The Sustainability Project Laboratory is a program which will identify and engage faculty interested in incorporating a multi-disciplinary, outcomes-based approach in their courses similar to the existing EcoChallenge program. As part of their coursework, students from different classes will form teams to identify sustainability issues within themes; engage stakeholders for data collection and analysis of potential solutions including their impact on the sustainability triple bottom line of People, Planet and Prosperity; choose a solution, and pitch the idea to the University or local community for implementation.

Propose a sustainability project that will result in a simultaneous benefit to people, planet and prosperity

Request a sustainability project for an Ohio University course

Please contact Dave Bayless (bayless@ohio.edu) or Elaine Goetz (goetz@ohio.edu) for information if no contact information is listed in the hyperlink.

 

Title	Possible Academic Connection	Project length	Experiential Learning?	Community Engagement?	Brief description
Hammock Stand Survey	Recreation & Sport Pedagogy; Urban Planning & Sustainability	semester	Yes	No	Survey and determine the costs for the best, most popular places to put hammock stands
Green Roof Project	Engineering, Communications, Public Health, Public Policy, Business, Economics	month, semester, week	Yes	Yes	Broad opportunities to create projects related to green roof infrastructure.  Engage students in public health, policy, business and economics while exploring benefits of green roof infrastructure.
Plant-based Burgers Survey	Human & Consumer Sciences; Nutrition; Restaurant, Hotel, & Tourism	semester	Yes	No	Reduce meat consumption by running a survey and taste-test of plant-based burgers made of beef and mushrooms
Increasing Active Transportation	Marketing; Psychology	semester	Yes	Yes	Increase healthy, active transportation (particularly commuting) among University employees and WellWorks members
Barn Renovation	Civil Engineering	multi-year	Yes	Yes	Design and renovate the abandoned barn at Hebbardsville Farm using sustainably harvested wood and recycled corrugated metal roof
Determining Carbon Emissions from Commuting – Average Distance	GIS/Geography or Environmental Studies	< month (repeated annually)	Yes	No	Utilize GIS data from Parking Services to determine average distance commuted by Ohio University faculty, staff and students
Outdoor Recycling Implementation	Operations Research or Management Courses	semester	Yes	Yes	Reduce the overall number of waste locations by developing a multi-tier plan to co-locate recycling at every location.
Educating Faculty Researchers on 'Sustainability Research' Definition	Teacher Education	semester	Yes	No	Create a plan to educate Faculty Researchers on the definition  for sustainable research, and to encourage them to conduct research which meets the definition.
Determining Carbon Emissions from Commuting- Mode Share Determination	Civil Engineering - Transportation group	semester	Yes	No	Set up a transportation study on campus to determine mode share (% of walkers, bikers, SOV, carpoolers, bussers).
Solar PV Panels for Groundskeepr Shed near Clippinger	Energy Engineering	semester	Yes	No	The project would be to size the PV installation needed to power the electric equipment and to estimate triple bottom line costs for the installation.
Reforming Plastics - Equipment	ETM and Mechanical Engineering	semester	Yes	No	Build and/or optimize use of shredders, melters, extruders to create recycled plastic feedstock
Reforming Plastics - Usage	COFA, Mechanical engineering, Public Administration, Environmental Studies	semester	No	No	Determine circular economic use of recycled plastic feedstock
Energy Reduction: Increase use of Natural Light	Interior Architecture; Pyschology	semester	No	No	Why do faculty/staff/students turn on lights in buildings with plenty of natural lighting?  Which buildings could be targets for lighting use reduction, and how could this be achieved?
Energy Competitions - Planning	Energy Engineering; Sustainable Marketing	semester	No	No	How do we best encourage energy efficiency on campus (behavior change) with Energy Competitions?  What metrics can we/should we collect; how do we group buildings for competitions; how do we market the competition; what rewards should there be for the winning building, if any?
Energy Competitions- Implementation (annual)	Energy Engineering	annual	No	No	Track progress and results from energy competitions.
Food Share System: Prevent Food Insecurity and Food Waste on Campus	Computer Science	semester	Yes	No	Develop a food app, social media platform or texting system that allows for notification of waste food on campus.  Identify obstacles to implementation, including policy and procedural obstacles.
Carbon Emissions from Investments	Finance; Environmental Studies	MS project	Yes	No	Determine the carbon emissions from OHIO Foundation investments.
LEED Lab	CE4540/5540	semester	Yes	No	Evaluate existing buildings on campus for LEED certification
LEED Lab - Energy & Atmosphere Section	Energy Engineering	semester	Yes	No	Use SAM and the TBL CBA framework to determine costs and benefits of various renewable energy systems for campus.
LEED Lab - Sustainable Sites Section	Geography	semester	Yes	No	Design a stormwater BMP for a building on campus, considering water retention, potable water use replacement, feasibility of cost and maintenance (only should convert already maintained grounds to BMPs that need maintenance), etc.
LEED Lab - Water Efficiency Section	Civil Engineering Hydrology Course	semester	No	No	Determine flow/flush rates needed in fixtures and toilets for the water line slopes found in buildings on campus.
Hebbardsville Farm: Business Plan for Sustainable Tree Harvesting	Plant Biology; Business School	semester	Yes	No	Create a business plan for sustainably harvesting mature trees at Hebbardsville Farm and reusing timber to renovate barn on site.
Video Projects:  How to recycle, compost and landfill at OHIO	Visual Communications; Journalism	semester	Yes	No	Create a short, fun video for orientations about handling waste on campus
Video Projects:  Stormwater Management at OHIO	Visual Communications; Journalism	semester	Yes	No	Create a short, fun video about stormwater management at OHIO for EPA stormwater permit regulations
Storm Drain Outlet Sampling	Civil Engineering	semester	Yes	No	Have students locate dry weather storm drain discharges; sample and analyze for pH, alkalinity, fluoride, E. coli, etc., and produce report.
Transportation on Campus:  What are the best routes and small mobility devices to choose to navigate campus?	Civil Engineering; Urban Planning & Sustainability	semester	Yes	No	Create maps and recommendations for non-automobile travel on campus.  Record travel times for walking, bicycling, e-scootering, etc. from select locations to select destinations
Surface water hydrocarbon sampling & analysis	Chemistry; Civil Engineering; Environmental Studies; Urban Planning	month	Yes	Yes	Design sampling plan, sample and analyze samples along the Ohio River valley for community group
Triple bottom line cost-benefit analysis tool GUI	Computer Science	month	Yes	Yes	Create GUI for a open access triple bottom line cost-benefit analysis tool
Green bikes program	Sport & Recreation Pedagogy	semester	Yes	No	Create loaner program for used bikes, and a bike maintenance shop, both staffed by volunteers
Plastic Bricks	Civil Engineering; any course	semester	Yes	Yes	Partner with service organizations and community groups to create plastic bricks, determine best use, and incorporate into structures
Pollution Prevention Challenge	Environmental Studies; Environmental Health & Safety	one week	Yes	Yes	Students participate in the Pollution Prevention Challenge (part of US EPA Pollution Prevention Week)
Tree Inventory or Drone-based Tree Inventory	Plant Biology; Environmental Studies; Geography/GIS	thesis	Yes	No	Determination of species, size and diversity of trees on Ohio University campuses
Canopy Cover	Plant Biology; Environmental Studies; Geography/GIS	semester	Yes	No	Quantification of greenhouse gas emissions reduction potential and ecological services provided by trees on Ohio University campuses; use i-Tree

