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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.

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At a Glance

885
Total Resources
474
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.

New Resources

885 resources
The Council On The Uncertain Human Future

PSRF Final Project Report: Climate Community

  • Swarthmore College (PA)

Mission

The Climate Community President’s Sustainability Research Fellowship (PSRF) project is dedicated to generating an engaged and purposeful climate community at Swarthmore College. This means breaking the mold of climate …

Transportation Project Final Report

  • Swarthmore College (PA)

Project Name: Transportation Project Project Mentors: Anthony Coschignano and Greg Brown Project board members, faculty advisor, and sustainability sage: Anthony Coschignano, Greg Brown, Chris Kane, Alice Turbiville, Brenna Leary, Rachel …

Diversity Food Services: Leading the Way on Socially and Environmentally responsible Campus Dining in Canada

  • University of Winnipeg (MB)

The University of Winnipeg Campus Sustainability Office would like to nominate Diversity Food Services for an AASHE Campus Sustainability Achievement Award.

Diversity Food Services is a joint venture of the …

Infusing Sustainability into the Curriculum at Swarthmore College

  • Swarthmore College (PA)

Note that the full final report for this project is attached as a file at the end of this report. Please view for full in depth explanation of the project …

Ecofeminism breakout session at the 2019 SDG Summit

Building campus capacity for the SDGs: a case study of the SDG Summit conference

  • University of Calgary (AB)

The SDG Summit is an annual training conference at the University of Calgary that is focused on engaging youth with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) through immersive opportunities for learning, …

Swarthmore College Sustainability Research: Equitable Zero Waste

  • Swarthmore College (PA)

A year long research project developed by students to help and develop an equitable zero waste mindset and framework of thinking.

Students performing energy audit 1

ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN K-12 SCHOOLS: A CASE STUDY IN FLORIDA

  • Florida Institute of Technology (FL)

Buildings are one of the largest energy consumers in the United States. K-12 schools are responsible for nearly 8% of energy consumption by commercial buildings which is equivalent to 1.44% …

Emory University’s Virtual Earth Month Outreach Campaign

  • Emory University (GA)

Traditionally, Emory University’s Office of Sustainability Initiatives (OSI) kicks off Earth Month by bringing together both on and off-campus organizations that are dedicated to sustainability for a one-day Earth Festival …

Wood waste to energy system photo, with chipper enclosure frame erected by ironworker students

BCIT Wood-Waste-to-Energy Project

  • British Columbia Institute of Technology (BC)

In pursuit of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, showcasing environmentally-sustainable projects for widespread use, and incorporating sustainability more broadly in curriculum, British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) has created a closed-loop …

Aggie Green Fund grant recipients, Broch Saxton and Lisette Templin, observe the health of their harvest.

TAMU Urban Farm United (TUFU) Campus Food Forest Serves Aggies in Need

  • Texas A&M University (TX)

The TAMU Urban Farm, TUFU for short, is a new concept organization on the campus of Texas A&M University (TAMU), whose mission is “Grow to Serve”. The project was made …

One Million Trees

  • Pepperdine University (CA)
  • Santa Monica College (CA)
  • University of California, Los Angeles (CA)
  • University of Southern California (CA)

This project started in 2015 and the goal was to plant one million trees by 2020 in partnership with the National Forest Foundation. Our team came up with the idea …

Publication Materials related to the Campaign

Campaign on Creating Sustainable Futures: Bring Your Own Container

  • De La Salle Lipa (BATANGAS)

In Academic Year 2016-2017, DE LA SALLE LIPA (DLSL) re-aligned its institutional thrusts to align with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. In pursuit of its third Strategic Direction, Creating …

GVSU - Allendale Campus - Alumni House

Grand Valley State University - Water Sustainability

  • Grand Valley State University (MI)

Abstract - Grand Valley State University - Water Sustainability
Having success in reducing energy consumption and costs, Grand Valley State University (GVSU) located in the state of Michigan, looked at …

Kent State University

Kent State University Textile Reuse and Recycling Programs Divert 441,610 pounds (221 tons) From Landfill to Benefit Community and Campus Over Past 5 Years

  • Kent State University (OH)

Kent State University has reduced the amount of materials sent to landfills while providing benefits to the local community, campus, and our students. For the past 5 academic years, 2014-2015 …

Cal Poly students conducting research at the Gold Tree Solar Farm

Gold Tree Solar Farm - Innovatively Advancing the Academic Mission

  • California Polytechnic State University (CA)

Cal Poly's 4.5 MW Gold Tree Solar Farm demonstrates how collaboration between Facilities and academics can transform campus buildings and infrastructure into more impactful academic assets. In addition to the …

Mobile Food Pantry

Addressing Food Insecurity on Campus

  • Colorado State University (CO)

Approximately 10% of students at Colorado State University experience food insecurity. In the past five years, CSU has been aggressively tackling food insecurity through the creation of innovative programs under …

