Case Studies

Introduction

AASHE’s case study library contains hundreds of detailed case studies on a wide variety of higher education sustainability initiatives from faculty development programs to whole campus energy retrofits to community partnerships. All case studies are entered in the annual AASHE Awards Program.

At a Glance

880
Total Resources
472
Organizations
21
Countries
48
U.S. States & Territories
7
Canadian Provinces

Bars in graphs can be clicked to view resources that align with a particular category. Because a resource may be listed under multiple topics and disciplines, graph data may include higher total counts than what is indicated in total resources above.

880 resources

Powerz - Garden Your Campus @ NTU

  • Nanyang Technological University
  • ENGIE (TX)

The Energy Research Institute (ERI@N) and ENGIE (formerly GDF Suez), a leader in energy services and solutions, launched a large-scale pilot project, called POWERZ, on the NTU Campus.

NTU ...

  • Posted June 10, 2015
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STARS "Path to Platinum" Collaborative Plan Implementation at Colorado State University

  • Colorado State University (CO)

As Colorado State University completed STARS 1.2 in late 2013, our score was near the Platinum threshold. We reviewed the 2.0 criteria and identified several initiatives that would ...

  • Posted June 10, 2015
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Developing Sustainability Literacy Among the Next Generation of Educators

  • Arizona State University (AZ)

The Sustainability Science Education Project at Arizona State University aims to develop sustainability literacy among future educators. An innovative course, Sustainability Science for Teachers (SSFT), leverages the power of digital ...

  • Posted June 10, 2015
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Duke University Carbon Offsets Initiative - Working with students, staff, and faculty to reduce GHG emissions through rooftop solar

  • Duke University (NC)

In Spring 2015, Duke University launched a pioneering, renewable energy discount program for University employees. This program, developed by the Duke Carbon Offsets Initiative (DCOI) and its partners, helps reduce ...

  • Posted June 10, 2015
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Going Above and Beyond Niagara College's Waste Diversion Target

  • Niagara College Canada (ON)

Niagara College's goal of achieving a 65% diversion rate has taken many years to find the best combination of strategies to work towards this sustainability target. Integrating waste management ...

  • Posted June 10, 2015
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AC Climate Aware

  • Algonquin College (ON)

AC Climate Aware is a collaborative grassroots effort designed to promote sustainability and internationalization. Under the leadership of SEATS, the campaign encourages dialogue within the Algonquin College community about these ...

  • Posted June 10, 2015
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Collaborations for growing the Virginia Tech Farm to Campus Program

  • Virginia Tech (VA)

The Virginia Tech Dining Services Farm at Kentland began as a small 1/2 acre herb garden in 2009. Since, the garden has expanded steadily to include more than 6 ...

  • Posted June 10, 2015
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Planting a Colossal Monarch Waystation

  • Raritan Valley Community College (NJ)

To support dwindling Monarch Butterfly populations, 83 volunteer faculty, staff, administrators, students, and preschoolers (from the Campus Childcare Center) planted 345 Milkweed and nectaring plants at 8 locations around campus ...

  • Posted June 10, 2015
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Campus Salvage Move-Out Collection and Donation Program

  • Coastal Carolina University (SC)

Campus Salvage is Coastal Carolina University's collection and donation program designed to divert unwanted items from the landfill when students move-out at the end of the year. The project ...

  • Posted June 10, 2015
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The WaterHub at Emory University

  • Emory University (GA)

The WaterHub on Emory's campus is an on-site water recycling system, utilizing natural ecological systems to reclaim wastewater for heating, cooling and toilet flushing. It is the first system ...

  • Posted June 10, 2015
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Starting a Food Recovery Network chapter at Colorado Mountain College-- Steamboat Springs

  • Colorado Mountain College (CO)

This is an action oriented research and case study project that originated from the Capstone course of the Sustainability program at Colorado Mountain College (CMC). The study examines the process ...

  • Posted June 10, 2015
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Nova Bike Share Program

  • Villanova University (PA)

Villanova University launched Nova Bike Share in the fall of 2014. Both undergraduate and graduate students can rent a bike for a semester or academic year. Nova Bike Share is ...

  • Posted June 10, 2015
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The University of Arizona Pac-12 Zero Waste Event

  • University of Arizona (AZ)

With inspiration and participation from the Green Sports Alliance, all Pac-12 universities participated in a friendly competition to see who could achieve a zero-waste home basketball game during the 2014-15 ...

  • Posted June 10, 2015
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Instituting a sustainability general education requirement at San Francisco State University

  • San Francisco State University (CA)

A group of San Francisco State faculty believed all SF State graduates in the 21st century should have a basic understanding of sustainability. We campaigned for a sustainability requirement to ...


Rad Dish Food Co-op: Food for Thought Leadership

  • Temple University (PA)

The Rad Dish Cooperative Cafe is the first and only student-run food co-op in the Philadelphia region. Located on Temple University's campus, Rad Dish provides local, fair trade, organic ...


