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

University of Redlands Proposal for Expanded Composting

  • University of Redlands (CA)

We are currently living in a time with inequity, economic instability and environmental degradation. The University of Redlands campus claims to be sustainable, however, we lack many forms of renewable ...


Carbon On-Setting: Community Impact through Home Weatherization in Greenville, SC

  • Furman University (SC)

The Community Conservation Corps (CCC), a program of the David E. Shi Center for Sustainability at Furman University, provides free home weatherization to low-income homeowners in the greater Greenville, South ...


Zygmunt, the electric car

  • Universidad de Monterrey

Monterrey is the third largest city in Mexico, and there is about 2 million cars. This amount of vehicles creates traffic jams, pollute the air and chaos. According to the ...


Lights Out Starter Kit

  • University of Texas at Austin (TX)

In April 2013, a student energy conservation organization, Longhorn Lights Out, began on the UT Austin campus. This organization, sponsored by UT's Energy and Water Conservation Program, encouraged students ...


Sustainable Development Goals

  • State University of New York at Fredonia (NY)

For this project, my objective was to initially get my campus to adopt the United Nation's Sustainable Development goals. I didn't have any expectations as to how the ...


Rising-seas.org Project

  • Johns Hopkins University (MD)

RISING-SEAS.ORG is an online alliance of passionate individuals dedicated to bridging climate awareness and action from all angles. It features visual advocacy campaigns to visualize the communities most endangered ...

  • Posted April 20, 2016
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North D Compost Pilot

  • University of Massachusetts Amherst (MA)
  • Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MA)

After conducting a waste audit of the North Apartment Residential Complex in October of 2014, it was found that approximately 27% of the trash stream consisted of food waste and ...

  • Posted April 6, 2016
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Making a large-scale campus rummage sale happen in 17 days!

  • University of Missouri (MO)

Since 2007, MU has been perfecting a process for reducing residence hall waste at the end of the school year move out. Items collected are organized for a rummage sale ...

  • Posted June 23, 2015
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Biogas systems with anaerobic digestion for sustainability education and and research renewable energy production

  • University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh (WI)

The University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Biogas program consists of three anaerobic digestion facilities that divert organic wastes from landfills, destroy methane gas, generate electrical and thermal energy, and produce quality ...

  • Posted June 19, 2015
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The University of Iowa Dedicated Energy Crop Project - Applying The Triple Bottom Line To Biomass Fuel Production

  • University of Iowa (IA)

The University of Iowa (UI) has adopted an institutional goal to convert 40 percent of its energy portfolio to renewable energy by or before 2020. Central to this effort is ...

  • Posted June 19, 2015
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Green Action Fund

  • University of Colorado Colorado Springs (CO)

The Green Action Fund is a student-initiated, student-funded, student-led committee that aims to reduce the ecological footprint of UCCS. They promote sustainable environmental, social and economic values through student-sponsored projects ...

  • Posted June 19, 2015
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A Century of Sustainability

  • University of Washington, Seattle (WA)

This project was created to demonstrate that sustainability efforts have been part of or campus culture for more than a century. From the establishment of the first University of Washington ...

  • Posted June 19, 2015
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University of Kentucky Sustainability Challenge Grant Program

  • University of Kentucky (KY)

The University of Kentucky Sustainability Challenge Grant program was designed to engage multidisciplinary teams from the University community in the creation and implementation of initiatives that will promote sustainability by ...

  • Posted June 19, 2015
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FreeFest!

  • California State University, East Bay (CA)

Since Spring 2011, California State University East Bay (CSUEB) Student Housing has been coordinating a move-out program for on-campus residents. This program is similar to move-out programs at other campuses ...

  • Posted June 19, 2015
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The Reinvention Fund: Project Evaluation & Case Studies for Living Labs for Sustainability

  • Pennsylvania State University (PA)

The Penn State Sustainability Institute created the Reinvention Fund to start an innovative "whitespace" to further transform Penn State into a Living Laboratory for Sustainability. At a time when living ...

  • Posted June 19, 2015
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LED Lighting in New York University's Student Center

  • New York University (NY)

This past year, New York University undertook a lighting project in the Helen and Martin Kimmel Center for University Life, resulting in a 100% LED fitted building. This project reduced ...

  • Posted June 19, 2015
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Reducing UMKC Energy Consumption Using Occupancy Sensors

  • University of Missouri, Kansas City (MO)

As part of a class sustainability project, Ms. Harrell conducted an energy consumption Cost Benefit Analysis of four older buildings on the University of Missouri Kansas City Volker Campus. She ...

  • Posted June 19, 2015
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Infusing Sustainability into High-Impact Learning Practices at NC State University

  • North Carolina State University (NC)

Learning doesn't just happen in the classroom. Research has shown that high-impact educational experiences complement classroom learning, increase student retention and engagement, and maximize the collegiate experience. NC State ...

