There are numerous reasons campuses are beginning to implement smart microgrids (small-scale versions of centralized electricity systems). Many are interested in improving the ability to measure and reduce energy usage by tying together a campuses power source, transmission, distribution and consumption into one system. For institutions investing in on campus renewable energy systems and who have made commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, smart microgrids are an idea to consider.

Below are recent microgrid stories we (and others) have covered on this growing trend:

Santa Clara U Completes First Phase of Microgrid Installation. Noteworthy: "Santa Clara University has estimated that once its system is complete, they will be able to reduce energy consumption by 50 percent and save about 20 percent in energy costs. "

Illinois Institute of Technology Research into Microgrids and "Perfect Power"
Noteworthy: "The system consists of smart microgrids featuring a High-Reliability Distribution System (HRDS) loop design and redundant electricity and will allow IIT to eliminate costly outages, minimize power disturbances, moderate an ever-growing demand, and curb greenhouse gas emissions."

UC San Diego Partners on Energy Optimization and Microgrid Project
More on UCSD is in the article "Microgrids Get Big"
Noteworthy: "[UC San Diego] a leader in climate change research is also home to what is likely the most advanced microgrid in North America. As such, it aims to highlight how small, semi-independent power grids could help solve the problem of how to reliably integrate renewable energy into distribution systems, boost grid security and even make money for their owners, operators and developers."

First microgrid in Washington, D.C. at Howard University. "Howard University plans Washington’s first microgrid"

Also, an example of incorporating smart microgrids into the curriculum is described here; West Virginia U Institute of Technology Students Study Microgrid Technology

These investments in research and implementation of microgrid technology are significant and have the potential to play an important role in campus sustainability, particularly for campuses who are participating in climate action planning and have set greenhouse gas reduction goals (as the 670+ campuses participating in the American College & University Presidents' Climate Commitment have done).

Is your campus considering implementing a smart microgrid? Perhaps your campus has information to share? Please post a comment or email resources@aashe.org if you have thoughts or ideas to share.

This is the second in a series of blog articles highlighting the many excellent case studies AASHE has received to our campus sustainability case study database. Virtually all of the case studies currently in our database have been submitted as part of our annual awards program. Although we can only recognize a few campus submissions as "official winners" for that program, there are many exemplary case studies in the database worthy of recognition and wide dissemination (this is also a reminder to our campus readers to submit to our awards program and database. We know you have great case studies to share!).

This weeks case study highlight comes from the University of Vermont and describes the successful sustainability faculty fellows program at the university.

Co-authored by Tatiana Abatemarco a graduate fellow in the Office of Sustainability, Wendy Verrei-Berenback, Director for the Center for Teaching and Learning, and Stephanie Kaza, Professor and Director, of UVM's Environmental Studies program, the case study describes "integrating sustainability into courses across disciplinary boundaries with a modest budget, Provost-level support, and a handful of dedicated campus partners."

The case study overview and background is included below;
"Welcoming its first cohort in 2009, the program brought together sixteen faculty members from across disciplines via luncheons, a two-day January retreat, and online communications. The faculty revised existing syllabi and created new courses for 2010-2011. The enthusiastic, broadly interdisciplinary exchange of ideas indicated deep interest in integrating sustainability principles into undergraduate education. The program will continue in 2010-2011 with internal funding for a new cohort and we are looking into long-term base funding.

The Sustainability Faculty Fellows Program is a joint endeavor of the Office of Sustainability, the Environmental Program, the Center for Teaching and Learning, and the GreenHouse Residential Learning Community at the University of Vermont (UVM), in partnership with the non-profit educational center Shelburne Farms. The program builds on strong environmental academics at UVM and high levels of student and faculty engagement in sustainability. The goal was to create a peer learning community for faculty across multiple disciplines to receive support and develop skills to implement sustainability concepts into their courses. Two of the project partners, Stephanie Kaza (Director of the Environmental Program) and Wendy Verrei-Berenback (Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning) attended AASHE’s “Sustainability Across The Curriculum Leadership Program” in January 2009 to develop the curriculum. For more information on the program, please see the news story here."

To read the full case study please visit, "Sustainability Faculty Fellows Program at the University of Vermont".

