environmental leadership. Personal narratives on the significance of Earth Day are presented in a series of interviews with academic leaders, who call for today’s college campuses to continue the tradition of Earth Day as a vital part of the national campus sustainability movement .
Faculty and Staff Development and Training
Going Green on Campus: Sustainability in Offices at Santa Clara University
Belanger, Nicole, et al., student paper, Santa Clara University, December 4, 2007. [Full Text]
A group of students enrolled in Santa Clara University’s Applied Sociology course Fall 2007 conducted both a survey and individual interviews with office administrators to collect data on what is being done, what needs to be done, and best practices to make university offices more “green.” The results of the survey and interviews with administrative assistants illustrate the current practices, barriers to sustainability, and future program suggestions for offices at Santa Clara University. The survey specifically yielded information about sustainable practices already being done and those which are most commonly ignored. The most common practices being performed around campus offices are the acts of turning off computers, monitors, and printers overnight. However, the least common sustainable practice was demonstrated to be not using or turning off power strips at night or over weekends. In terms of reducing waste, the most common sustainable practice was recycling batteries and ink cartridges while the least common sustainable practice was using refillable pens and pencils. Regarding the environment, administrative assistants make an effort to keep live plants in the offices and use non-toxic cleaners. Interviews conducted with administrative assistants illustrated that the most commonly recognized barrier to sustainable practices is a lack of education and awareness of best practices for not only office personnel, but faculty, staff, and students as well. Other commonly cited barriers were the necessity of paper usage around campus and the difficulty in breaking other less sustainable practices. Recommendations have also been made with the resulting data from both the survey and interview data, which include cutting back on paper usage through the implementation of electronic resources, and implementing more ways to educate people on campus about best practices.
Campus Operations
Assessment
Campus Ecological Footprint of Carnegie Mellon University
Choi, Joonho, student paper, Carnegie Mellon University, undated. [Full Text]
As Carnegie Mellon University is a rapidly growing and international educational institution with more number of campus members and visitors, the impacts of the school on ecological footprint are fast increasing. This condition brings the campus to have higher possibility to contribute to environmental impacts and also higher responsibility to decrease them as a green-design campus. However, there is no study about the environmental impact of Carnegie Mellon in terms of ecological footprint which would be a quantified index to show the environmental degree of a campus complex. Thus, to assess the campus footprint, this study mainly focuses on the estimation of Carnegie Mellon ecological footprint including campus building operation, public / private transportation, consumer goods and foods. The footprint calculation is based on the campus documents from facility management department and some experts associated with green campus movement. With the findings and calculation, this study proposed effective strategies that Carnegie Mellon could implement to contribute to the ecological footprint reduction.
Buildings
Building Retrofit Strategies
Halstead, Cristina, and Anne Pandey, student paper, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, Winter 2008. [Full Text]
No abstract submitted.
Climate
It's Not Easy Being Green: Assessments and Strategies for Sustainable Institutions
Amaechi, Chisom, et al., class project, Carnegie Mellon University, May 2008. [Full Text]
Colleges and universities in the United States are responsible for 3 to 9 percent of domestic climate change emissions and have about 16% of the US population currently enrolled. Bringing these emissions down presents both a difficult challenge and a unique opportunity to educate millions of Americans. Some campuses are rapidly moving to adopt climate change commitments, but often without a coherent framework for assessing the effectiveness of different strategies. Without such a framework, institutions will be unable to pay for the large emissions cuts they promise. For example, reaching carbon neutrality with carbon offsets alone would, on average, require a university's entire annual endowment return. In this study an interdisciplinary team of 29 Carnegie Mellon students provide a strategic process for decision-making trough a comprehensive analysis framework for all universities. A detailed analysis of their home University is performed, which includes identification of peer institutions for purposes of climate decision-making. The study provides a set of tools, which allow institutions to understand their environmental impacts in relation to their peers, to determine appropriate sustainability goals, and to identify cost-effective programs to achieve these goals. The study addresses these key questions: What is the underlying uncertainty for different carbon footprinting methods and can the process be streamlined? Should things other than carbon be included? How can university "buy in" effect decisions? How can one institution compare carbon emissions or sustainability initiatives with others? How can an institution with limited resources develop a strategic plan to reduce carbon emissions?
The Impact of Carbon Sequestration at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
Formeller, Ieszic, et al., student paper, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, March 20, 2008. [Full Text]
No abstract submitted.