Learning by Living: The Berea College Deep Green Student Residence

  • Berea College (KY)
  • Hellmuth + Bicknese Architects (MO)

The Berea College Deep Green Student Residence was envisioned from the very beginning to be a special building yet in keeping with the college's commitment to "Simple Living" meant ...


4th Avenue Parklet

  • Portland State University (OR)

The 4th Avenue Parklet was researched, designed and built by students from Portland State University's School of Architecture to creatively addresses sustainability based place-making issues in Portland's South ...


An Integrated Approach to Energy and Climate Planning

  • Sheridan College (Ontario) (ON)

In 2010, Sheridan's Office for Sustainability recommended that the institution undertake strategic planning to examine the long-term economic and environmental risks surrounding energy use at Sheridan. Sheridan's executive ...


Climate Quest

  • University of Wisconsin-Madison (WI)

Climate Quest is a team-based challenge to design practical, high-impact solutions to mitigate or adapt to climate change. After launching in April 2014, 25 teams were selected from a pool ...


Solar Hot Air Heaters

  • Northern Arizona University (AZ)

The project outfitted Property Surplus building at the NAU Flagstaff campus with six solar heating panels. These six panels provide over 40,000 BTUs/hr. (or 12 kWh) of renewable ...


Innovations in Sustainability Curriculum: Teaching Full Cost Analysis through Student-Produced Documentaries

  • Furman University (SC)

The David E. Shi Center for Sustainability at Furman University sought to increase teaching of full cost analysis as a suite of tools that can be used as a framework ...


Vanderbilt University Power Plant Conversion

  • Vanderbilt University (TN)

Vanderbilt University's on-campus co-generation, dual fuel power plant was recently converted from using coal and natural gas to exclusively natural gas. The plant produces 23% of the University's ...


Building Green Communities: The UA Undergraduate Off-Campus Housing Sustainability Coordinator

  • University of Arizona (AZ)

The Undergraduate Off-Campus Housing Sustainability Coordinator (OCHSC) position was created at the University of Arizona (UA) two years ago. The OCHSC serves as a sustainability consultant to 28 apartment complexes ...


Tribe Truck Farm

  • College of William & Mary (VA)

Tribe Truck Farm is a micro-farm in the bed of a pickup truck. The main goal of this project is to initiate a dialogue within the William and Mary community ...


Watershed UGA

  • University of Georgia (GA)

With funding from the Ray C. Anderson Foundation, the University of Georgia (UGA) is leveraging a current town/gown campus stream restoration initiative to create a transformative experience in sustainability ...


Clean Energy Campus Campaign Pilot Testing and Development

  • Ball State University (IN)
  • Climate Neutral Business Network (OR)

For the past 4 years, Ball State University has worked with partner organizations to pilot the development and use of a Clean Energy Campus Campaign methodology whereby colleges and universities ...


A mathematical decision-making procedure to assist in the development of sustainability plans based on the STARS framework

  • Dominican University of California (CA)

This study proposed an approach that consists of two criteria; number of possible points available and overall priority, and two linear mathematical models, which selected credits for short, medium and ...


Translating Perceptions into Action: Advancing Zero Waste in ASU Housing

  • Arizona State University (AZ)

Report examines current solid waste management operational practices, infrastructure, stakeholder perceptions, and behavior pertaining to student housing on Arizona State University's (ASU) Tempe academic campus in order to inform ...

  • Posted March 3, 2015
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Green Living Certification: Rewarding Residents for Environmentally Friendly Lifestyles

  • University of Pennsylvania (PA)

The Green Living Certification certifies and rewards residents living in on-campus residential buildings for making day-to-day choices that reduce their environmental footprint. Residents fill out an online survey that calculates ...

  • Posted Nov. 18, 2014
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UA Compost Cats: Students Creating Community Partnerships to Turn Garbage into Gardens and Foster Local Food Security

  • University of Arizona (AZ)

Located 60 miles from the largest, landlocked port for food in North America, the student-run Compost Cats program has now forged partnerships with the City of Tucson, San Xavier Co-op ...

  • Posted April 12, 2014
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Turning Trash Into Cash- Sustainable Social Entrepreneurship

  • University of San Diego (CA)

In April 2011, the University of San Diego (USD) opened the Electronics Recycling Center (ERC), San Diego's first full-time e-waste collection facility for the public, with the intention of ...

  • Posted April 12, 2014
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Earn-A-Bike Program

  • University of Louisville (KY)

Changing commuting habits has been one of the thorniest sustainability issues for the University of Louisville, but we have finally begun to crack that nut through a popular, innovative program ...

  • Posted April 11, 2014
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The 4th Annual Student Sustainability Survey and Town Hall Meeting

  • Western Michigan University (MI)

We designed the 4th Annual Student Sustainability Survey for Western Michigan University this semester. We implemented the online survey and got a total of 1356 respondents over a 3 week ...

