Overall Rating Platinum
Overall Score 87.91
Liaison Pierre Lemay
Submission Date Dec. 19, 2022

STARS v2.2

Université Laval
AC-8: Campus as a Living Laboratory

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 4.00 / 4.00 Pierre Lemay
Development Advisor
Office of the Vice Rector, External and International Affairs and Health
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Campus Engagement

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Campus Engagement?:
Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Campus Engagement:
A student in marketing (Marjorie Godin) had to produce a social marketing plan for a campuswide campaign for reducing (Ensemble Réduisons). Her contribution to this campaign was part of an internship (MRK-2120) whereas she was supervised by two Université Laval’s professionals (Audrey Boivin and Stéphanie Vézina), and she was accompanied and assessed by teacher Georges-Alexandre Rodrigue along with teacher Valériane Champagne-Saint-Arnaud in support. This project was done during summer 2021.
https://www.ulaval.ca/developpement-durable/ensemble-reduisons

Public Engagement 

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Public Engagement?:
Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Public Engagement:
Every year, students in Heath Education I (EPS-2101) hold a blood drive as part of their course. Besides helping them develop event planning skills, the drive also allows students to understand the importance of community involvement.

Air & Climate 

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Air & Climate?:
Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Air & Climate:
In 2021-2022, a graduate student did an "Inventory of greenhouse gases associated with incoming mobility at Université Laval" in collaboration with the institutional committee on climate action. Supervised by teacher Marc Journault, the inventory was undergone through activities in a course (CTB-6017) and a graduation project (6 credits internship). The student did a comparative study of GHG emissions associated with plane flights from teachers and other international speakers. This accountability was performed based on data from the vice-rectorate of international affair and sustainability development.

Buildings  

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Buildings?:
Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Buildings:
In 2020-2021, students, teachers and professionals at Université Laval started a collaborative project for the development of outdoor classrooms. With data, guidelines and proposed sites from different institutional services and departments, 40 students from the course DES-1730 (Design workshop) had to design outdoor classroom projects for future development. Also, 3 students did their project graduation (6 credits) on that problematic, they considered all aspects of outdoor learning, good practices, positive impacts, different uses of a classroom, environmental constraints, etc. both in schools and universities, and in the private sector.
Moreover, a interdiscplinary competition with substantial prizes was organized by students in architecture to go further.
The first outdoor classroom in Université Laval is expected in Summer 2023.

Energy 

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Energy?:
Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Energy:
In Fall 2020, Marise Vallières, a professional for Buildings, collaborated (provided a case study with access to datas) with a teacher from mechanical engineering Louis Gosselin. As part of the assessments in the course GMC-3005, in teamwork, all Pr. Gosselin's students had to perform an "ANALYSIS OF HEAT LOSS IN STEAM PIPE SUPPORTS IN LAVAL UNIVERSITY TUNNELS". The recommandations from the best homeworks were submit back to Buildings for implementation and less GHG emissions by less heat losses.

Food & Dining 

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Food & Dining?:
Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Food & Dining:
Campagne Ensemble Réduisons
Campaign Let's reduce together
https://www.ulaval.ca/developpement-durable/ensemble-reduisons
This is a social marketing campaign aimed at stimulating and facilitating the use of reusable tableware by mobilizing campus food service customers. It is set up thanks to a collaboration between responsible food research teams, food services at Université Laval and the university community. This project was done from 2021 to 2022.

Grounds 

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Grounds?:
Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Grounds:
Each year between 225 and 350 students carry out research projects at Montmorency Forest, Université Laval's research and teaching forest. The work of these students helps Forest managers maintain an advanced understanding of the land and continuously improve its sustainable management practices.

