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
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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
Stanford R&DE's Student Living Laboratory
- Stanford University (CA)
Stanford University’s Residential & Dining Enterprises in partnership with students and academic departments have transformed its facilities in to a living laboratory by performing cutting edge research on student behavior …
- Posted May 21, 2018
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Stanford R&DE Student Housing Innovation in Cleaning
- Stanford University (CA)
Stanford’s R&DE Student Housing Operations (SHO) adopted a green cleaning standard that has reduced chemical usage in residences by over 90%. The system engineer's water by infusing it with ozone …
- Posted May 21, 2018
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Deep Energy Retrofits at Humber College's Building N
- Humber Polytechnic (ON)
In 2015, the College developed an Integrated Energy Master Plan (IEMP) with impressive goals to greatly reduce energy and water use by 2034. Specifically, Humber’s IEMP sets the following targets: …
- Posted May 21, 2018
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The WaterHub at Emory University – Engaging Campus & Community in Water Reclamation
- Emory University (GA)
The WaterHub at Emory University is an on-site water recycling system, utilizing biomimicry, or engineered processes that emulate natural ecological systems, to reclaim wastewater for heating and cooling buildings and …
- Posted May 21, 2018
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Clean Plates at State: Michigan State University
- Michigan State University (MI)
Michigan State University is continually striving to build a sustainable culture on campus and in the Spartan community. Clean Plates at State helps students and members of our community understand …
- Posted May 18, 2018
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UCI Bus Love: UC Irvine’s Transition from a Bio-Diesel to Electric Transit Fleet
- University of California, Irvine (CA)
The University of California, Irvine (UCI) is the first college campus in the nation to transition over to a fully-electric bus fleet. The student-funded-and-operated Anteater Express campus shuttle service has …
- Posted May 18, 2018
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Sustainability Activation Program at the University of Dayton
- University of Dayton (OH)
The Sustainability Activation Program (SAP) is an innovative, large scale, and peer-to-peer education program that began in October of 2016 with the intent to better educate our student body about …
- Posted May 18, 2018
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Campus-wide Zero Landfill Waste Policy Implementation & Outreach Program - Emory University
- Emory University (GA)
In January 2018, Emory University implemented a completely redesigned waste policy as a leap toward the goal of zero landfill waste (defined nationally as diverting 95% of waste from municipal …
- Posted May 18, 2018
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Chesapeake College - "A Living Lab."
- Chesapeake College (MD)
Chesapeake College, founded in 1965 as Maryland’s first regional community college, serves five counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, 20 percent of the state’s land, 3 percent of its population, and …
- Posted May 18, 2018
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Mississippi State Community Garden
- Mississippi State University (MS)
In the spring of 2017, the Student Association at Mississippi State University secured funding to further sustainability on campus. This funding was used in part to hold a proposal competition. …
- Posted May 18, 2018
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A Behavior Based Energy Conservation Program at Suffolk County Community College
- Suffolk County Community College (NY)
Suffolk County Community College (SCCC) is the largest community college in New York State, with over 26,000 students enrolled across three campuses and two extension sites. As a large institution …
- Posted May 18, 2018
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RU Sustainable event series
- Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick Campus (NJ)
RU Sustainable events are designed with the purpose of bringing together faculty, students, and staff to engage with the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs). As described on the …
- Posted May 18, 2018
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Partnership Development of Sustainable Learning
- Triton College (IL)
From a partnership of labor and industry and a community college grew an educational program geared toward meeting industry needs while highlighting facility sustainability and environmental awareness.