  • Posted April 11, 2014
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Aquaponic food production as an integrating context for campus sustainability

  • Allegheny College (PA)

The Food for Sustainability project at Allegheny College utilizes aquaponic systems for indoor, year round tilapia and lettuce production. The products are sold to Parkhurst Dining Services and are incorporated ...

  • Posted April 11, 2014
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Collaborative thermal heating conservation project at the College of the Holy Cross

  • College of the Holy Cross (MA)
  • GreenerU (MA)

The College of the Holy Cross's Student Government Association (SGA), Environmental Liaison program, and Physical Plant department developed a comprehensive program to reduce the common practice of opening windows ...

  • Posted April 11, 2014
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Massachusetts Green High Performing Computing Center

  • Harvard University (MA)

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts along with 5 research institutions in the Greater Boston area built a state of the art 377 square feet data center dedicated to research computing on ...

  • Posted April 11, 2014
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Change Your State: Sustainability Awareness Campaign

  • North Carolina State University (NC)

Change Your State is NC State University's sustainability awareness campaign. Initiated and coordinated by the University Sustainability Office, the campaign involves over a dozen campus partners, including departments and ...

  • Posted April 11, 2014
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Green Impact Goes International

  • MacEwan University (AB)
  • National Union of Students

Recognizing that staff and student engagement is vital to successfully creating a sustainable campus, MacEwan University sought innovative ways to enable, encourage and empower people to achieve practical, tangible behavioural ...

  • Posted April 11, 2014
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Sustainability Now and Powerful (SNAP!) International Program to Restore Landscapes, Recharge Educators, and Replenish Learning Systems

  • Prescott College (AZ)

Students in Prescott College's Doctoral Program in Sustainability Education developed a program to honor and share the stories of outstanding programs across the planet in sustainability education. The program ...

  • Posted April 11, 2014
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How to Start a Comprehensive Composting and Recycling Program at a Commuter College

  • Austin Community College (TX)

The Austin Community College is committed to promote and practice responsible environmental behavior. ACC has been rolling out numerous green initiatives designed to shrink its environmental footprint and increase the ...

  • Posted April 11, 2014
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Solar E-Charging Station

  • Camosun College (BC)

With funding from President's Funds 2013 grants and the Camosun College Student Society, Camosun College has installed a 4 KW Solar Photovoltaic (PV) array to offset the charging of ...

  • Posted April 11, 2014
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Neutral Gator

  • University of Florida (FL)

Neutral Gator provides UF with high-impact, local carbon offsets by performing energy efficiency upgrades of low-income families' homes and planting indigenous trees on conservation land in Gainesville, FL. Through this ...

  • Posted April 10, 2014
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Envisioning Sustainability: Implementing a Campus Community Food System at Virginia Tech

  • Virginia Tech (VA)

Virginia Tech, founded in 1872 as a land grant institution, has not lost its local roots. With a nationally recognized college of Agriculture & Life Sciences, the campus has its ...

  • Posted April 10, 2014
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Building a Campus Culture of Sustainability

  • Western Michigan University (MI)

Western Michigan University and its Office for Sustainability apply social learning to leverage behavior change and bridge the "gap" between people's stated aspirations for a sustainable world and their ...

  • Posted April 10, 2014
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Sustainability in Higher Education: A Case Study of Policy and Practice at Vancouver Island University

  • Vancouver Island University (BC)

In 2009, Vancouver Island University formally adopted a Sustainability Policy designed to guide environmental practices on campus. I envisaged that this would extend to more detailed strategies for dealing with ...

  • Posted April 9, 2014
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Rainwater Harvesting and Green Wall in LEED Gold building

  • Raritan Valley Community College (NJ)

RVCC has just built the Ray Bateman Center for Student Life and Leadership, which was built to LEED Gold Standards and opened in February 2014. It has a rainwater harvesting ...

  • Posted April 8, 2014
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Sustainability Reporting at Ball State University 2013

  • Ball State University (IN)

In 2013, a team of interdisciplinary graduate and undergraduate students prepared Ball State University's fourth sustainability report. This report was prepared in accordance with the Global Reporting initiative (GRI ...

  • Posted April 7, 2014
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GRI Reporting for Academic Institutions

  • University of Texas at Arlington (TX)

The intended audience for this GRI report includes The University of Texas System and State of Texas; University administration, faculty, and staff; current and prospective students, and their families; alumni ...

  • Posted April 3, 2014
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Green Book: Creative Sustainable Action

  • Delta College (MI)

Green Book: Creative Sustainable Action is a joint venture of the Sustainability Office and Humanities Department. Focusing on the triple bottom line—people, planet, profit—the publication is a collection ...

  • Posted March 31, 2014
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A Unique Hawaiian Learning Approach to Sustainable Living, Island-wide

  • University of Hawaii Kauai Community College (HI)

A three prong approach to providing students with campus and community-wide learning at the UH Kauai Community College encompasses and concurrently implements:

1) Curriculum review ongoing, applying the General Electric ...

  • Posted March 28, 2014
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