Nova Scotia Community College
AC-8: Campus as a Living Laboratory

SDG WEEK
During SDG Week Canada, the Sustainability team launched a virtual college-wide sustainability scavenger hunt for students. The mission which was hosted on the GooseChase App challenged students to complete tasks to earn points towards the mission. Tasks include asking students to seek out sustainability features and opportunities on campus to build awareness and foster engagement.
Examples of tasks are; asking participants to share what sustainability means to them, send photos of waste sorting stations, send a photo of them with the campus sustainability board, identify energy saving measures on campus, and engage with other students. Mission leaders were rewarded with grocery gift cards to support reducing food security on campus.

COASTAL FLOOD PROJECTIONS
The Applied Geomatics Research Group of the Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) developed a web-based Emergency Coastal Flooding Decision Support System to present coastal flood risk from storm surges and long term sea-level rise in the Maritimes. The project was funded by the Canadian Safety and Security Program, a federally-funded program led by Defense Research and Development Canada’s Centre for Security Science (DRDC CSS), in partnership with Public Safety Canada and was locally managed by the Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources, Mineral Resources Branch. The web-based mapping system uses existing high-resolution lidar elevation surveys of coastal areas where flood risk maps have been developed. AGRG has been developing flood risk maps from lidar elevation models for the last decade and this tool finally allows these maps to be accessed by Emergency Management Officials (EMO) and other government officials when a storm surge is predicted or for assessing risk to long term sea-level rise.
This tool is publicly available to assist the many coastal residents of Nova Scotia to predict their vulnerability to sea level rise and also storm surges. In preparation for Hurricane Fiona, a Category 4 hurricane that hit Atlantic Canada in September of 2022, lead Research Dr. Tim Webster share the tool with local news outlets to assist residents in predicting the risk to themselves and their property.
AGRG’s flood risk support system was in high demand leading up to and following Hurricane Fiona which made landfall on Sept 24, 2022. Dr. Webster noted, “The site was accessed by lots of people prior to Fiona making landfall and it did not crash which was a test of its design and implementation using ESRI GIS tools.”

More impressive still, was that the predictive models were quite accurate. While their system showed the same variation in the total water level along the Northumberland Shore and were consistent with the Environment and Climate Change Canada storm surge predictions, Dr. Webster and team were still impressed by the power of the storm which resulted in a significant amount of damage to coastal features.
AGRG has been conducting flood studies for coastal communities for many years now. They have been sharing their data with municipalities, provincial governments, Environment and Climate Change Canada and the Emergency Management Office of Nova Scotia to help them project what past benchmark storms would look like in the future with increased sea-level rise.

https://agrgims.cogs.nscc.ca/CoastalFlooding/

CENTRE FOR THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT
Many programs at NSCC incorporate air & climate in the curriculum, and use building infrastructure to advance sustainability education. NSCC's Centre for the Built Environment (CBE) at the Ivany Campus, is a “living”, learning and research lab for students, staff and industry. The CBE demonstrates various renewable energy technologies that students are able to experience through their programs. This includes two small-scale wind turbines as well as an array of PV panels to generate electricity on campus. The Ivany Campus also participates in the "Solar Electricity for Community Buildings" program through the province of Nova Scotia, aiding in Nova Scotia's green energy transition.

BUILDING SYSTEMS MONITORING RESEARCH LAB
In addition, within the CBE, the Building Systems Monitoring Research Lab collects data in ‘real time’ from about 3,400 locations in the building. Data collected includes energy produced by wind turbines, geothermal systems, solar energy, as well as building energy use and savings. Being able to observe real-time data from the building's operations gives NSCC students unique insight into how buildings contribute to greenhouse gas emissions and how to control a building's energy consumption.

CENTRE FOR THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT (CBE)
The CBE at the Ivany Campus is designed to balance the natural environment with the built environment - a unique concept for a trades and technology learning space. In this 11,148 square meter (120,000 square foot) building, students learn how to implement sustainable building practices. As mentioned in the previous section, the CBE houses the Building Systems Monitoring Research Lab. In the Building Systems Monitoring Research Lab, data is collected in 'real time' from about 3,400 locations in the CBE. The data assists our Facilities Department in monitoring and managing building operations and allows students to explore.