Purchasing 

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Purchasing?:
No

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Purchasing:
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Transportation 

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Transportation?:
No

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Transportation:
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Waste 

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Waste?:
Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Waste:
Under the academic supervision of Rosa Galvez and Céline Vaneeckhaute, professors at the Faculty of Science and Engineering as well as Guylaine Bernard, Operations Coordinator at the Université Laval Building Department, a project of the Library of Université Laval was carried out by a graduate student : an exhibition on the management of residual materials (opening in January 2023).

Brief description : "The best waste is the one that is not produced." : Global warming, acid rain, contamination of the atmosphere, rising sea levels... So much damage that is currently threatening our environment. How can decision-makers, communities and individuals limit this damage? What simple tricks can you use? This is the purpose of this exhibition. Objects, animated graphics, photos, videos and interactives punctuate this journey during which the visitor discovers how reducing waste can make a big difference in protecting the planet.

Water 

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Water?:
Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Water:
Since 2015, a water treatment pilot facility for some buildings (children care and student residence) is also a training ground for students under Professor Peter Vanrolleghem direction, both for training and research purposes.

The water treatment facility is "feeded" by around 660 users. The facility has been developed as a SD living lab as different traditional and innovative measuring systems are connected to a control system to provide different scenarios for heat control, mud recycling and decanting...

https://www.fsg.ulaval.ca/faculte/actualites/une-usine-pilote-de-traitement-des-eaux-usees-sur-le-campus-2154

Coordination & Planning 

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Coordination & Planning?:
Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Coordination & Planning:
For SDG implementation and SDG mapping, both tasks of an institutional committee dedicated to SD in teaching and research, students were both hired and integrated in the SD-team as internships in 2022. Interns were supervised by a teacher.
As part of her doctorate degree in SD-education, student Ashley Byrne did an internship (DVP-8304) for the SD-team at ULaval, under the supervision of Daniel Forget, a professionnal in sustainability in the vice-rectorate of international affair and sustainability development.
To help reach institutional objectives of appropriation&integration of SDGs, Ashley produced a support and animation plan on SDGs for a campus-wide deployment. A guide to implement SD/SDGs in teaching - classroom&programs - was also part of her contribution.
Also, 4 students were hired (two of them as an internship - DDU-3000) to read courses syllabus to identify SDG within courses content.
All these contributions will help the GTERDD (Teaching&research in SD at ULaval) reach its objectives of SDG/SD implementation in teachings and research.

Diversity & Affordability 

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Diversity & Affordability?:
No

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Diversity & Affordability:
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Investment & Finance 

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Investment & Finance?:
No

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Investment & Finance:
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Wellbeing & Work 

Is the institution utilizing its infrastructure and operations as a living laboratory for applied student learning for sustainability in relation to Wellbeing & Work?:
Yes

A brief description of the projects and how they contribute to understanding or advancing sustainability in relation to Wellbeing & Work:
Every year, students in Kinesiology (KIN-3604 and KIN-3605) create, plan, realize and assess promotion activities related to wellbeing, in collaboration with professionals from the Sustainable Health team (under the umbrella of the vice-rectorate of international affair and sustainability development). Besides helping them develop event planning skills, the drive also allows students to raise awareness among the campus community of the importance of adopting healthy lifestyle habits. The university continues awareness efforts on this topic throughout the year.
Also, the Sustainable health team did accompany other students from EPS-2309 for "adopting healthy lifestyles on campus" class project.

Optional Fields 

Website URL where information about the institution’s living laboratory program is available:
http://www2.ulaval.ca/developpement-durable/axes-dintervention/formation.html

Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
URL pointed the institutional approach on SD in teaching&research, as well as proposals for internships and jobs in SD.

Institution highlights also present a selection of SDG related projects (a lot of them can be identified as living lab projects)
https://www.ulaval.ca/sites/default/files/DD/PDF/Faits_saillants/Retombees-sociales-2020-2021.pdf

Morevover, in 2022, a call for projects for SD-living labs on campus has been launched by Institut Environment, development and society. Up to nine such projects could get substantial fundings (5000$ each) for their developments.

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.