Energy Waste Reduction Program

  • Suffolk County Community College (NY)

Since its inception in August of 2014, Suffolk County Community College’s Energy Waste Reduction Program has saved over 4.9 million dollars in unnecessary utility expenditure. We would like to propose …

The Working Farms Fund: Partnership to Build a Sustainable Local Food System

  • Emory University (GA)

Emory University and The Conservation Fund have formed a new partnership to support next-generation farmers in Georgia and help build the local food supply across metro Atlanta with a first-of-its-kind …

University of Vermont Eco-Reps Coping with Crises Case Study 2019-2020

  • University of Vermont (VT)

Originally this campaign was going to focus solely on coping with climate change, however, in being interrupted by COVID-19, we decided to expand the campaign’s scope to address coping with …

Don't Dump! Donate!

  • South Dakota State University (SD)

Don’t Dump! Donate! takes place during move-out week and keeps reusable material out of the landfill. It provides the opportunity for students to donate unwanted but good quality items as …

University of Vermont Eco-Reps Waste Campaign Case Study

  • University of Vermont (VT)

The University of Vermont has improved its waste infrastructure, from expanding composting facilities beyond dining halls to implementing waste reduction programs like EcoWare and a straw-upon-request policy. UVM Eco-Reps’ work …

Trex bins

Trex Plastic Film Challenge

  • Texas A&M University (TX)

In November 2018, the Department of Residence Life at Texas A&M University began the Trex Plastic Film Challenge in partnership with a Virginia-based company, Trex. Trex is a national company …

Building Climate Resilience at Arizona State University: Second Nature’s Climate Commitment

  • Arizona State University (AZ)

In 2016, Arizona State University’s President, Michael Crow, signed the Second Nature Climate Commitment, which not only reaffirmed ASU’s commitment to climate neutrality but also set a course to address …

Weather Wizard

From Weather Wizard to Cloud Man: Sustainability Education & Outreach with a Fun Approach

  • Cornell University (NY)
  • American Meteorological Society (DC)

The goal of this project is to educate young students about sustainability and create a passion for the environment. Frequently, schools wait until middle school to introduce environmental topics. My …

Freezer for compost collection at Williams Hall

Utilizing Freezers for Compost Collection at Holy Cross’ Student Apartments

  • College of the Holy Cross (MA)

The College of the Holy Cross added compost collection for student food waste in two college-owned apartments, William Hall and Figge Hall. Instead of traditional indoor collection bins, small freezers …

Move Out Festival Give-Away 2019

Building a Resilient Recycling Operation Against Market Forces, Financial Pressures, & Contamination Developments

  • University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (WI)

Recycling rates had plateaued. By 2016, even with the best of internal marketing and operational changes, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee was left to the devices of a decentralized collection and …

On-site Energy Manager Program

  • SUNY Jefferson Community College (NY)
  • New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) (NY)

In February of 2019 Jefferson Community College began a one-year commitment to provide a one-half time FTE On-site Energy Manager position in partnership with NYSERDA under project code OsEM17-C, (PON …

Animals on Shredded Cardboard Bedding

“Box to Farm to Compost”: A Paradigm Shift from an Extractive Culture to Regenerative Culture

  • Iowa State University (IA)

As a land grant university with a student population of over 30,000 students and about 6000 faculty and staff, there are enormous packaging items that make its way to campus …

University of Vermont Eco-Reps “Oh, The Places You’ll Go!” Transportation Campaign Case Study

  • University of Vermont (VT)

For UVM Eco-Reps’ first campaign of the 2019-20 academic year, we tackled issues related to how we move around. Whether it’s getting to class, work, or a friend’s house, how …

Pay As You Throw: Testing a New Waste Reduction Strategy at Yale University

  • Yale University (CT)

In the spring of 2019, Yale launched a Pay As You Throw (PAYT) pilot program, the first of its kind among American institutions of higher education. From inception to development …

  • Posted April 17, 2020
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Students Tabling at Agricultural Literacy Week Celebration

UVM's Food Values Campaign

  • University of Vermont (VT)

The UVM Eco-Reps program consists of 20 students that are divided up into five community teams, with each team assigned to a specified residential area on campus. Each semester, Eco-Reps …

  • Posted Feb. 27, 2020
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Bike Friendly University

  • University of Cincinnati (OH)

The Bicycle Friendly University program recognizes institutions of higher education for promoting and providing a more bikeable campus for students, staff and visitors. The Bicycle Friendly University program evaluates university's …

  • Posted Feb. 27, 2020
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Group of students participating in a spoon making event in Spring 2019.