Parameters that are being monitored in the lab include:
-Building energy use and savings,
-Energy produced by wind turbines, geothermal systems, solar energy,
-Data relating to heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems,
-Stress on building components such as walls, floors, and roof,
-Temperature of inside air, outside air, soil, and well water,
-Temperature and use of domestic water,
-Lighting power use, and
-Security and fire alarm systems.

https://www.nscc.ca/docs/campuses/ivany/cbe_interpretivebrochure.pdf
https://www.nscc.ca/campuses/ivany/cbe.asp

Many programs at NSCC use our campus buildings for learning purposes. An example is our Occupational Health & Safety and Environmental Engineering Technology Programs conduct inspections and environmental assessments of the campus buildings as part of their course work. Valid findings and recommendations stemming from student projects are brought to the attention of facilities staff. This creates a working relationship between students and staff, as students' results are incorporated into the day-to-day operations of the building.

PILIKAN HOUSE

At our Annapolis Valley Campus, the Pilikan House was constructed to demonstrate various sustainable energy technologies used in a residential context. This house is a "living lab" and demonstration site where the next generation of residential construction professionals can learn how to incorporate sustainability into their work. It is designed to be an affordable and practical home to show home-owners how sustainable design and energy-efficient options can be within their reach.

Pilikan is a hands-on learning tool for the students in NSCC's Energy Sustainability Engineering Technology (ESET) program, as well as a research tool with 30 monitoring and control points to track energy consumption.

https://www.nscc.ca/campuses/annapolis/pilikan-house.asp

As part of the Culinary Arts program at NSCC, students prepare food served in specialty campus restaurants. These restaurants are available for staff, students, and the public to visit, and they allow the students to grow their skills while using the campus to simulate a real fine-dining environment. Students are assessed on the quality of the dishes they prepare, while the community can access food prepared locally. Depending on the campus, baking and pastry arts students also contribute, and students from tourism management programs help to manage the service.

https://www.nscc.ca/campuses/akerley/fresh21.aspx
https://www.instagram.com/fresh_twenty_one/?hl=en
https://www.facebook.com/NOSHnscc/

In addition, multiple NSCC campuses have gardens on site for students and staff to tend, and the culinary students use the food harvested for the restaurants. For example, our Akerley and Kingstec campuses have a garden that the culinary program tends to, and they use the herbs and vegetables grown in this garden within their program. They also host a Harvest Dinner each year with food grown locally in their garden and from local farms. Most dinners served at the campus restaurants include at least 80% local food, and all beverages served are from local wineries, distilleries and breweries.
The Kingstec campus has wine (they even grow their grapes on site), beer and cider-making programs on site. All the soda served is also homemade by the students. All these beverages students make on campus are incorporated into their dining events.

HORTICULTURE AND LANDSCAPING
NSCC’s Kingstec program is home to the Horticulture and Landscaping program, as well as a Viticulture program. To facilitate hands on learning in these programs the college has greenhouses and garden that are tended by the students and an on campus educational vineyard and winery. The students use knowledge of sustainable growing practices gained in class to ensure the plants on site remain healthy. The Kingstec Campus's grounds form the living lab for the Landscape students as well. This program incorporates sustainable landscaping practices.

https://www.nscc.ca/programs-and-courses/programs/plandescr.aspx?prg=HLTG&pln=HORTLANDSC

NATURAL RESOURCES ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY
Our Natural Resources Engineering Technology (NRET) program at Lunenburg and Strait Area campuses uses the grounds to practice sustainable forestry techniques. NRET students at Strait Area Campus also working with the Heavy Duty Equipment Operator training program to conduct environmental impact assessments on land rented from the town of Port Hawkesbury. They are also developing sedimentation and erosion control plans to ensure the surrounding environment and waterways are protected. the Strait Area campus students also established and maintain a songbird sanctuary on their back woodlot.