Readers may also be interested in the resource list of other campus sustainability faculty development workshops that AASHE maintains .

Update: From Colin Durrant, Manager of Sustainability Communications at Harvard, " Harvard now has 119 green offices, with over 2,000 staff engaged. Here’s a recent story about the program’s 100 office milestone: http://green.harvard.edu/green-office-program-reaches-100-office-milestone".

This is the first in a series of blog articles highlighting many of the excellent case studies AASHE has received to our campus sustainability case study database. Virtually all of the case studies currently in our database have been submitted as part of our annual awards program. Although we can only recognize a few campus submissions as "official winners" for that program, there are many exemplary case studies in the database worthy of recognition and wide dissemination (this is also a reminder to our campus readers to submit to our awards program and database. We know you have great case studies to share!).

The first case study highlight comes to us from Harvard University and its Green Office Program. As readers of the AASHE bulletin know, there has been a growth in green office programs on campuses of various types. While there are many ways to implement and manage such programs, many campuses have been inquiring as to who has these programs and how they are run. Fortunately, the Harvard case provides a great model (along with highlighting many lessons learned).

The overview of Harvard's program is included below. To learn more about the background, project goals, implementation, financing, results, and lessons learned click through to read the whole case study.

"Harvard's Green Office Program’s offers staff practical solutions needed to meet Harvard’s GHG reduction goal and fulfill our Sustainability Principles, and a fun, competitive way for offices to celebrate their accomplishments. The program is structured around 4 levels of sustainability certification—Leaf One, Two, Three and Four—in 9 categories: Energy, Events & Meetings, Kitchens, Outreach, Publications, Purchasing, Recycling, Transportation, and Waste Reduction. Upon attaining the first level, an office is recognized as a Harvard Green Office, and can build upon that success to earn a higher Leaf. The Green Office website provides a host of tools and resources toward achieving Leaf certification including a Powerpoint presentation and checklist for each level, and fact sheets on topics such as green purchasing and computer power management. So far, 59 offices are certified."

We are working to compile a list of campus green office programs (email resources@aashe.org with your program link). To give readers a sense of the various type of programs and institutions with such programs, I've highlighted a few example green office programs below;

Pomona College, CU-Boulder, UCLA, the University of Kentucky, University of Kansas, Carleton College, and the University of Maryland is working to implement a program this summer.

A variety of campuses in California presented at AASHE's annual conference last year on the topic as well. More information on the presentation is available here, "Engaging Staff & Faculty through Green Office Certification Programs".

Camille Delavaux, a first-year earth and environmental science student at Lehigh University, is featured in this installment of the AASHE Bulletin Sustainability Student Diary series. As a member of the university’s Green Action team, Delavaux shares the ups and downs she has experienced while organizing efforts toward a campus-wide composting initiative. AASHE welcomes questions and invites feedback on each Sustainability Student Diary entry. Submit diary entries of your own for consideration to bulletin@aashe.org.

February 2011:

This is the story of how I became Compost Lady at Lehigh University.

It started in the fall, when Green Action – the main sustainability club on campus - became aware of the Pepsi Refresh Project. Huge grants to create monumental change at Lehigh? What are we waiting for? The club thought it would be a great way to get some funding for meaningful change on campus and a great way to help implement a sustainable idea within our campus community. But. We were working on little projects. We wanted something that would bring about some real change to Lehigh.

I’d always composted growing up; we collected food scraps and then tossed them on the mound at the edge of the woods. When I found out that the Green House—a community where environmentally conscious students live together two houses down from mine—had a composter, I made a change in my new home on campus. My housemates and I started separating our cooking scraps and compostable materials to bring over to the Green House composter.

Broadening compost efforts from my house to the entire campus was the ambitious goal we’d been looking for. Throughout the process of writing the Pepsi Refresh Project grant submission with the help of other students in the club, I researched how other schools in the country were efficiently implementing a composting system. Specifically, I looked at:

• Where on campus do they compost?
• Who does the actual separating?
• How have they worked to change the students' awareness and participation?
• What were some setbacks?
• What are financial incentives to do it at all?

