| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 77.24 |
| Liaison | Jim Dees |
| Submission Date | June 10, 2015 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Appalachian State University
AC-8: Campus as a Living Laboratory
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
4.00 / 4.00 |
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indicates that no data was submitted for this field
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Is the institution utilizing the campus as a living laboratory for multidisciplinary student learning and applied research in the following areas?:
| Yes or No | |
| Air & Climate | Yes |
| Buildings | Yes |
| Dining Services/Food | No |
| Energy | Yes |
| Grounds | No |
| Purchasing | Yes |
| Transportation | Yes |
| Waste | Yes |
| Water | No |
| Coordination, Planning & Governance | Yes |
| Diversity & Affordability | Yes |
| Health, Wellbeing & Work | No |
| Investment | No |
| Public Engagement | Yes |
| Other | Yes |
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A brief description of how the institution is using the campus as a living laboratory for Air & Climate and the positive outcomes associated with the work:
ASU graduate students working in coordination with a HUD research grant are investigating Indoor Air Quality and its relationship to ventalation standards and healthy living conditions. This research has invovled students in data collection, data analysis, and project management while contributing to a greater body of knowledge and providing data that will be used to help shape State building codes.
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A brief description of how the institution is using the campus as a living laboratory for Buildings and the positive outcomes associated with the work:
ASU graduate students in the Building Science and Sustainable Design and Construction programs have routinely used current buildings on campus for data collection and hypotheses testing for various theses involving energy modeling, building efficiency, and life-cycle sustainability.
ASU students designed and built the "E3" house which is a transportable net zero house designed as a housing solution for emergency management situations such as the aftermath of a hurricane. This house primarily remains on campus and is used as an outreach tool for sustainability and as a physical educational model for classes.
ASU students have participated in the international Solar Decathalon competition in 2012 and 2014. In preparation for these competitions a team of students designed a high efficiency building and created and tested components on campus using labs and faculty as resources.
One student who was working on the project developed a matrix for determining a single standardized unit for sustainability throughout the life-cycle of different building materials. This research has been recognized by several organizations throughout the state and will be used in future sustainable design projects on campus as a material selection tool.
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A brief description of how the institution is using the campus as a living laboratory for Dining Services/Food and the positive outcomes associated with the work:
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A brief description of how the institution is using the campus as a living laboratory for Energy and the positive outcomes associated with the work:
Appalachian State's Renewable Energy Initiative (REI) is an organization that was student created and is currently ran and comprised of several collaborative committees that both students, faculty, and staff are a part of. REI runs many on-campus projects that are all aimed at increasing the amount of renewable energy generated; such as the wind turbine, solar photovoltaic arrays, solar thermal arrays, solar compactors, and biodiesel fuel generation on campus.
REI funds students to design, implement, monitor, and run these programs hoping to provide students with hands on learning experiences while simultaneously increasing sustainable practices and awareness on ASU's campus.
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A brief description of how the institution is using the campus as a living laboratory for Grounds and the positive outcomes associated with the work:
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A brief description of how the institution is using the campus as a living laboratory for Purchasing and the positive outcomes associated with the work:
Appalachian Renewable Energy Initiative organization collects a semesterly fee from students and uses this capital to fund projects, grants, and student initiatives on campus. These funds are allocated by subcommittees that are comprised primarily of students and run by students. These investments have resulted in hundreds of kilowatts of solar arrays around campus as well as the state's largest wind turbine.
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A brief description of how the institution is using the campus as a living laboratory for Transportation and the positive outcomes associated with the work:
Students are taking "bike counts" at buildings on campus and including the statistics to support a proposal for a Bike Center on campus. This center will educate students on bike maintenance and safety as well as encouraging alternative transportation.
Students are taking "bike counts" at current bike pump stations on campus. Research will be used to confirm usefulness of the bike pump stations, develop improvements for bike pumps, and advocate for more bike pump stations in and around campus. Expanding the bike pump station program will encourage more students to use alternative methods of transportation.
