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
Total Resources
Organizations
Countries
U.S. States & Territories
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.
New Resources
Phillips Brooks House Student Weatherization Project
- Harvard University (MA)
On May 2nd, more than 50 Harvard students took a break from studying for finals and picked up caulk guns to help improve the energy efficiency of the Phillips Brooks …
- Posted June 30, 2010
- Case Studies
- View more
Building Institutional Capacity for Sustainability Teaching, Research and Engagement at Portland State University
- Portland State University (OR)
The James F. and Marion L. Miller Foundation challenge grant of $25 million, awarded to Portland State University in September 2008, was the largest gift in Portland State University's history …
- Posted June 30, 2010
- Case Studies
- View more
Institutionalizing Sustainability in Community Colleges: The Role of the College President
- Spokane Community College (WA)
The purpose of this completed doctoral research study was to describe and improve understanding of the meaning of institutionalized sustainability and the role that a college president plays in institutionalizing …
- Posted June 30, 2010
- Case Studies
- View more
Implementing Vermicomposting in Luther College Residence Halls
- Luther College (IA)
Luther students have started disposing of fruit and vegetable waste in worm composting bins installed in seven of Luther's residence halls by students from the Luther Sustainability program.
Students are …
- Posted June 30, 2010
- Case Studies
- View more
Centralized Recycling Pilot at NYU Stern
- New York University (NY)
The NYU Stern Campus Greening Initiative, Facilities, Recycling, Sustainability Office and Green Grants teams partnered to run a pilot project aimed at increasing the volume of recycled material at the …
- Posted June 30, 2010
- Case Studies
- View more
Friday Night Lights: Social Networking Meets Energy Savings
- Bowling Green State University (OH)
Students gathered every Friday evening at 6:30pm at the Union. They armed themselves with clipboards and checklists, and divided into teams. Lights left on in classrooms and hallways in academic …
- Posted June 30, 2010
- Case Studies
- View more
Reducing Printing Costs with Century Gothic at the University of Wisconsin - Green Bay
- University of Wisconsin-Green Bay (WI)
The University of Wisconsin - Green Bay researched typefaces and discovered that the Century Gothic font used the least amount of ink/toner based on a study done by printer.com. In …
- Posted June 30, 2010
- Case Studies
- View more
Sustainability Par None: The Lonnie Poole Golf Course at North Carolina State University
- North Carolina State University (NC)
- Southern IPM Center (NC)
The Lonnie Poole Golf Course at North Carolina State University is an Audubon Signature golf course, designed by famous golfer Arnold Palmer. Sport and environmental responsibility are not normally seen …
- Posted June 29, 2010
- Case Studies
- View more
Implementation of ZotWheels Automated Bikeshare at the University of California, Irvine
- University of California, Irvine (CA)
ZotWheels bikeshare is the first automated bikeshare program in California and only the second at a university in the United States. ZotWheels was designed and implemented by Parking and Transportation …
- Posted June 29, 2010
- Case Studies
- View more
Cornell University Moves Beyond Coal
- Cornell University (NY)
One of the biggest roadblocks on the climate neutrality pathway is coal. Approximately 50% of our nation's electricity comes from coal. In 2008, 13,000 tons of coal was associated with …
- Posted June 29, 2010
- Case Studies
- View more
40 Days of Change- Coordinating Campus and Community Events for Maximum Impact
- University of Florida (FL)
40 Days of Change was a campaign hosted by the UF Office of Sustianability to provide an opportunity for campus and community members to learn more about sustainability initiatives throughout …
- Posted June 29, 2010
- Case Studies
- View more
Engaging Catholic Colleges and Universities with Sustainability as a Moral Issue
- University of Notre Dame (IN)
In October 2009, we hosted "Renewing the Campus: Sustainability and the Catholic University", the first conference dedicated to enhancing understanding, activism, and cooperation among Catholic universities in the area of …
- Posted June 28, 2010
- Case Studies
- View more
Planet Blue: Saving Energy, Saving Money and Saving the Planet at the University of Michigan
- University of Michigan (MI)
The Planet Blue program was developed as part of the University of Michigan's 6-point Environmental and Energy Initiative to help reduce energy consumption on the Ann Arbor campus in an …
- Posted June 28, 2010
- Case Studies
- View more
Student Residents Save Energy at LSU
- Louisiana State University (LA)
Sponsored by the LSU College of Engineering, UNPLUG sought to promote an understanding throughout the LSU on-campus community of what energy conservation entails. The goal was to empower students to …
- Posted June 28, 2010
- Case Studies
- View more
Sustainability Faculty Fellows Program at the University of Vermont (UVM)
- University of Vermont (VT)
The University of Vermont Sustainability Faculty Fellows Program serves as an example of successfully integrating sustainability into courses across disciplinary boundaries with a modest budget, Provost-level support, and a handful …
- Posted June 25, 2010
- Case Studies
- View more
Advanced Photovoltaic Educational Laboratory at Milwaukee Area Technical College
- Milwaukee Area Technical College (WI)
While originally focusing on reducing MATC's carbon footprint, the Photovoltaic Educational Laboratory has evolved into the Midwest's largest photovoltaic installation, generating 511 kWh DC and also serves as a lab …
- Posted June 25, 2010
- Case Studies
- View more
Water Savings Through Non-Traditional Irrigation Control at Western Michigan University
- Western Michigan University (MI)
Upgrade the campus irrigation controls, moving from stand-alone time clocks to a fully networked and automated control system with a web user interface.