There's a lot to learn before jumping into buying a composter and trying to change a college mindset. My adviser and geology professor at the time directed me toward a potential research adviser. A floor below, I knocked on Dork Sahagian’s door, and walked out half an hour later skipping down the steps of the building. The director of the university’s Environmental Initiative was helping me, a freshman in her first semester, to undertake this huge project? Wow.

And the support keeps pouring in. I never stop being amazed by it. Now, I’m also working with professors and staff on campus in addition to a few dedicated students. I’m blown away by the help; other people want to deal with slimy food waste? Cool.

Right now, I’m working on a poster for our “Undergraduate Research Pre-Symposium.” I’m excited to get more people thinking about compost, even if I don’t end up being selected to present at the symposium. I’m looking for funding to go to the Food Justice Summit in Boston in March. I’m also looking at more school composting systems, applying for research grants and trying to help the Green House figure out how often to get rid of its compost. I’m also talking with members of Psi Upsilon fraternity about implementing compost practices into their daily routine.

There is so much to improve upon at Lehigh in all sustainable practices, but particularly in composting. Our waste audits reveal a 30 to 50 percent decrease in waste going to the landfill if we start throwing that banana peal in a composting bin. This is from waste audits in residence halls; imagine the impact on dining halls.

The bin does need to be there first, but we have an amazing opportunity for change. I’m reading composting documentation, books, e-mails. I’m meeting. I’m calling. I’m skyping. I’m texting. I’m typing. In addition to Dork, I’ve received support from the Green House founder, the director of the Lehigh Valley Alliance for Sustainable Communities, our sustainability coordinator, dining staff, my mom and dad, compost system managers from other institutions and knowledgeable students at Lehigh.

This is work, but I love it. I’m running, handshaking, jumping through hoops. I’m learning as I go and eager to make change, but realizing it takes time and more than just me.

April 2011:

So much has happened since the last entry.

We never obtained the Pepsi Refresh Project grant. We did, however, raise awareness in the process. We walked up to people at one of our dining locations asking them to vote, explaining what we were trying to do and why. I received the grant from my Earth and Environmental Science (EES) Department to go visit colleges and universities to see their compost systems and talk with those involved. I’m planning to visit both Northeast and Southeast schools with 1,000 miles and seven nights funded!

I also obtained funding from EES to attend the Food Justice Summit. There, I talked with teenagers in high school, college dining coordinators, students who had never been involved in any sustainability efforts, interns and researchers. After a workshop on organic farming and certification, I sat down with the student who had led the discussion. We discussed composting and sustainable agriculture for a good hour. I learned about a huge range of issues dealing with food sustainability and food culture in the United States that helped inform my composting journey. The train ride there and back took up a good portion of the trip, but I’m glad I went.

I’m also the sustainability intern for my school’s food provider, Sodexo. Being in this position is a wonderful way to make the connection between the students, administration and dining. In addition to planning several Earth Day events, I help provide compost education at a waste sorting table located in a main dining facility on campus.

Still receiving unwavering support from my adviser and professors, and now Dining Services. I’m coming to the end of the first semester of this research. I’m excited and can’t wait to continue this journey. I have my concerns, but I’m ready to keep working on raising awareness, creating a student group for composting, proposing a campus-wide compost plan, pushing for implementation and ensuring the sustainability of a compost initiative at Lehigh after I graduate.

Please share any advice, information, knowledge or questions!

Update: More organizations have been identified in addition to those in the below list. Thank you Sonia Marcus! (via her blog Parlez-Vous Green Campus).
With all the exciting activities, initiatives and events happening in campus sustainability in the U.S. and Canada it is easy to overlook the equally impressive work being done across the globe. As the campus sustainability movement has continued to grow and flourish in the U.S. and Canada, there has been an increasing interest in what is happening abroad. While AASHE does try to help publicize international campus sustainability leadership and activities through our bi-annual AASHE Bulletin Global edition and through our annual conference, there is certainly a lot of activity happening that we do not always have a chance to cover.