- Posted May 18, 2018
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Sustainability Action Planning Program
- Yale University (CT)
In 2017, the Yale Office of Sustainability launched a cohort-based sustainability action planning program that offered students, faculty, and staff members from 10 Professional Schools and three Officer Units the …
- Posted May 18, 2018
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Using Technology to Motivate and Quantify Behavior Change: My Cardinal Green
- Stanford University (CA)
In today’s increasingly technological and personalized world, sustainability professionals must provide opportunities to engage their community in a way that is relevant for them, while also quantifying the impacts of …
- Posted May 18, 2018
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Southern Oregon University Dish Loan Program
- Southern Oregon University (OR)
Southern Oregon University's Ecology and Sustainability Resource Center launched a Dish Loan Program in fall 2017. The Dish Loan Program is a free alternative for campus clubs, organizations, and departments …
- Posted May 18, 2018
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Integral inclusion of sustainability to the curriculum
- The Universidad Tecnologica Metropolitana (Metropolitana Region)
It shows how the Universidad Tecnológica Metropolitana de Chile integrated sustainability throughout the curriculum for all its programs
- Posted May 18, 2018
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Improving office recycling
- Raritan Valley Community College (NJ)
Every semester, the Environmental Science and Sustainability (ENVI201) class studies recycling on campus and comes up with ideas for improvements. Student Deidre Supple had the idea of improving recycling in …
- Posted May 18, 2018
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Cultivating the Globally Sustainable Self Summit Series - Advancing Education for Sustainable Development Through Research and Practice
- James Madison University (VA)
The Cultivating the Globally Sustainable Self Summit Series is a multi-year, multi-institution initiative that promotes transformative teaching, training, and learning in research and practice (www.jmu.edu/summitseries). The innovative Summit Series addresses …
- Posted May 18, 2018
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The U-Challenge at Texas A&M
- Texas A&M University (TX)
- Johnson Controls, Inc (WI)
- Siemens Industry, Inc. (IL)
The U-Challenge is a semester-long research competition for students that has evolved over the past two years to encompass both graduate and undergraduate teams from all majors. Student teams of …
- Posted May 18, 2018
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Food Lab Compost Project
- West Chester University of Pennsylvania (PA)
This project aims to reduce food waste produced by the West Chester University Food Lab. First, food scraps from the the Food Lab are collected in a sealed bin. Then, …
- Posted May 18, 2018
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Renewable Energy for Campus Facilites Services
- Black Hills State University (SD)
Demonstrating the effectiveness of the use of renewable energy at low costs in campus facilities services vehicles will help Black Hills State University reach its carbon and waste reduction goals. …
- Posted May 17, 2018
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UC Merced's 1st Annual Earth Month Celebration
- University of California, Merced (CA)
Earth Month was an opportunity for UC Merced organizations and departments as well as Merced Community members to come together in an effort to increase student engagement with our campus …
- Posted May 17, 2018
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Dismantling a local School to Prison Pipeline with Education for Sustainable Development
- University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (TX)
UTRGV’s collaboration with an alternative school and its subsequent integration of education for sustainable development has been transformative for the country’s most vulnerable and marginalized youth.
Armed guards stand at …
- Posted May 17, 2018
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Northwestern University Comprehensive Building Energy Data Audit
- Northwestern University (IL)
Northwestern University is committed to fostering environmental and ethical stewardship. The University’s Strategic Sustainability Plan establishes a vision for reducing environmental impacts. In terms of the University’s built environment, the …
- Posted May 17, 2018
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The ripple effect: Hydo-Aeorponics growing on campus
- Missouri Southern State University (MO)
- Chartwells Higher Education (NY)
In August of 2016 Missouri State University brought 2 zip grow towers( a Hydo-Aeorponics vertical grow tower system) to campus in partnership to display a hyper-local growing option for produce. …
- Posted May 11, 2018
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Implementation of a Green Labs Program in Campus Laboratories
- University of Alabama at Birmingham (AL)
UAB Green Labs Program is an institution-wide, voluntary program designed to reduce the university’s carbon output while simultaneously reducing operation costs of research buildings. The program accomplishes its goals by …
- Posted May 11, 2018
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First Application of UN-Toolkit to a Collegiate Climate Action Plan
- San Diego State University (CA)
The United Nations Guiding Principles for Climate Action Planning Toolkit: City-Level Reviews was re-engineered to allow for the applicability and utilization towards university-level climate action plans. Through tailoring the eight …
- Posted May 11, 2018
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Solarizing UC Santa Barbara
- University of California, Santa Barbara (CA)
In 2017 UCSB increased its onsite renewable energy generating capacity tenfold through a multi-site Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). UCSB now has over 5.3 megawatts (MW) of on-site solar capacity which …
- Posted May 11, 2018
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Michigan Tech Sustainability Demonstration House
- Michigan Technological University (MI)
The goal of Sustainability Demonstration House (SDH) project is to retrofit the former University President’s residence, built in 1953, titled the Kettle-Gundlach Building into a sustainability demonstration house. The SDH …
- Posted May 11, 2018
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The Razorback Food Recovery
- University of Arkansas (AR)
Food recovery – the practice of preventing surplus foodstuffs from being dumped in the trash – takes numerous forms and provides a variety of social, economic, and environmental benefits. According …
- Posted May 11, 2018
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Enable by House by Northwestern - a 2017 U.S. DOE Solar Decathlon Team
- Northwestern University (IL)