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A brief description of how the institution is using the campus as a living laboratory for Waste and the positive outcomes associated with the work:
Students have played a huge part in Appalachian State's recycle at the rock program. They are responsible for organization, coordination, volunteering, and outreach efforts associated with Recycle at the Rock. This program has diverted several tons of waste from ending up in landfills.
Students have worked with composting facilities to select appropriate equipment for pulp waste recovery and appropriate sifters. Students have worked on improving waste stream quality/flow in many aspects of campus life from food services to residential halls. The goal is to ensure the appropriate materials are being recycled thus improving amounts of recovered materials downstream.
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A brief description of how the institution is using the campus as a living laboratory for Water and the positive outcomes associated with the work:
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A brief description of how the institution is using the campus as a living laboratory for Coordination, Planning & Governance and the positive outcomes associated with the work:
The Edible School Yard project is a student coordinated initiative to provide education and outreach opportunities to faculty, staff, students, and grade-school aged children about the benefits of organic gardening, composting, and local/subsistence farming. Students not only planned the creation of this project but maintain the garden and organize educational presentations, workshops, and tours of the edible school yard.
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A brief description of how the institution is using the campus as a living laboratory for Diversity & Affordability and the positive outcomes associated with the work:
The office of Multicultural Student Development (MSD) has a staff of graduate students that work at the LGBT Center, Women's Center, and the MSD office. These students run a peer education group, participate in developing a learning community, and organize outreach/awareness events. Student led events reoccur annually and have fostered personal growth and greater collaboration between cultural groups on campus. Programs provided by students working at the MSD have led to a safe environment to learn about others while encouraging exploration of differences.
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A brief description of how the institution is using the campus as a living laboratory for Health, Wellbeing & Work and the positive outcomes associated with the work:
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A brief description of how the institution is using the campus as a living laboratory for Investment and the positive outcomes associated with the work:
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A brief description of how the institution is using the campus as a living laboratory for Public Engagement and the positive outcomes associated with the work:
Each year, Appalachian State University recognizes Student Leaders for their service and leadership to Appalachian State University. These awards are presented at a Student Leadership Award Ceremony sponsored by the Office of Student Development. These awards include:
The Ronny Brooks Leadership Award is intended to recognize Appalachian students who have distinguished themselves through the leadership that they provided to Appalachian students, programs, and/or organizations.
The Bobby Dunnigan award is intended to recognize those students who are employed in the Division of Student Development at Appalachian State University and have distinguished themselves through the scope and quality of their service during their employment.
The Appalachian Distinguished Leadership Award award recognizes a student or students who have not only demonstrated exemplary leadership in comparison to their current peers, but also as measured in comparison to those who have received the Appalachian Distinguished Leadership Award in the past.
These awards are design to both recognize outstanding students leaders and also educate the public on significant community work being carried on by Appalachian students. These events serve as a contact point for members of the community and service organizations on campus.
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A brief description of how the institution is using the campus as a living laboratory in Other areas and the positive outcomes associated with the work:
Appalachian State University has a student group, called the Living Green community, dedicated to hands on learning for sustainability concepts and encourages action on new sustainability ideas.
The Living Green community is for students who are interested in environmental protection and sustainability and who wish to support that cause by living in an environmentally responsible community. Students will enroll in a special section of First Year Seminar related to individual and group sustainability and have the opportunity to live in their lab. Students will organize and participate in activities that promote green living on campus and in the surrounding community. Students who are interested in sustainability and green living are invited to apply, regardless of major.
Members of Living Green will have the opportunity to:
•Create, promote, and implement new initiatives focusing on sustainability on campus
•Learn about local sustainable initiatives in Boone and North Carolina
•Participate in fun activities that build awareness around sustainability
http://housing.appstate.edu/pagesmith/78
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The website URL where information about the institution’s campus as a living laboratory program or projects is available:
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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.