Fortunately, there are other organizations and events abroad focused specifically on campus sustainability. The below list (while not comprehensive) includes some of these organizations. If you happen to have global campus sustainability experience and would like to contribute to the conversation, please feel free to email me (niles[at]aashe.org) or leave a note in the comments section below. In addition, if there are any other organizations readers know of that we should include in our list, please let us know.
If we are to succeed in the many sustainability challenges facing us, it is inevitable that we connect and collaborate across borders.

Campus sustainability organizations (not US or Canada focused):

• Australasian Campuses Towards Sustainability (ACTS) includes Australia, New Zealand, the island of New Guinea and neighbouring Pacific Islands
• Korean Association for Green Campus Initiative (KAGCI)
• The Environmental Association of Colleges & Universities (EAUC) includes colleges and universities in the United Kingdom
• International Sustainable Campus Network (ISCN) Europe/International focus.
• Network for the Promotion of Sustainability in Postgraduate Education and Research (ProSPER.Net) includes Asia and Pacific Islands

Other initiatives in Europe include the The Sustainable Futures Academy (also known as the Salzburg Global Seminar), and the Global University Network for Innovation (GUNI) Barcelona conference on Higher Education's Commitment to Sustainability.

Additional organizations outside of North America are listed on the resources section of the Parlez-vous green campus blog here.

In a video recently released by Second Nature, Arizona State University President Michael M. Crow recalls a conversation with a New York Times reporter who said: "Who cares whether or not the colleges and universities reduce their carbon footprint? You only got 2 or 3 percent of the carbon footprint in the country.”

"Well, yeah, that's true," Crow answered the reporter. "But we have 100 percent of the student footprint."

The impact that students can have on the environment is one of the founding reasons behind Earth Day. That, and a faith in students to influence change. Inspired by the anti-Vietnam War demonstrations, called "teach-ins," happening on college campuses all across the nation in 1969, U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson decided to organize a huge grassroots protest over what was happening to the environment. The first Earth Day on April 22, 1970 was targeted to higher education campuses in an effort to raise awareness and appreciation for the natural environment.

Earth Day has since expanded to a global event coordinated by the Earth Day Network and Earth “Day” is often celebrated on campuses with weeks of panel discussions, volunteer opportunities, film screenings and other events that envision a sustainable future. New York University, for example, organized too many events to fit into one week and is now hosting a supersized Earth Week from April 11 – 26.

While higher education students, faculty and staff make significant strides in the campus sustainability movement year-round, Earth Day is a chance to step back and celebrate these achievements, to be inspired by sustainability leaders and success stories, and to recognize the work still ahead. Here is a snapshot of some of the campus sustainability efforts initiated in honor of Earth Day, Week, Month and Year:

University of Chicago
Playing off the horror film “Children of the Corn,” the theme for this year’s Earth Week hosted by the University of Chicago was “Food: You are what you eat. Do you know what you are?” The main goal of the week was to draw attention to the “serious food issues facing the world today, including the prevalence of corn in our food.” Events included a film screening of “Carbon Nation,” a lecture titled “Adam, Malcolm, Martin and Food: Inalienable Resources,” an e-waste drive and a volunteer work day at a community garden.

George Washington University
For the duration of April leading up to Earth Day, George Washington University (DC) focused on its commitment to water sustainability. Students were encouraged to download an Earth Month passport, an April calendar containing a variety of actions to help reduce water consumption, and participate in the GWater Challenge. Events raised awareness about global water issues, water quality, bottled water and water footprints.

University of Richmond
The University of Richmond (VA) kicked off Earth Week with Gordon Stillman talking about the Virginia Sustainable Agriculture Documentary Project, which explores local food in central Virginia through photography. Students had the opportunity to plant plots in the community garden and attend a screening of "Avatar." Festivities ended with a celebration that included rock climbing, music, pottery and a visit from Sierra Club representatives.

American University
American University (DC) highlighted a different sustainability topic each day of Earth Week. Topics included energy and climate, transportation, food and water, and a day of service. The events concluded with an Eating Green conference that included the panel discussion, “A Conversation about Food, Sustainability and Social Justice.”

Queens University of Charlotte
Queens University of Charlotte (NC) held its third annual “Power Down Day” in honor of Earth Week. The campus community was advised to unplug as many electrical devices as possible for the day to reduce the amount of energy consumed. Students also had the opportunity to plant trees in the residential quad.