Sequestering Carbon: Using Campus Wood to Make Carbon-Capturing Furniture and Items

  • Western Michigan University (MI)

The Living Woodshop, run by the Office for Sustainability at Western Michigan University, has been designed as a partnership with the Facilities Management department to reuse lumber on campus. Wood …

Freddy Court Map (communal bin was placed on SE corner)

Frederickson Court Trial Compost System

  • Iowa State University (IA)

With a campus compost facility already in operation, Iowa State University’s Compost Team sought to utilize the facility in more places around campus. The team identified Frederickson (Freddy) Court, a …

University of Vermont Eco-Reps Points of Intervention Campaign Case Study

  • University of Vermont (VT)

Every Spring semester, the UVM Eco-Reps carry out a campaign related to the main theme of Earth Week. This year, that theme was ‘Points of Intervention’ (POI). Points of Intervention …

  • Posted Sept. 24, 2019
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University of Vermont Eco-Reps Food Campaign Case Study

  • University of Vermont (VT)

The 2018-2019 professional development offering for the UVM Eco-Reps was a symposium centered around food concerns entitled Taking Root Student Symposium. Having been introduced to a wide variety of food-related …

  • Posted Sept. 24, 2019
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From the Classroom to the COP: Equipping Emory Students to Become Climate Policy Leaders

  • Emory University (GA)

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) took effect in 1994, and its main objective is to lessen the impact of human interference that threatens the Earth’s climate …

Student Sustainability Leadership Award

  • California State University Maritime Academy (CA)

California State University Maritime Academy in its continued effort to becoming most sustainable campus, engaging staff, faculty, and students, explored and identified water saving opportunities for the campus. The project …

Campus Sustainability Achievement

  • California State University Maritime Academy (CA)

California State University Maritime Academy (Cal Maritime) participated in the Arbor Day Foundation program, managed by a non-profit conservation and education organization founded in 1972, and applied for the Tree …

Environmental Justice

Hope and Empowerment: Navigating Grief, Climate Change, and Environmental Justice Through Train-the-Trainer Workshops

  • Portland Community College (OR)
  • Portland State University (OR)
  • Greater Portland Sustainability Education Network (GPSEN) (OR)

In these times of accelerating change, environmental crises, and social injustices, we are bombarded with negative news that can numb and overwhelm the spirit. How can we build hope and …

Connecting Artists and Sustainability with the Arts of the Earth Festival at Bemidji State University

  • Bemidji State University (MN)

The Arts of the Earth Festival is a fun event to "Celebrate Art, Honor Mother Earth, and Inspire Community". This year's festival was held on Saturday, April 27th and Sunday, …

teach in

The Pyramid of Action: A Multifaceted Approach For Deeper Engagement

  • California State University, Chico (CA)

With many environmental issues overwhelming students today, it can be paralyzing. So, AS Sustainability utilized the “Pyramid of Action” strategy in semester-long campaigns, leading students from awareness, behavior change, education …

Aggie Green Fund Official Logo

Aggie Green Fund

  • Texas A&M University (TX)

Aggie Green Fund (AGF) is a funds granting program under the Office of Sustainability that invites sustainability ideas from all members of the University community (students, faculty, and staff) to …

CU Boulder Animal Bedding Compost

  • University of Colorado Boulder (CO)

Animal vivariums on college campuses generate a significant amount of animal bedding waste every day. CU Boulder houses only small animal vivariums (mice, rats, etc.). The animal bedding generated at …

Additional QA/QC testing by student interns

The Searle Biodiesel Lab - Loyola University Chicago's Student-Run Biodiesel Program

  • Loyola University Chicago (IL)

The Biodiesel Lab is a student-run biodiesel production facility within Loyola University’s Institute of Environmental Sustainability. Starting from a single student’s idea over a decade ago, nearly 100 students have …

Workshop attendees at the SDG Summit 2018

Leveraging student leadership to build campus capacity for Sustainable Development Goals implementation: a case study on the University of Calgary’s Sustainable Development Goals Alliance.

  • University of Calgary (AB)

The Sustainable Development Goals Alliance (SDGA) is a student-led organization at the University of Calgary which seeks to improve campus and community collaboration towards the implementation of the seventeen Sustainable …

Central College Tree Campus

  • Central College (IA)
  • Arbor Day Foundation (NE)

Central College is a leader in sustainability education, both in Iowa and the Midwest. For more than a century, Central students and staff have helped plant and care for trees …

Central College Bee Campus

  • Central College (IA)
  • The Xerces Society (OR)

Central College is a leader in sustainability education, both in Iowa and the Midwest. For more than a century, Central students and staff have prioritized sustainability at the college. After …

WU January Hall Renovation: Journey from no certification to designed to achieve LEED v4 Platinum and beyond

  • Washington University in St. Louis (MO)

Constructed in 1922, Grace Valle January Hall housed the School of Law from the mid-1920s until the completion of the Seeley Mudd Law Building in the early 1970s. January Hall …

Coalition building to create university-wide change

  • Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Camden Campus (NJ)
  • Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick Campus (NJ)
  • Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Newark Campus (NJ)

Two years ago, we formed the Rutgers Sustainability Coalition, a student-led group of representatives from about 20 student organizations working together to address the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. We …

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