BIDIRECTIONAL ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGER
Partnering with Nova Scotia Power, the AERLab has installed and is testing a Coritech Services bidirectional electric vehicle charger, the first to be installed in Atlantic Canada. The device is a direct current (DC) vehicle-to-grid (V2G) fast charger connected to the Annapolis Valley Campus (AVC). Electric Vehicles (EVs) contain large batteries which store significant amounts of energy which could be used as an additional energy reserve.

The bidirectional charger allows the battery to supply power back to the utility grid or in this case, the AVC building. This can offset the demand (kW) of the building and reduce peak demand charges ($ per kW). This technology has the potential to support homes, commercial buildings and the grid during power outages and high demand periods. It can also help enable the grid to incorporate more renewable energy and less fossil fuel generation. Since its installation, students in the Energy Sustainability Engineering Technology (ESET) program have been assisting engineers on NSPI’s Smart Grid Nova Scotia team with proposing use cases, testing the unit, and collecting data.

NSCC facilities management staff conduct annual waste audits at each campus to track waste reduction and diversion rates. Results from these audits are included in NSCC's yearly sustainability report. During the audits, students from various NSCC programs across the college assist with audit tasks. Student groups have used observations from the waste audits to develop changes to waste sorting practices on site, create public awareness campaigns around sustainable waste management at their campus, and measure their influence on their campus' waste diversion rate over time. The instructor will use the data and the waste audit reports as learning tools for students in their programming.
An example is the Natural Resources Technology program participates in yearly waste audits. The instructor will take the technical report and raw data and use them to teach students how to conduct audits and write technical reports. Students from this program have used their experience with the audits as a reference for future employment.

Our Environmental Engineering Technology Program students conduct various studies at the Ivany Campus, including water conservation, testing and treatment. The program utilizes water sources at the campus (refill stations, taps) to collect samples and has a water resources laboratory where students conduct testing.

Students in the Horticulture Program at Kingstec Campus learn the importance of water conservation by utilizing greenhouses and campus gardens as living labs.

https://www.nscc.ca/programs-and-courses/programs/plandescr.aspx?prg=EETW&pln=ENVIRWATER

https://www.nscc.ca/programs-and-courses/programs/plandescr.aspx?prg=HLTG&pln=HORTLANDTG

CULTURAL INFRASTRUCTURE
All programs at NSCC promote and discuss cultural awareness and diversity. NSCC has established Smudging rooms at each of our 13 campuses allowing students and staff to participate in and learn about Indigenous cultural ceremonies.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/nscc-smudging-rooms-nova-scotia-mi-kmaq-1.5402086

NEW CAMPUS HOUSING
NSCC is also in the process of building three new campus housing buildings at three different campuses. These building will include suites built to Rick Hansen Accessibility Standards and will be fully barrier free increasing the inclusion of those with disabilities. One site housing can also increase affordability for students who are unable to find local housing due the Nova Scotia's housing crisis and would otherwise have to commute and possibly purchase a vehicle.

PRIDE PARADE
NSCC also participates in the annual Halifax Pride parade, and students from all programs are invited to help construct a float alongside staff members. This involvement promotes diversity and inclusion at the college.

Many programs at the NSCC focus on health and wellbeing, including Practical Nursing, Disability Support, Therapeutic Recreation, and other programs within NSCC's School of Health and Human Services.

https://www.nscc.ca/programs-and-courses/programs/programs-by-area-of-interest/health-and-wellness-programs.aspx

Students in Occupational Health and Safety Programs get to visit automotive repair and other trades shops and construction sites on Campus to conduct safety audits. These audits are then evaluated as part of their training.

https://www.nscc.ca/programs-and-courses/programs/plandescr.aspx?prg=OHSD&pln=OHSAFETYD

There are many opportunities for students to learn about health and wellbeing and work at each Campus. NSCC's commitment to wellness includes the following:
Yoga sessions.
On-site gyms.
Pick-up/intramural sports.
Health and wellness fairs/expos at each Campus.

See description fields for relevant URLs.