Oregon State University
"Earth Day Every Day" at Oregon State University spread conservation awareness during its Earth Week. The university hosted more than 25 events including a green resume writing workshop, EarthFaire, e-waste recycling collection and a PeaceCorps information session.

Appalachian State University
In addition to formally renewing its commitment to sustainability, Appalachian State University (NC) hosted a wide variety of events leading up to Earth Day. Events included an evening mixer for local farmers in which stories, tips and techniques were shared, presentations by local sustainable businesses, a campus clean-up day, free item and clothing swap, Operation Medicine Cabinet, tours on campus renewable energy and many more.

University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth
The Living Classroom was unveiled during the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth Earth Day celebrations. Serving as a bridge between traditional educational resources, the larger community and the natural environment, the Living Classroom was created to educate and demonstrate how society can adapt to the challenges of population growth, resource depletion and climate change. A series of events were held throughout the day to welcome the new project.

Texas State University-San Marcos
Texas State University-San Marcos partnered with PSC Environmental Services for this third annual e-waste recycling event, which so far has collected and recycled more than 40,000 pounds of electronics from the community. All net proceeds from the event support sustainability efforts on the campus and the international charity World Bicycle Relief.

University of Idaho
In addition to a host of other events, the University of Idaho's College of Natural Resources and Sustainability Center co-hosted a free screening of a new film called “Green Fire,” the first full-length documentary film about legendary conservationist Aldo Leopold. The film was preceded by the public seminar, “Aldo Leopold, Phenology and Climate Change in Wisconsin,” by Stanley A. Temple, Beers-Bascom professor emeritus in the Conservation Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology and Gaylord Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Indiana University
With events including the annual "Green Day" kickoff festival, lectures, film screenings, a poetry slam, a garden planting and a bike maintenance and safety training day, Indiana University Bloomington's "WasteD" week speaks to adapting a mindset about consumer output to ensure the security of natural resources for the future. "By choosing a theme like 'WasteD' that has a double meaning, we were able to connect the relationship between typical college experiences with issues of sustainability," says SustainIU Coordinator Lauren Kastner.

Moravian College
To promote sustainability and celebrate Earth Day on campus, Moravian College (PA) is hosting a series of green events throughout April, culminating with a free public presentation, “Reconciling the Science and Economics of Climate Change,”

This is just a small snapshot of the thousands of events happening across world in celebration of Earth Day. Tell us how your institution celebrated Earth Day!

• Reporting by Ian McHugh, Tim Gibbins and Margo Wagner

AASHE has released its first annual report, “STARS: A Year in Review.” From sustainability research opportunities to sustainable dining efforts to campus-wide social justice initiatives, this report details the sustainability efforts found in the inaugural submissions to the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment, Rating & System (STARS). Thirty-seven institutions submitted their STARS Reports in time for inclusion in the review. There are more than 200 additional institutions participating in STARS that will be submitting reports for a Rating in the coming year. The complete Review may be accessed from the STARS website: stars.aashe.org.

In addition to a broad range of information provided in the institutional reports submitted by STARS Participants, “STARS: A Year in Review.” captures the insights and knowledge gained by those institutions during the reporting process. Of particular note are the following findings:

• Of the first 37 submissions, which came from a variety of institution types, eight earned a Gold Rating, 19 earned Silver, nine earned Bronze, and one earned a Reporter Rating.

• Seven of the eight STARS Gold institutions scored more than 17 of the 18 possible points in the Co-Curricular Education subcategory, which focuses on non-academic programming that supports sustainability learning.

• On average, 58% of the applicable points in the water subcategory were earned by STARS Participants.

• Ten institutions earned 100% of the points available in both the Diversity and Affordability subcategory and the Coordination and Planning subcategory, which together include a total of 13 sustainability indicators.

• A total of 71 sustainability innovations were reported (nearly two per institution)

Launched more than a year ago by the AASHE, STARS is the only system of its kind that involves public reporting of comprehensive information related to a college’s or university’s sustainability performance. STARS provides institutions with a standardized assessment tool to evaluate their progress toward sustainability. The system includes 139 environmental, economic, and social indicators, which are divided into four categories related to campus activities: Education & Research, Operations, Planning, Administration & Engagement, and Innovation. All of the requirements for evaluating and scoring an institution are transparent and made publicly available.

