Universidad San Francisco de Quito - USFQ
AC-8: Campus as a Living Laboratory

i. Universidad San Francisco de Quito (USFQ), in the last years had become an institution committed in sustainability development. In order to fulfill this commitment, a new study was needed to evaluate our own carbon emissions corresponding to year 2015. The final results indicate that in 2015 each student contributed to 0.68 t CO2, while teachers and administrative bodies contributed to 0.84 t CO2. Comparing these results to baseline year 2012, we found a reduction by a factor of 1.18 of the emissions contributed by student. Overall, in 2015, Universidad San Francisco de Quito has emitted to the atmosphere a total of 6225.41 t CO2, from which the largest contribution comes from the land mobility (including all users), representing a 68% of this total value; followed by 17.1% form electric consumption, 8.6% from air transportation, 4.2% from solid wastes treatment, 1.5% from fuel combustion in-situ and 0.6 from wastewater treatment.

This project develops a pilot energy saving plan for Universidad San Francisco de Quito with the aim of finding possible power failures and propose optimal solutions that are able to contribute to this savings plan. Data was obtained by employing an industrial power analyzer, which was provided and installed by Empresa Eléctrica Quito. Data was collected in only two areas of the University, not in all of the buildings and installations of the University. The two areas under study were selected based on the results of previous energy audit studies which are summarized in the final year projects of two alumni students from the University, in such works, it was found that these areas are the most representative from the total energy consumption in the university. Measurements were made during two periods; during the first period, corresponding to a vacation period, the equipment installed in such areas were not operating at its maximum load, while in the second period the opposite occurs, since the university resumed its normal operation and student activities and therefore loads were working at full.

In the interest of reducing its carbon footprint, USFQ requires specific information about the emitting contribution of hand drying alternatives. Consequently, energy consumption and corresponding CO2 emissions, associated to the life cycle of paper towels and electric hand dryers, were estimated, taking as reference unit three consecutive academic years.

Carpooling is a way of car sharing with the help of a database that coordinates routes and destinations between drivers that would like to offer their vehicles to a specific destination and passengers that would like to make use of them. This model has been successful in the United States of America and some countries in Europe and its efficiency has motivated to promote its implementation as an alternative of mobilization in different private institutions like the University of San Francisco de Quito. The USFQ now has the self-shared platform, www.usfq.autocompartido.com.ec, so that students, teachers and staff have a transportation alternative to come to the university. The platform is, for safety, closed to our community and the only way to register is with email accounts @usfq.edu.ec or @estud.edu.ec. The idea is to group those who get off in their own vehicle with those who do not have a vehicle, or want to free themselves from the problems of parking and traffic in our city. At the moment each car comes to Cumbayá with an average of 1.18 people. In addition, the problem will only increase since the automotive fleet will grow 12% annually by adding 50,000 cars to the streets, which contributes to poor quality and air pollution. But with carpooling, USFQ hopes to change this.

The present work shows the characterization of different plastic waste samples generated at Universidad San Francisco de Quito using both classical and instrumental analytical techniques. The classical analysis carried out consisted in identifying the different types of polymers based on the characteristics and physical properties that each one presented when they were subjected to different techniques: combustion, density differences and chemical reaction. The combustion tests were performed through the Beilstein test and the flame method using a bunsen burner as the source of ignition. The characteristics analyzed were color changes in the flame, smell and color of the combustion smoke, soot generation and combustion rate. On the other hand, for the density difference tests, solvents with different densities such as distilled water, corn oil and isopropyl alcohol were used in which the plastic samples were immersed and observed if they floated or were sunk. In addition, 96% concentrated sulfuric acid and acetone were used for both, chemical reaction tests by acid hydrolysis and polymer dissolution. From the analyzes carried out, it was determined that the polymer present in the greatest quantity in plastic waste corresponds to Polyethyleneterephthalate (PET). Therefore, a sample exclusively of this polymer was selected and it was analyzed instrumentally using infrared spectrometry and simultaneous thermal analysis: thermogravimetric and caloric (FTIR - TGA/DSC), obtaining as a result that the samples actually correspond to PET. Finally, a process for the treatment of this polymer and the manufacture of movable tables that fit the chairs of the cinemas of the Paseo San Francisco were designed both on a laboratory and industrial scale.

The present population growth and anthropogenic activity exerts great pressure on natural resources. One of the resources with high demand in the areas of urban growth corresponds to water, whose availability is critical and requires better management. In this context, the present study aims to identify the main variables that influence water consumption at the Universidad San Francisco de Quito, in order to promote reduction strategies and policies. For this, a model has been created based on the theory of dynamical systems and using the Software Vensim. The methodology used for this study was divided into three phases: problem articulation and data collection, model formulation, and testing and validation. Findings from the model show that efficient infrastructure and technology are a promising sector for reducing water consumption, resulting in an opportunity to develop water policies that can afford water reduction of 15,46% after implementation. Also, the model exhibited that occupancy is the major factor influencing total water consumption. However, it also showed that occupancy, has no effect on water consumption per capita. Furthermore, system dynamics approach resulted a useful methodology that enabled to understand the structure and behavior of water consumption at the university. Also, system dynamics helped to build a formal computer simulation which was used as a first stage to design water efficient policies.

Anxiety has been a subject extensively reviewed in the literature, its co-existence with other disorders has been empirically tested. On the other hand, perfectionism has been described as a multidimensional structure characterized by a rigid structure of thinking, there is evidence for transdiagnostic of perfectionism related to depression, anxiety and eating disorders. This investigation seeks to find a correlation between perfectionism and anxiety levels. In order to achieve this, The Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and the Frost Multidimensional Scale (FMPS) were applied with the main objective of measuring anxiety and perfectionism in a college sample, conformed by Clinical Psychology students of the first and last years in San Francisco University. Both tests have excellent reliability and validity within its psychometric properties. Statistical analysis was done using Minitab14 and the results shown a statistical significance for the primary hypothesis, despite the negation of this one. It also suggests a lack of significance for the relationship between gender and anxiety and perfectionism. Finally it confirms a relationship between perfectionism and academic year.

Hausmann Mixed Media Workshop and Festival: Hausmann is an artistic, scientific and technological proposal that was born to propose new forms of expression. In an interconnected world, Hausmann is a new alternative for artistic production supported by new technologies. The internet, electronics, digital animation, robotics and even biotechnology are mixed in Hausmann. http://conexiones.usfq.edu.ec/index.php/351-transgrediendo-los-limites-del-arte-y-la-tecnologia

All projects listed above are senior thesis projects with students. Links will direct to their thesis