A Commitment to Climate Neutrality at the University of Massachusetts Amherst: Environmental urgency and financial prudence
Hale, Susanne, Undergraduate Thesis, University of Massachusetts Amherst, December 2007. [Full Text]
In the past year, the ambitious goal of climate neutrality has exploded out of the higher education sustainability movement, with over 450 schools, including the entire University of Massachusetts system, committing to reduce their net greenhouse gas emissions to zero through energy efficiency, development of renewable energy, and carbon sequestration and offsetting. I investigated the impacts of global warming and the climate neutrality movement in higher education through an extensive literature and internet search, study of higher education climate neutrality plans, and attendance at two conferences for sustainability practitioners—all with the goal of assessing the feasibility and optimum pace for the University of Massachusetts Amherst to become climate neutral. Based on my research, which revealed the grave and enduring consequences of delay on climate action, as well as an array of resources and models for achieving climate neutrality in an affordable and expeditious manner, I propose a plan for financing, without undue burden on the state or University budgets, a $75 million Green Revolving Loan Fund to pay for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects on campus, supported by a Climate Protection Center to initiate, coordinate, and manage these projects. The synergy of these two initiatives would enable UMass Amherst to achieve the ambitious goal of climate neutrality in an affordable manner within twenty years, thereby creating a valuable, inspiring and replicable model for other institutions of higher education, as well as for society as a whole.
Developing a Climate Action Plan for UNH: Analysis, Collaboration and Implementation
Lehr, Rebecca, student paper, University of New Hampshire, undated. [Full Text]
Under its American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment obligation, the University of New Hampshire is developing a climate action plan to address the threat of global climate change by integrating efforts across the university to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This research is the first step – analysis -- of a three-part process to develop the plan: analysis, collaboration, and implementation. Potential strategies or wedges to reduce the university’s emissions in terms of metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents and the associated cost or savings were identified and quantified in four main areas: a campus energy monitoring system, usage of computer cluster sleep mode software, usage of geothermal energy at on-campus apartments known as the Gables, and the conversion of four on-campus diesel shuttle buses to compressed natural gas (CNG). The research also involved collaboration with the UNH community to develop university-wide ownership and support of the plan. Follow-up research will include further development of the strategies and community feedback and support for finalizing the plan in fall 2009. As part of its Climate Education Initiative, UNH is committed to being a climate protection campus that pursues a sustainable energy future through emissions reduction policies, practices, research, and education.
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory Report 1995-2005
Rushina, Heidi, et al., student paper, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, November 2007. [Full Text]
No abstract submitted.
Calvin College Carbon Neutrality Project
Thielke, Fred, et al., class project, Calvin College, December 14, 2007. [Full Text]
In Fall 2007, students in two capstone courses at Calvin College were challenged with the question "What would it take to make Calvin College carbon neutral?" Twenty-four Engineering and Biology students formed interdisciplinary groups of four to five students each that focused on aspects of Calvin's Statement on Sustainability relevant to carbon neutrality: energy use and purchasing; land use, water use, and wastewater disposal; transportation; solid waste, recycling, and food services; and building construction and renovation. The students developed the first-ever assessment of Calvin's carbon footprint by estimating (a) carbon emissions from on-campus energy use, college-sponsored travel, and commuting; and (b) carbon sequestration from on-campus lawns, shrubs, and forests. The students found that Calvin's carbon footprint is dominated by emissions, as sequestration is less than one tenth of one percent of emissions. The students also developed a long-term plan to achieve carbon neutrality that focused on reducing emissions rather than increasing on-site sequestration. A wide range of emissions reduction options were assessed for their economic impact as measured by emissions reduced per dollar spent. The long-term plan includes raising public awareness, implementing energy efficiency measures, producing renewable energy on college-owned land, and purchasing carbon offsets.
Communications
Social Marketing as a Means to Influence Student Behavior Towards Energy Conservation
Ball, Sarah E., student paper, University of Mary Washington, 2008. [Full Text]
Social marketing is one of many approaches to changing behavioral patterns. In this paper, the specific behavior is electricity conservation and the social marketing is provided by NORESCO, one of the largest energy saving companies in the United States. Ordinary least squares regression analysis is used to measure the effect of NORESCO's Behavioral Change Program on traditional housing residents and apartment residents at the University of Mary Washington during the months school is in session from January 2004 to December 2007. The evidence shows that social marketing is effective in traditional housing, yet ineffective in the apartments.