STARS is a self-reporting system, which is open to all institutions of higher education in the U.S. and Canada. Participants collect data that fulfills the criteria for STARS credits and submit their data through an online Reporting Tool. Once the institution’s report is submitted, it receives a Reporter, Bronze, Silver, Gold, or Platinum Rating and the STARS Report becomes publicly available for viewing on the STARS website. Prior to becoming public, the STARS Report requires sign off by the institution’s highest ranking executive.

The STARS Program provides ongoing opportunities for institutions to participate. Registration information and additional details on the program are available on the STARS website, stars.aashe.org.

This week's guest blog article is by John Clinton, Associate Professor of Environmental Policy and Sustainability Management at Milano-The New School for Management & Urban Policy in New York City, and Milano team leader for the Solar Decathlon project.

Complex engineering problems, aesthetic design, and, of course, energy efficiency solutions all characterize the Solar Decathlon. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy, the Decathlon is an international competition among colleges and universities to design, build, and operate solar-powered houses that are cost-effective, energy-efficient, and attractive. This year’s 20 finalists include entries from across the U.S. and, for the first time, China (Tongji University).

Along with the imaginative and analytical discipline essential to design-development and execution, a seemingly mundane challenge can pose one of the thorniest issues for Decathletes: how to integrate the efforts of hundreds of students in dozens of courses taught by a score of professors over the lifespan of a two-year project, with many of the participants cycling out at the conclusion of an academic semester. Given the tension between continuity and adaptability, how can anyone know what others are doing, let alone break new ground in technology applications, marketability, and aesthetics?

For The New School-Stevens Institute of Technology Solar Decathlon team, (which includes the Parsons School of Design and the Milano School of Management and Urban Policy), an additional consideration has been the decision to take a community-based approach. Our partnership extends beyond our schools to include the Washington, D.C. Deanwood neighborhood advisory commissioner, the D.C. Department of Housing and Community Development, and Habitat for Humanity of Washington, D.C. With these partners, we are working to create a simple, affordable, ultra-efficient home that holistically and systemically addresses sustainable living.

While we are convinced that such an approach is necessary to achieve the social impact we seek, broad partnerships of this sort inevitably heighten process and structural challenges. So, our solution to what is essentially an organizational problem has been that seemingly mundane tool: the org chart.
We engaged several graduate students from the Milano Organizational Change Management (OCM) graduate program to collect data through survey questionnaires from a wide-ranging array of academic teams across the three schools. They identified and canvassed 22 teams in all, subsequently interviewed university-based project leaders, and also gathered input from community partners.

Thanks to the architecture faculty member who is the overall project leader, and especially the elected student project leadership of this student-driven project, the critical need for the OCM organizationally-centered work was underscored. Both faculty and student leaders emphasized the integrative potential of the OCM work—an important message for all team members to absorb.

In addition to identifying the 22 student workgroups and clarifying relationships among internal and external stakeholders, the group implemented an organizational chart created by collaboration across all of the schools to promote continuing collaboration. The chart eased the entry of each new group of students as they entered the project, helping them understand the many players and project components, and facilitated internal communication, so that work teams could readily direct inquiries and engage in joint efforts.

Several additional OCM students focused on process issues and devised forums for integration, brainstorming, and communication strategies. A key task was to provide methods for relationship-building in order to improve understanding of the goals of key stakeholders in the organizational chart and the interactions and settings necessary to achieve them.

Unlike more typical projects in which the various professions work in isolation, we learned quickly that curricular attention to human relationships and communication, employing the tools of managing change processes and organizational dynamics, were important contributors to complex, interdisciplinary collaboration. That is a lesson we are now infusing in sustainability curricula across the institution.

As we enter the final stages of the Solar Decathlon competition, we continue to derive lessons for curricular innovation to be shared with the entire university community. Equally, and as importantly, we believe we are preparing our students for the challenges of interdisciplinary collaboration that characterize sustainability work beyond the classroom walls.