As community colleges redesign and retrofit campuses in greener ways, many forward-thinking institutions are using these projects as hands-on learning opportunities for students. These so-called “living laboratories” merge academics and campus facilities management to provide students with real-world skills and, for the institution, a path to meet its sustainability goals.
The SEED Center and the U.S. Green Building Council’s Center for Green Schools have released a guide that highlights eight essential elements to building effective living labs. The Campus as a Living Lab: Using the Built Environment to Revitalize College Education tackles some of the biggest challenges faculty face in these endeavors, from breaking down internal institutional silos to engaging industry in curriculum development.
The guide is designed for community college personnel who are interested in launching or advancing effective living laboratory models on their campuses. Faculty, sustainability officers, and facilities staff, in particular, will find the information, best practices, and links useful.
As the Sustainability, Education and Economic Development (SEED) Center is a FREE initiative offered by the National Council for Workforce Education, we strive to provide our users with up-to-date information and materials. We encourage you to submit resources or open-source curriculum for possible posting on the SEED Center website.
Note: SEED is managed by a team of higher education experts who vet and curate resources and curriculum. Thus, not all submitted materials will appear on the website.
2023 SEED Center website updates funded by Lumina Foundation
©The SEED Center 2024