Campus as a Living Lab (CLL) 2018-2019

Highlighted Projects

Recycling and Water Conservation

Recycling and water use on campus are monitored, but are areas with potential for improvement. The team will investigate area water use baselines and identifying process improvements and recommend innovations to minimize potential water waste. Our goal is to identify the changes that are needed to bring the campus to at 10% reduction within one year and set goals for future years.

Under the Facilities Management department, this intern will have the opportunity to work with a team that is working to improve the campus sustainability. The Intern will work under the direction of the Facility Management Sustainability Manager. While working on specific projects, the intern will be introduced to all facets of water use and conservation on campus. The intern will be expected to be able to learn independently and think creatively.

This position offers a great opportunity for someone to learn how UCI manages and operates its facilities, gain experience working in a professional setting, and get a strong foothold into the Sustainability industry. Upon finishing this internship, the student should feel ready to take a Leadership role in a sustainability program at another college, city or county.

Facilities Management Sustainability

The goal for FM Sustainability is to decrease diversion rates across campus and as an intern you will take part in many important factors such as water conservation, recycling management, compositing programs, occupational health, and peer-to-peer education. This position can apply to multiple careers crossing from sustainability, environmental health, public health advocacy, or health management.

UCI Green Labs

As part of its ongoing commitment to sustainable operations, UCI launched the UCI Green Labs program in 2017 to help facilitate sustainable practices in campus laboratories. UCI Green Labs consists of a comprehensive self-assessment of sustainable practices including energy use, water use, green chemistry, field work, and waste management. Laboratory staff work collaboratively to complete the assessment, identify sustainable practices to implement, and complete the certification process. The Office of Environmental Planning & Sustainability is looking for a student who is passionate about sustainability and enthusiastic about helping to shape the future of Green Labs at UCI.

UCI Green Office Program

Facilities Management, with the support of Environmental Planning & Sustainability, is seeking a CLL intern to develop and implement the official UCI Green Office program. The Green Office program will assist and educate campus offices on how to implement sustainable practices into the workplace, including topics such as energy use, water use, waste management & minimization, sustainable purchasing, transportation, and health & well-being. The program supports and promotes offices that are taking steps toward reducing their environmental footprint. The Green Office program will support and build-upon existing programs and initiatives including UCI Green Labs and UCI Housing – Green Rooms. This internship creates an opportunity for the student to think creatively as they partner with campus staff and faculty to improve understanding of sustainability, and support implementation of sustainable practices and behavior into the workplace. This student will have the opportunity to become the first Green Office representative for UC Irvine.

Green Room Certification Program Liaison

The goal of this project is to forward an effective green room certification program for UCI housing residents. Residential living spaces are audited to check for energy efficiency and other resource saving practices. This program aims to expose UCI housing residents to learn more about how their lifestyle choices impact sustainability topics (e.g. water conservation, energy efficiency, etc.). By learning more about their own lifestyle choices, residents will also learn how to be more environmentally conscious.

By participating in the program, student residents will have a foundational understanding of best practices for conserving energy in UCI residential housing facilities as well an understanding of electrical safety and laundry efficiency. The purpose of these learning goals is to help students accomplish quantifiable energy savings by making small changes in their daily energy use habits.

The Green Room Certification Program utilizes a series of surveys and green room auditing materials to help residents meet goals. During the program, the project will be utilizing the data collected from the green room audits, behavioral surveys, to see if participants showed an improvement in making energy conscious lifestyle decisions.

Zero Waste Dining Facilities: Achieving 95%+ Solid Waste Diversion in Food Courts and Maintaining Zero Waste Dining Halls

Interns participate in outreach at the beginning of Fall Quarter to student organizations to build a network of additional volunteers with emphasis on groups with internal requirements for philanthropy project hours. Interns also do weekly “Trash Talking” event in the 4 campus food courts (rotating locations), beginning Fall Quarter and conduct a weekly waste audit of the 4 campus food courts (rotating locations, the location for the Trash Talking later that week plus the location the prior week) to assess impact of education/outreach. Interns plan and execute creative quarterly week-long educational waste displays at The Anteatery and Pippin to target first-year students (who also eat elsewhere on campus), to be featured twice per quarter per dining hall (different display each time). Interns also participate in Wiping Out Waste events 4 times a quarter.

UCI Natural Lands Management Leader

Students participate in one quarter of training by UCI-Nature staff and 2 quarters of leading activities. Students may choose to focus on one area of natural lands management or a combination. Activities would include: docent led interpretation of natural and land use history and research activities; organizing and conducting stewardship such as native planting, weed control and trail maintenance; and participating or leading citizen science projects involving data collection.

Verano Place Garden and Orchard Liaison

The Verano Place Community Organic Garden offers plots to community members. These plots are meant to encourage “growing your own food” in a community setting. Students will establish working guidelines and strategies for the existing community and orchard and garden and assist in getting the orchard back in shape.