SOGreen: An environmental undertaking for the School of Government
Burdett, Katie, et al., student paper, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2008. [Full Text]
In January of 2008, four Masters of Public Administration students launched the UNC-Chapel Hill School of Government's (SOG) initiative towards more sustainable facilities and operations: "SOGreen." The School of Government operates at the intersection between academic research and the practicable application of best practices for NC's state and local governments. As many of the state's public officials face pressure to green their own operations, the students hoped to not only reduce the environmental impact of the School of Government itself, but to create a learning environment for local governments across North Carolina. Over the course of the semester, the students analyzed attainable projects to introduce faculty and staff to sustainable projects and inaugurate SOGreen. The students studied and made recommendations on the use of energy efficient hand dryers, green caterers, composting, environmentally friendly printing practices, and a more effective recycling process. The students also developed a public information campaign to raise awareness about SOGreen and sustainable practices. The students worked with SOG faculty, staff and students; consulted University and state experts and program managers; and scrutinized the building's waste to develop a tailored plan that could be integrated into the larger green movement. While not a drastic overhaul, the SOGreen project serves as an example of how university departments can take initiative within their own walls and incrementally make a larger environmental impact. SOGreen will continue under the leadership of a newly formed SOG sustainability group of faculty, staff, and students.
Energy
On-Site Solar Photovoltaic Energy Generation - Cal Poly Pomona
Berkowitz, Rael, and Nikki Cavazos, student paper, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, 2008. [Full Text]
No abstract submitted.
Policy and Behaviour: Exploring Energy Use by Computers in the Marion McCain Building
Bruce, Jessica, et al., student paper, Dalhousie University, April 9, 2008. [Full Text]
Our research explores the overnight energy consumption of computers in one Dalhousie computer lab, room 2019 in the Marion McCain building. Our research had three objectives. The first was to calculate overnight energy consumption by computers in a Dalhousie computer lab. The second was to determine if there are any policies in place which dictate whether or not computers are left on overnight. And the third was to make recommendations about ways to reduce the amount of energy consumed by computers overnight in this lab and in general at Dalhousie. Examples of recommendations include a revision of the University Computing and Information Services (UCIS) operational procedures which require daily over-night maintenance and encouraging students to turn off computers after peak hours. This research provides a baseline study for future research by students, faculty or UCIS as apart of the recommended annual evaluation of their systems.
Wood Pellets for UBC Boilers Replacing Natural Gas
Chan, Bernard, et al., student paper, University of British Columbia, April 11, 2008. [Full Text]
This report studies the feasibility of replacing natural gas with wood pellets for UBC boilers. A gasification system is proposed to be installed in the UBC boiler house to convert wood pellets into syngas that can be used to displace the energy required from natural gas to produce steam. The environmental impact and the cost of implementation between wood pellet technology (case 2) and natural gas technology (case 1) are compared. The environmental impact for the two cases is compared with life-cycle assessment (LCA). The life cycle of natural gas is divided into the following stages: production, transmission, and final use. The life cycle of wood pellets is divided into the following stages: harvesting, transportation, pellet production, and final use. The environmental and human impacts of each stage are evaluated in terms of global warming potential (GWP), smog formation potential (SF), acid rain potential (ARP), and health impact. Moreover, the operating cost of using wood pellet as the energy source is examined. In addition, potential air emission reduction units that help further minimize the emissions from using wood pellets are investigated. It is found that most local air emissions, especially carbon dioxide, decrease when wood pellet is used. However, when the entire life-cycle is taken into the consideration, the VOC, SOx, and PM emissions increase significantly. Also, a preliminary economic analysis showed that implementation of the new system which utilizes wood pellets and natural gas for the production of steam generates an annual saving of approximately $2 million. Different valuation methods show that using wood pellets is an improvement over natural gas.
Sustainable SCU: An Analysis of Santa Clara University's Current and Future Energy Usage
Diss, Meagan, et al., student paper, Santa Clara University, undated. [Full Text]
The goal of this project was to assess the effectiveness of Santa Clara University's Sustainability Program in conserving energy and reducing emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2). The study found that during the past seven years when the square feet of occupied buildings at the university has increased by 27%, and the full time student enrollment has increased 11%, Santa Clara University's energy use has increased only 3%. The project also analyzed the CO2 emissions from SCU's current energy sources and summarized the key components of Santa Clara University's plan to achieve a 34% reduction of CO2 emissions by 2010 through the use of more renewable energy, greener buildings and conservation.