  • Posted June 16, 2015
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A rainwater system for the University of Washington construction materials laboratory

  • University of Washington, Seattle (WA)

University of Washington Construction Materials Laboratory (CML) is an instruction laboratory where undergraduate students of the department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) and the College of Built Environments (CBE ...

  • Posted June 12, 2015
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RIT FoodShare

  • Rochester Institute of Technology (NY)

RIT FoodShare is an initiative designed to reduce food waste on campus while reducing food insecurity among RIT students. It consists of two components - a facebook group and a FoodShare ...

  • Posted June 12, 2015
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The Partnership for Action Learning in Sustainability

  • University of Maryland, College Park (MD)

The Partnership for Action Learning in Sustainability, or PALS, is an innovative program at the University of Maryland that pairs faculty expertise and student ingenuity to tackle sustainability challenges facing ...

  • Posted June 11, 2015
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Climate@Emory: an inter-disciplinary, university-wide initiative to advance climate change scholarship, teaching, partnership, and engagement at Emory and beyond

  • Emory University (GA)

Climate@Emory is a university-wide initiative at Emory University with the mission of advancing climate change scholarship and teaching. This interdisciplinary initiative involves more than 50 faculty from 20 departments ...

  • Posted June 11, 2015
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The Sage Project at San Diego State University

  • San Diego State University (CA)

The Sage Project is a partnership between San Diego State University (SDSU) and a local government in the San Diego region, connecting students and faculty with high-priority, high-need community projects ...

  • Posted June 11, 2015
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Building the Capacity of Change Agents

  • University of Alberta (AB)

Building a movement to advance sustainability culture requires both institutional changes and changes to personal behaviour. Nestled in this movement of creating a sustainable culture is the important role of ...

  • Posted June 11, 2015
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To Green and Beyond: Excellence Through Sustainability at University of Illinois at Chicago

  • University of Illinois Chicago (IL)

The Sustainability Strategic Thinking process -To Green and Beyond- was undertaken to innovatively weave together the UIC Climate Action Plan and its other broad strategic plans and look beyond commonly-held ...

  • Posted June 11, 2015
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Ucalgarycares Sustainable Cities Service Learning Program

  • University of Calgary (AB)

Sustainable Cities launched in 2014-2015 as an addition to a suite of "ucalgarycares" service-learning programs focusing on social justice issues. This program aims for students to become engaged with urban ...

  • Posted June 11, 2015
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Hayward Promise Neighborhood Service Learning Solutions

  • California State University, East Bay (CA)

Hayward Project Neighborhood (HPN) is a place-based initiative lead by California State University East Bay (CSUEB). The purpose of HPN is to significantly improve the educational and developmental outcomes of ...

  • Posted June 11, 2015
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Addressing Food Insecurity at Portland Community College-Rock Creek Campus

  • Portland Community College (OR)

Our campus community faces food and nutritional challenges like much of the nation. Portland Community College's Rock Creek Campus, with 50% of the student population receiving financial aid, chose ...

  • Posted June 11, 2015
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The University of Maryland's Small Footprint Pledge

  • University of Maryland, College Park (MD)

The University of Maryland's Small Footprint Pledge is a way for students, faculty, and staff to make a commitment to minimize their environmental impact by adopting new green behaviors ...

  • Posted June 11, 2015
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Building a 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 June 11, 2015
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Bee Campus USA as a Model for Pollinator-Friendly Campuses

  • Southern Oregon University (OR)

Southern Oregon University collaborated with Bee City USA, a private nonprofit organization based in Asheville, North Carolina, to establish a Bee Campus USA designation. This designation recognizes campuses that commit ...

  • Posted June 11, 2015
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Social Ecological Economic Development Studies (SEEDS) Sustainability Program at the University of British Columbia

  • University of British Columbia (BC)

Over the past 15 years, the SEEDS (Social Ecological Economic Development Studies) Sustainability Program has created partnerships between students, faculty and staff to enable hundreds of innovative and impactful sustainability ...

  • Posted June 11, 2015
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UBC Sustainability Scholars Program

  • University of British Columbia (BC)

Offered in collaboration with both on and off-campus sustainability partners, the UBC Sustainability Scholars Program is designed to provide UBC graduate level students - regardless of their academic discipline - practical sustainability ...

  • Posted June 11, 2015
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20-year Sustainability Strategy for the University of British Columbia - Vancouver Campus

  • University of British Columbia (BC)

Can we move our understanding of sustainability and current practices beyond just damage limitation, to identifying ways in which human behaviour can be inherently positive, leading to simultaneous improvements in ...