The U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon showcases innovative solar powered houses that are designed, built, and operated by collegiate teams. It is a collegiate competition of 10 contests that …
- Posted May 10, 2018
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Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Upgrade Project
- Northwestern University (IL)
Northwestern University is committed to fostering environmental and ethical stewardship. The University’s Strategic Sustainability Plan establishes a vision for reducing the University’s environmental impacts. In the area of transportation, the …
- Posted May 10, 2018
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Adding Recycling into Individual Offices
- South Dakota State University (SD)
2017-2018 has been the year of recycling for South Dakota State University. We looked at recycling levels and determined there was room for improvement. It was determined that availability of …
- Posted May 8, 2018
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Fashion Institute of Technology Energy Master Plan
- Fashion Institute of Technology (NY)
- NYC Mayor's Office of Sustainability (NY)
The Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), a leading art and design school in New York City, has made impressive strides to reduce its energy and carbon footprints. By implementing an …
- Posted May 8, 2018
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Emory Pollinator Protection Program
- Emory University (GA)
Concerned about the plight of bees and other pollinators, which are essential for two-thirds of the food crops we eat every day, Emory University developed a comprehensive Pollinator Protection Commitment …
- Posted May 4, 2018
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Composting for a Greener Campus: the Texas State University Bobcat Blend program
- Texas State University, San Marcos (TX)
Bobcat Blend is a faculty managed, student-run and grant-supported research and teaching-oriented waste management campus composting program at Texas State University. The goals of the organization are to teach students, …
- Posted May 2, 2018
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Permaculture and Community at WCSU
- Western Connecticut State University (CT)
The Jane Goodall Center for Excellence in Environmental Studies is a unique partnership between Western Connecticut State University and The Jane Goodall Institute, a private non-profit organization dedicated to wildlife …
- Posted May 2, 2018
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Progress toward 90% waste diversion goal
- Olds College (AB)
- Bow Valley College (AB)
Bow Valley College has come a long way in terms of waste management in the past four years. In 2014, our waste diversion rate was 19%. In 2018, our diversion …
- Posted April 25, 2018
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University of Vermont Eco-Reps "Curb Your Consumerism" Campaign
- University of Vermont (VT)
While the consumption of goods and services is a crucial component of modern economic systems, the culture of consumerism contributes to waste, resource depletion, pollution, and social and economic inequities. …
- Posted April 23, 2018
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Promoting Sustainability Science on Campus: Renewable Energy Workshops Hosted at Kean University in New Jersey
- Kean University (NJ)
The project provides workshops for high school/college students and educators to learn the basics, application, and impacts of renewable energy through hands-on activities and software tools. The workshops cover many …
- Posted April 3, 2018
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The Sustainability Cultural Indicators Program
- University of Michigan (MI)
The Sustainability Cultural Indicators Program (SCIP) is a multi-year effort designed to measure and track the culture of sustainability at the University of Michigan (U-M). It is intended to inform …
- Posted April 3, 2018
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Putting “Reduce” to Work: Getting Rid of Plastic Bags on Michigan State University’s Campus
- Michigan State University (MI)
In order to mitigate the effects of plastic bags on the environment and to fulfill Michigan State University's commitment to sustainability, we pioneered a two part initiative to reduce both …
- Posted March 19, 2018
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University of Vermont Eco-Reps Composting Campaign
- University of Vermont (VT)
At the University of Vermont (UVM), the Recycling and Waste Management program and the UVM Eco-Reps have identified a lack of understanding of composting within on-campus residential halls. Although composting …
- Posted March 5, 2018
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University of Vermont Eco-Reps "EcoWare, Everywhere!" Campaign
- University of Vermont (VT)
The University of Vermont (UVM) implemented reusable EcoWare to-go containers in retail locations 2011. Data collected from the past 4 years has shown that EcoWare uses became concentrated in residential …
- Posted March 5, 2018
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Engaging Chemeketa Community College through Collaborative Community Art with an International Focus
- Chemeketa Community College (OR)
For the 2017 Earth Day event, Chemeketa created a collaborative Earth Day Art Installation based on the story of Sadako Sasaki and the 1,000 paper cranes. Sustainability, the Associated Students …
- Posted March 5, 2018
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Recovery and Reuse; On-Campus and Off
- Rochester Institute of Technology (NY)
Many of the challenges sustainability seeks to address can be challenging to visualize. Moreover, the scale of these challenges can stifle the motivation to act before one even begins. These …
- Posted March 5, 2018
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University of Regina's Print Optimization Program
- University of Regina (SK)
The Print Optimization Program originally started as the University's attempt to manage the number of print devices that we had on campus. Almost every faculty and staff member had their …
- Posted Feb. 28, 2018
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Point Loma Nazarene University's Food Recovery Network
- Point Loma Nazarene University (CA)
Point Loma Nazarene University’s Food Recovery Network was started by a student as a means of reducing food waste on campus as well as supporting the local community. With the …
- Posted Feb. 28, 2018
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Creating a Healthy, Environmentally Responsible and Socially Just Campus Food System
- California State University, Northridge (CA)
Description In 2016, a year-long study release by the California State University (CSU) found that 24 percent of our system's 460,000 students were food insecure. To address this issue, and …
- Posted Feb. 28, 2018
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