Benefits of Compact Fluorescent Lights in Residence Life Housing at Arkansas State University: Students Take Action
Ogendi, George, et al., student paper, Arkansas State University, undated. [Full Text]
The technology of electricity production has liberated man from darkness (i.e. usage of the candles, and the lanterns), but some repercussions accompany this technology. According to the Department of Energy, US spends about one-quarter of our electricity budget on lighting, or more than $37 billion annually. The incandescent bulbs have been shown to contribute to these high costs. Even though incandescent light bulbs are less expensive to purchase, they are much more expensive to operate. Emissions of gases (e.g. CO2, and oxides of NOx) during electricity production has contributed to global warming, a situation which requires immediate attention in order to halt the trend. To bring down the production of Green House Gases (GHG), one must calculate his/her emission footprint and take action. Institutions of higher learning consume large amounts of electricity in both their halls of residence and offices. As concerned students we evaluated the type of bulbs used in the students' halls of residence with the intention of comparing them in terms of their energy efficiency. Our research indicated a significant difference between the incandescent bulbs and the compact fluorescent bulbs with the latter being more efficient in electricity consumption. From our findings, total replacement of incandescent bulbs with CFLs in the residence halls will save the university about $28,641 annually in the best case scenario of 3 hours. Results from our research project led us to conclude that it was a worthy venture, both in terms of environmental sustainability and cost effectiveness. The results also indicated lessening of carbon dioxide emission by approximately thirteen million pounds and a payback period of less than one and half years. With increasing stress on our environment due to greater populations and resource consumption we have an even greater responsibility to future generations to be good stewards. Arkansas State University has an opportunity to save on financial inputs and also cut back on the gases effects released into our environment.
Conserving Energy in Existing Buildings: A Case Study of Purdue University's Residence Halls
Rastogi, Parag, student paper, Purdue University, December 06, 2007. [Full Text]
Residence halls are a good example of potential for energy savings in large buildings with varied and complex usage like hotels, youth hostels, and apartment complexes. In such settings, motivating residents to change their behaviour can be difficult and technological innovation could be the solution. This project investigated the potential for saving energy in Purdue's residence halls. Since there are two ways of producing conservation - technological and behavioural - I estimated the separate and combined effects of both to assess their relative efficacy. One dormitory was used as a case study and the data then extrapolated to all dormitories. Analysis showed that a combination of technological changes (lighting, HVAC, retrofitting and renovation) would easily yield enough benefits to pay for themselves in a time-span of 1-3 years. Installing sensors for lighting alone could save 9.5 million to 13.5 million dollars over a decade for the entire University Residences network. This money could supply the Wade Utility Plant with coal for more than a year, or it could be channelled into research efforts to wean the entire campus off carbon-based fuels altogether. My calculations did not take into account potential energy price increases of more than 2% a year because predicting energy deficits and price spikes was outside the scope of this project.
Wind Energy at Penn: A Design for the Future
Roberts, Soleil, student paper, University of Pennsylvania, December 12, 2007. [Full Text]
No abstract submitted.
An Analysis of Standby Power in Acadia University Residence
Veinot, Brendon, et al., student paper, Acadia University, 2008. [Full Text]
Standby power is the use of electricity and power when the appliance or electronic device is not performing any function. This power consumption can be measured using utilities such as a Watt-Meter. Certain appliances that are sources of standby power are those that contain LED Lights, Digital Displays, Power supplies, Memory Chips, Sensors/Receivers, and Display/Emitters. Studies have shown that across the United States, 25% of all electricity used in household electronics, is lost to standby power. Acadia University residents use common electronics, that are culprits of standby power. Some of these include Laptop adapters, computers, printers, TV's, dvd players, and game consoles. A study was conducted to calculate the amount of standby power lost due to these electronics. Then an inventory of electronics on campus was taken, through the use of a detailed survey. There are approximately 6600 electronic devices that are sources of standby power (excluding the Acadia issuded laptops), which account for approximately 9843 W of power. On top of the typical electronics, every student possesses a Dell D620 laptop and power adapter, which was not included in the above calculations. Of the 1045 student laptops in residence, each consumes about an average of 6W while not in use (and plugged into the wall). This accounts for 5016 W of power. Adding up these values, and approximating the time in which a device is using standby power, it was calculated that 29% of all electricity used due to these appliances was lost to standby power, costing the university approximately $29 413 dollars per year. A number of possible solutions to this waste were developed. Awareness is a key factor in reducing standby power. Also, introducing power-bars to each residence room would reduce standby power consumption.