Increasing Active Transportation

Project contact:   Annie Laurie Cadmus, cadmus@ohio.edu

Project description:

Increase healthy, active transportation (particularly commuting) among University employees and WellWorks members.  

• Encourage active transportation to the fitness center.  
• Be able to track active transportation as a Check-In at WellWorks and/or to incentivize rides
• Routes Evaluation:  safety, timing, etc.

Resources available to students/faculty to complete project:

• WellWorks staff time

Project impacts:

• Health benefits
• Quality of life benefits
• Productivity benefits
• Gasoline savings
• Parking savings
• Reduction of carbon emissions 

Barn Renovation

Project contact:   Dominick Brook,  brookd@ohio.edu

Project description: 

Design and renovate the abandoned barn at Hebbardsville Farm using sustainably harvested wood, recycled corrugated metal roof, and paint created from acid mine drainage.  A renovated barn could be used as an education and events center for community and University sustainability activities.

Resources available to students/faculty to complete project:

• Student and faculty time
• Existing structure and land
• Used metal roofing material
• Sustainably harvested wood for flooring

Project impacts:

• Educational benefits
• Avoided costs of virgin materials
• Faculty time

Green Roof Project: 

Project contact:  Kim Thompson, thompsk3@ohio.edu 

Project description: 

There are broad opportunities to create projects related to green roof infrastructure.  Currently students from many colleges are engaged in projects, even before the rooftop has been planted.  We hope to engage students in public health, policy, business and economics while exploring benefits of green roof infrastructure.  Please contact Dr. Thompson for more information about projects.

Resources available to students/faculty to complete project:

• Green roof on Schoonover Center
• Student and faculty time
• Monitoring equipment

Project impacts:

• Carbon sequestration
• Carbon emissions reductions from reduced energy consumption
• Cost savings from reduced energy consumption
• Improved health 
• Storm water management
• Increased lifespan of roof
• Improved air quality
• Educational benefits
• Community outreach benefits
• Opportunity for use of innovative virtual technologies

Tree Inventory or Drone-based Tree Inventory: 

Project contact:  Susan Calhoun, calhoun@ohio.edu; Matt Riley, rileym3@ohio.edu 

Project description: 

Contribute to the campus tree inventory by determining species, size and diversity of trees and adding to existing database.

Resources available to students/faculty to complete project:

• Equipment to measure tree size
• Landscape coordinator and GIS technician assistance
• Existing database
• Drone and drone pilot

Project impacts:

• Improved management of trees on campus, therefore:
  • improved carbon emissions sequestration
  • decreased tree replacement costs
  • improved air quality
  • improved ecosystem benefits resulting from shading and habitat