  • Posted June 11, 2015
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RecycleMania as a Campus as a Living Lab Project

  • Central New Mexico Community College (NM)

Can college faculty help to reduce waste, increase recycling, and introduce sustainability concepts, all while sticking to their course learning outcomes? At Central New Mexico Community College, we found a ...

  • Posted June 11, 2015
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Smart Communities Initiative at UTK

  • University of Tennessee at Knoxville (TN)

The Smart Communities Initiative (SCI) is a new interdisciplinary program at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville which partners faculty and students across campus with one city, county, special district, or ...

  • Posted June 11, 2015
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UNT Health Science Center Community Garden: Connecting Health and Wellness to Sustainability

  • University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth (TX)

The University of North Texas Health Science Center (UNTHSC) is a graduate school of health care professions with over 2,100 students. The UNTHSC Community Garden broke ground in early ...

  • Posted June 11, 2015
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Sustainable Carolina: A Case Study in Student Sustainability Leadership

  • University of South Carolina (SC)

The Sustainable Carolina Leadership Program, a sustainability-focused, professional development student engagement program housed at the University of South Carolina, was conceived and developed over the course of six years to ...

  • Posted June 11, 2015
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Prioritizing Energy Conservation and Efficiency with the Help of New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA)

  • University of Rochester (NY)

The University of Rochester has many competing demands for funding. Unfortunately, energy conservation projects often fall to the bottom of the priority list. By designating a point-person within the University ...

  • Posted June 11, 2015
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Transforming a Rust Belt Community: The Sustainability Campus

  • Indiana State University (IN)

Indiana State University and community partners collaborate on the development and implementation of a visionary comprehensive plan for the development of a Sustainability Campus, which transforms abandoned, formerly residential blocks ...

  • Posted June 11, 2015
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Charging for Disposable to-go Boxes to Reduce Waste and Generate Sustainability Funds (Updated)

  • Clarkson University (NY)

Multiple stakeholders came together at Clarkson University to implement a $0.50 charge on disposable to-go boxes in campus dining facilities. A reusable to-go box system was marketed and made ...

  • Posted June 11, 2015
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Green Captain Program

  • University of California, Irvine (CA)
  • Aramark (PA)

The Green Captain Program allows UCI Hospitality & Dining student employees who are passionate about sustainability to design and implement practices to reduce environmental impacts (e.g. carbon footprint, water ...

  • Posted June 11, 2015
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Feasibility study of implementing an aerated static compost system for food waste in University of Hawaii at Manoa housing

  • University of Hawaii at Manoa (HI)

There are no facilities on Oahu capable of converting the post-consumer food waste generated by the University of Hawaii into compost. This is an inquiry into the feasibility of implementing ...

  • Posted June 11, 2015
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Sustainability in an Urban Campus Setting: UMass Lowell's Transformative, Leadership Driven, and Results Oriented Approach

  • University of Massachusetts Lowell (MA)

The classic story of the campus sustainability program is a student-driven grassroots organization forming the culture, aiding in program implementation and ultimately gaining the support of the entire institution. UMass ...

  • Posted June 11, 2015
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Eco-Equity Challenge

  • George Washington University (DC)

The George Washington University's Office of Sustainability and the Center for Civic Engagement and Public Service have joined efforts to support GW students in their social entrepreneurial efforts to ...

  • Posted June 11, 2015
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Game Day Recycling at UTK

  • University of Tennessee at Knoxville (TN)

UT Recycling is working in partnership with UT Athletics, Aramark, Office of Sustainability, and Good Sports Always Recycle to eliminate at least 90% of waste created during athletic events through ...

  • Posted June 11, 2015
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Incorporating Life Cycle Analysis into Campus Dining

  • University of Missouri (MO)

This study provides the greenhouse gas (GHG) estimates for thirty-nine meals using menu items served at the University of Missouri's Campus Dining Services. Meal size was normalized to 400 ...

  • Posted June 11, 2015
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Creative Renewable Energy Solutions

  • Skidmore College (NY)

Skidmore College completed two complementary, innovative renewable energy projects in 2015. With encouragement from the campus community, along with favorable remote net metering regulations and New York State incentives, the ...

  • Posted June 11, 2015
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Capital Partners Solar Project

  • American University (DC)
  • George Washington University (DC)
  • Coho Climate Advisors (MD)

Capital Partners Solar Project (CPSP) is a solar energy project contracted by the George Washington University (GW), American University (AU), and the George Washington University Hospital (GWUH). Comprised of 52 ...

  • Posted June 11, 2015
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Beyond Campus Roofs: Solar for the Community

  • University of Utah (UT)

U Community Solar is an innovative program to give the University of Utah a local, tangible way to offset its carbon footprint over the next 20 years. The one-time program ...

  • Posted June 10, 2015
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