Grounds
To the Heights: Sustainability at the University of Puget Sound
Anderson, Carolyn, et al., student paper, University of Puget Sound, 2008. [Full Text]
In a city with 37 inches of annual rainfall, effective stormwater management in the Tacoma region is essential to a safe water supply and healthy Puget Sound. The effects of urbanization, including increased pollution and decreased green space, have the potential to create a dangerously unsustainable stormwater management situation. Runoff from urban environments mixes with pollutants such as herbicides, petroleum, and animal waste, and re-enters nearby streams, ponds, and the Puget Sound, contributing to increased levels of city water pollution, continued loss of wildlife habits, and erosion of stream banks. Without sustainable and efficient management practices in place, high seasonal stormwater flows creates additional problems—flooding, overflowing sewage systems, and potential property damage, for example. Furthermore, according to the City of Tacoma website, annual stormwater management costs are nearly $15 million. In the face of increasing pollution and rising costs, what can the average citizen—or university student—do to help sustainably manage Tacoma’s stormwater? At the University of Puget Sound, three seniors took advantage of the campus commitment to sustainability and developed a plan to manage stormwater runoff.
Transportation
Alternative Class Scheduling
Esqueda, Henry, and Amelia Herndon, student paper, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, undated. [Full Text]
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona has the ability of reducing their 2010 emissions by 5% of the class set baseline by using a bottom up multi-faceted strategic approach. A combination of Departmental Core Curriculum Reorganizing for upper division students, along with developing a Techno-Track General Education Program for lower division students that required the pairing of online or hybrid courses to reduce days travel to and from campus, as well as enacting a reduced transportation based Student Schedule Optimizer through Bronco Direct would help to meet this benchmark goal. Campus efforts must be targeted at reducing days per week of travel. An overall increase in hybrid and online courses will not directly reduce student trips. Programs must be developed with strategy and incentives to increase awareness and ensure success.
Sustainable Transportation Policy at Cal Poly Pomona: An Alternative Outlook
McFadden, Michelle, et al., student paper, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, March 20, 2008. [Full Text]
This report documents an initiative to create a sustainable transportation policy that would reduce the amounts of students who travel to campus alone by private vehicle at California Polytechnic University, Pomona (CPP) in order to cost effectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions on campus. While adopting a transportation demand management (TDM) approach, research was conducted to understand travel behavior and the challenges that existing programs face at CPP. Various alternatives were identified through a case study analysis of other universities that are using TDM strategies. TDM strategies were designated to 5 categories in a case study analysis that researched 9 universities. The 5 categories are transit expansion, bicycle/walk, Parking Policy Restructuring, Rideshare Incentives, and Networking Programs such as internet ridematching. One finding was that although expanded transit and bike/walk are highly effective at other universities, they respectively have limited potential in the short term and are not a higher priority at CPP for the year 2010. Hence, the analysis turned to creating two scenarios that offered a combination of the two remaining higher priority strategies: Parking Price Restructuring and Rideshare Incentives. Calculations to determine cost effectiveness determined that the Discount Carpool Parking Plan would be most cost effective for implementation in the year 2010. Another finding was that one of the more popular strategies in looking at all the universities in a case study matrix was that of setting up a ridematching tool via the internet. Therefore, this report concludes that CPP should implement a Discount Carpool Parking Plan and an Internet Rideshare Program in the year 2010. This report is intended to be a tool in the proposal of this policy to decision makers at CPP including but not limited to the Transportation Committee and the President of CPP.