- Posted June 25, 2010
- Case Studies
- View more
Integrating Teaching, Research and Operational Sustainability: Utilization of Bio-Energy at UNBC, Canada's Green University
- University of Northern British Columbia (BC)
In Spring 2009, UNBC installed Canada's first university owned wood pellet heating system. The project showcases the use of bio-energy as a sustainable, carbon-neutral energy source. UNBC's wood pellet system …
- Posted June 24, 2010
- Case Studies
- View more
Closing the Nutrient Cycle at Appalachian State University
- Appalachian State University (NC)
Students of ASU's Goodnight Family Sustainable Development Program sell produce that they grow at the Program's teaching and research farm on campus to students, faculty, and visitors. This is the …
- Posted June 24, 2010
- Case Studies
- View more
Implementing Large Scale Solar in the Land of Cheap Coal
- Colorado State University (CO)
Colorado State University is home to one of the largest solar plants on a U.S. university campus. The fact that Colorado State has been able to expand renewable energy sources …
- Posted June 23, 2010
- Case Studies
- View more
Helping Small Businesses near Anderson University, SC
- Anderson University (SC)
Anderson University's SIFE team partnered with the local Sam's Club to help business members in efforts to help their facilities become environmentally friendly. We performed energy audits at these restaurants …
- Posted June 23, 2010
- Case Studies
- View more
Forest Restoration in Philadelphia's Fairmount Park- Collaboration with Temple University, Philadelphia Zoo, Fairmount Park, Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, Germantown Friends School
- Temple University (PA)
Restore eight acres of Philadelphia's degraded urban forest and provide education on carbon sequestration through reforestation. A collaborative effort between institutional faculty and staff from Temple University, Philadelphia Zoo, Fairmount …
- Posted June 22, 2010
- Case Studies
- View more
Water Conservation Makes Cents at Vanderbilt University
- Vanderbilt University (TN)
VU has retrofitted 492 low-flow faucets, low-flow toilets and waterfree urinals resulting in the savings of ~9.1 million gallons of water and $64,000 annually. Additionally, VU captured nonpotable water infiltrating …
- Posted June 21, 2010
- Case Studies
- View more
WinterBlitz: Williams College students Weatherize Low-income Homes in the Local Community
- Williams College (MA)
For the past 2 years, Williams College students and community volunteers have weatherized a total of over 75 homes in 3 towns near Williams College during a one-day event in …
- Posted June 21, 2010
- Case Studies
- View more
Development of Sustainable Publications Index at Ithaca College
- Ithaca College (NY)
The Sustainable Publications Index (SPI) ranks the sustainability of our publications on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being least sustainable. The ranking is based on a combination of …
- Posted June 21, 2010
- Case Studies
- View more
Installing Occupancy Sensors at Missouri State University Residence Life and Services
- Missouri State University (MO)
Residence Life and Services at Missouri State University received a grant from City Utilities of Springfield, MO to install occupancy sensors on all lights in community and public restrooms, common …
- Posted June 17, 2010
- Case Studies
- View more
A Sustainable Thanksgiving Feast: Preserving Heritage Turkeys
- Emory University (GA)
For the second year in a row Emory has partnered with Heritage Foods USA to present the Thanksgiving Heritage Harvest Feast. The Feast features Heritage turkeys, an older breed of …
- Posted June 16, 2010
- Case Studies
- View more
Harnessing the Storm: Sustainable Stormwater Management at Delta College
- Delta College (MI)
With Federal government placing stringent mandates on the discharge and filtering of storm water, Delta College took the forward-thinking initiative to transform our exterior space into a place of learning …
- Posted June 15, 2010
- Case Studies
- View more
Student Activism Leads the Way to Clean Energy at Green Mountain College
- Green Mountain College (VT)
On April 22, 2010, Green Mountain College opened a new biomass facility to replace the power station that previously burned number six fuel oil. This new facility will reduce greenhouse …
- Posted June 14, 2010
- Case Studies
- View more
Sustainability Education Across the Province (SEAP): Faculty Train the Trainer Workshop at Simon Fraser University
- Simon Fraser University (BC)
This project's purpose was to train faculty members from across British Columbia, Canada to be sustainability education trainers. The workshop enabled them to not only integrate sustainability into their own …
- Posted June 9, 2010
- Case Studies
- View more
Launching the Social Innovation Incubator at Portland State University
- Portland State University (OR)
The Portland State University Social Innovation Incubator (SII) accelerates the impact of social innovations by addressing the specific needs of a growing cadre of social entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs (i.e., within …
- Posted June 8, 2010
- Case Studies
- View more
UO vs OSU Energy Civil War
- University of Oregon (OR)
The University of Oregon (UO) and Oregon State University (OSU) staged a human-powered energy generation contest to see which school could produce the most energy from their Recreation Centers' ReCardio …
- Posted June 8, 2010
- Case Studies
- View more
Holiday Energy Turn Down
- Emory University (GA)
During the 2009-2010 Winter Holiday break Emory University conducted a campaign to reduce energy consumption by turning down the HVAC for a total of six days in 15 buildings. These …
- Posted June 3, 2010
- Case Studies
- View more
Get-on-the-Map: Mapping Sustainability at Ball State University
- Ball State University (IN)
We have developed a web-based technique for collecting and sharing STARS reporting information. This "get-on-the-map" web site uses the STARS reporting categories to structure a display of icons as informational …
- Posted May 27, 2010
- Case Studies
- View more
UMKC-Sustainability In Action
- University of Missouri, Kansas City (MO)
University of Missouri-Kansas City Sustainable initiatives have lead to the signing of the President's Climate Commitment and an increase in Sustainability projects/programs on campus. These initiatives also lead to the …
- Posted March 1, 2010
- Case Studies
- View more