Michigan Technological University
AC-8: Campus as a Living Laboratory

The Green Campus Enterprise has 18 students that are conducting a variety of projects that research, analyze, and communicate sustainable solutions to campus challenges ranging from storm water management to waste reduction and energy/emissions. Similarly, the Alternative Energy Enterprise has over a dozen student that are conducting applied research and analysis on potential renewable energy projects. Both groups rely on our campus facilities professionals, buildings and grounds for their study.

In multiple courses, instructors use engagement with built environment as students examine campus to understand arguments about relationship between technology and society (students walk around campus to visualize both potentials and challenges) and to understand architecture in historical and future contexts that include changing climate and culture. This is especially strong in relationship to the legacy of mining infrastructure in the area, which is a key cultural and historical component of our society.

Additionally, Dr. Richelle Winkler works with students and the surrounding community to conduct sustainability projects. Examples of previous projects include: Waste assessment for the cities of Houghton and Hancock, developing a community solar project in the Village of L'Anse, and conducting a feasibility study for geothermal energy in Calumet, Michigan. Students engage with the local community to develop potential sustainability projects.

Finally there are regularly multiple senior capstone projects through the Sustainability Science and Society major that engage local organizations in sustainability related work. Current examples include working with the public library in developing a community seed bank and with the city of houghton in assembling a first ever sustainability plan.

Green Campus Enterprise is dedicated to calculating and monitoring its greenhouse gas (GHG) emission inventory. The goal of calculating GHG emissions at Michigan Tech is to increase environmental awareness as well as reduce its carbon footprint.

A spring course on Sustainable Buildings focuses almost exclusively on current and planned buildings on campus to learn about sustainable building frameworks and their application in design and use.

The Alternative Energy Enterprise (AEE) team spearheaded the development of the Sustainability Demonstration House project. The objective is to retrofit the Kettle Gundlach building for energy, water, and gas efficiency. After the renovations, AEE plans to use the house to share sustainability with students and the public and share our experience with those who may be looking to improve the sustainability of their own homes.

Much of the above is applicable. Additionally, students in the Material Science department use campus to research solar PV modules. The Green Campus Enterprise team is conducting a study of wind power feasibility on Michigan Tech owned, Mont Ripley. The Alternative Energy Enterprise (AEE) conducted feasibility studies of Geothermal energy potential for MTU's campus, among other clean and renewable energy projects.

AEE regularly assists local residents and other Michigan organizations with assistance in Solar Panel design and installation projects. Example include the Michigan DNR for adding Solar Panels to State Parks and Fish Hatcheries, and a summer camp in Fortune Lake to add solar panels pus batteries for light heating, lighting, and cell phone charging.

AEE also designed a novel "side of building" Solar Panel installation to help lower the cost of energy at the Lake Shore Center.

Sustainability Stewards are student leaders living in the residence halls. Part of their project work has been to raise awareness on food waste through creative signage and measuring the quantity of food waste coming from residence halls. As noted above, Green Campus Enterprise students are also working with dining managers and facilities professionals to conduct a feasibility study on composting and food waste reduction. Finally, 2 student employees and one independent study student are working with the office of sustainability and resilience to measure food waste from catered events and design a system to reduce waste and help provide left overs to food insecure students.

Many projects within the School of Forest Resources and Environmental Science focus on research specifically related to MTU campus grounds. An example of this includes the summer and fall research camps at the Ford Forestry Center. Some professors work with students to assess the effects of climate change on MTU forests, environment, and translate these findings to forest management suggestions to mitigate climate change effects.

MTU has been accepetd in the Tree USA program. Classes and open events are scheduled around Arbor Day to educate the community in tree management.

Students in Green Campus Enterprise are conducting a campus storm water audit and using future climate models to assess risks.

Students are working with our primary packaging provider (Dalco) and our concessions staff to improve recyclability and reduce waste from our athletics events, eventually hoping to open the door for zero waste events with 100% compostable packaging.

Students from the Green Campus Enterprise analyze fleet vehicle efficiency and emissions and engage with Transportation Services on promoting alternative vehicle transportation.

We have multiple efforts on this front.

A student designed and conducted a waste characterization study in the library. They coordinated with 8 other students from the Green Campus Enterprise and Students for Sustainability to run the audit and generate a report. This is the first of 5 audits that we intend to pursue through student leadership in the next year.

A professor is working with a few students to pursue a solvent recycling system for the Chemistry department. This project includes biogas and composting from University food waste. Another professor in the Social Sciences department led a class project focusing on waste and recycling at Michigan Tech. For that project they collected, analyzed and reported on data about how MTU handles waste and recycling.

A group of students in AEE and Consumer Products Manufacturing (CPM) is working on an anaerobic composting project to divert MTU's food waste. This group of students is conducting an anaerobic composting experiment in basement of the Chemical Engineering building shows promise for compost material. In addition, the team has researched and received a grant for a dehydrating compost system. This will be implemented in the dining halls to divert food waste from the landfills while providing valuable fertilizer for campus gardens.

Michigan Technological University houses the Great Lakes Research Center which has several laboratories involved in water system research. Projects include:
- Analyzing local streams and lakes for contaminated copper mining waste leaching
- Field measurements to support the modeling of mercury and organic contaminants in the Great Lakes basin
- Monitoring Great Lakes health
- Documenting food-web impacts of exotic species in the Great Lakes and inland lakes
- Determining effects of global climate change on the inter-related Great Lakes system
- Evaluating regional effects of mining on lake ecosystems
- Mitigating heavy-metal transfer rates from contaminated lake-bottom muds to lake water
- Studying the role of diporeia zooplankton in the Lake Superior food web

The office of sustainability and resilience provides continual discussion and engagement opportunities for student organizations and interested residents in the residence halls to engage in sustainability strategic planning.

The College of Business teaches responsible management of University funds through innovative instruction on Investment and Finance.

The Keweenaw Youth for Climate Action, a registered student organization, have presented to the Board of Trustees on divestment and are working directly with our Advancement office to improve the transparency and sustainability of our endowment fund.

Our Be Well campaign weaves together all of the health and wellness programs across campus, engaging students in ways to reduce stress and connect to place via a variety of campus resources and open spaces https://www.mtu.edu/well-being/about/statements-and-policies/be-well/