Waste
Signaling Change: Studying the effect of price signals on disposable hot beverage cup consumption
Fisher, Laur, Undergraduate Thesis, Tufts University, 2008. [Full Text]
Every year, American food service businesses give away over 52 billion disposable paper coffee cups. Interestingly enough, the monetary and environmental costs of the production, purchase, and disposal of these cups are not paid for by those who drive their consumption the most – customers – but instead are absorbed by the business itself and by the environment. Environmental economic and policy research, as well as the literature on behavioral management, favors allocating these costs more appropriately on the consumer in order to reduce overconsumption. In the spring of 2008, I applied this research to disposable cup consumption by conducting a study at Tufts University's Tower Café, which instituted a price on disposable hot beverage cups for five weeks. Qualitative and quantitative data collected before and during the study suggest that the imposed price signal was successful in modifying customer's purchasing behavior of customers in favor of reusable mugs over disposable cups. As a testament to its success, the manager of the Café decided to keep the price change indefinitely and the Director of Dining Services is exploring expanding the pricing structure to other dining establishments on campus. This thesis supports the literature that consumer-based price signals can significantly influence purchasing behavior, while establishing cafés as pertinent locations for using economic tools to reduce resource consumption.
Food and Fuel: Biogas Potential at Broward Dining Hall
Graunke, Ryan, Undergraduate Thesis, University of Florida, 2008. [Full Text]
Biogas, a sustainable natural gas equivalent, can be produced from food waste using anaerobic digestion. Large amounts of food waste are produced at campus dining halls. The goals of the study were to determine biogas production and implementation potential at the University of Florida’s Broward Dining Hall. Food waste quantity and current disposal methods were determined. The waste was analyzed for volatile and total solid contents and potential biogas yield. The dining hall produces an average of 262 kg of food waste daily. Food was digested in a daily-fed, daily-mixed anaerobic digester at a loading rate of 2 g VS/ L and a 30 day hydraulic retention time. The food waste produced an average of 0.5188 L biogas/g VS/day or a total average biogas potential for the dining hall of 39.8 m3/day. This gas would supplement the natural gas needs of the dining hall. Biogas at Broward Dining would help UF meet its sustainability goals by reducing waste and producing carbon-neutral energy.
Administration & Finance
Financing
An optimal investment tool for "greening the campus"
Ramkrishnan, Karthik, et al., student paper, Georgia Institute of Technology, undated. [Full Text]
Buildings consume about 40% of total global energy production, and their greenhouse gas emissions and solid waste generation constitute a major part of global environmental impacts. Current "greening the built environment" efforts aim at improvements in energy supply and production systems, and at encouraging the adoption of energy-efficient devices and equipment. Large corporate owners, such as campuses need to implement greening strategies to manage their existing building stock, but lack the proper tools to look at all economic and technical implications. Most campuses face a legacy of poorly performing or even obsolete buildings, mostly due to underperforming and under maintained HVAC systems, inefficient lighting systems, badly maintained equipment, .inefficient control regimes and others. This has led to overall poor energy efficiency of the building portfolio, creating considerable burden on the campus operating budget. To make matters worse, campuses typically operate in a short time investment cycle where long term investments in upgrading energy systems need a convincing cost benefit analysis. In the light of this, campuses need a tool that tells them how to make optimal investments in the effort to green their existing portfolio. This investment tool should allow investment risk analysis and therefore account for the inclusion of uncertainties in future energy prices, investment costs and savings expectations. This paper introduces a tool that supports an investment strategy aimed at improving the energy performance of existing buildings. It is particularly aimed at large building portfolios, such as encountered on university and corporate campuses, where typically a plethora of potential refurbishment interventions are candidates for the greening effort. The tool helps the campus manager determine the best investment option from a set of available energy efficient systems and expected long range energy costs. The investment optimization strategy is implemented in web based software tool. Under a chosen financial constraint and investment time horizon, the tool empowers campus facility management to make complex "greening" decisions as part of their continuous building commissioning.
Other
The Role of Sustainability in Higher Education
Gates, Joey Diana, student paper, Empire State College, Spring 2008. [Full Text]
Colleges and universities are often thought of as the places where young people pursue their educations, graduate and then enter the work force, but they are much more. With populations the size of small cities, infrastructures, governing bodies, medical facilities, and law enforcement officials, they function as small nation states. The current state of the world environment and global warming compels higher education to work towards solving ecological problems. Reasons range from moral imperative perspectives to basic survival and national security. What and how students learn can perpetuate the paradigm that has led to both great material wealth, and widespread environmental destruction. Or, they can set a course for change, capturing the best of both worlds and moving into a post-modern paradigm. This paper will look at sustainability's place in academia, how it applies to the modern university and how it can apply to SUNY Empire State College.
Please email additions, updates and suggestions for improving this resource to resources@aashe.org.
