Thrive, Issue 1 by UNC Charlotte

THRIVE UNC Charlotte 2014 Sustainability Report

FROM THE CHANCELLOR RAISING VISIBILITY, ACCOUNTABILITY ON SUSTAINABILITY I am pleased to introduce “THRIVE,” UNC Charlotte’s first annual report on sustainability. The University recognizes the importance of sustainability for a strong and healthy society, as evidenced by the myriad ways it is being practiced, taught and researched on our campus. As this report demonstrates, UNC Charlotte’s sustainability efforts provide shining examples of the integration of economic, ecological, regional and social issues. As the leader of a growing urban university, I am conscious of how challenging it is to create a sustainable institution. I understand the potential for cutting operational costs, improving safety and protecting the environment. I also see the opportunities for intellectual growth in challenging fields that address social and environmental issues. Furthermore, I hear the excitement within our community about the steps we are taking to help build a sustainable 21st century economy. In response to these challenges and opportunities, UNC Charlotte has taken great strides in maintaining the brisk pace of our sustainability journey. The University appointed an Executive Sustainability Committee and hired our first sustainability officer, Dr. Michael Lizotte, to provide leadership and oversight. We are also taking steps to enhance the visibility and accountability of our sustainability commitment by implementing tools such as this annual report. The University already makes regular reports to government agencies on energy consumption, water use, air pollution, safety and other measures THRIVE | FROM THE CHANCELLOR

relevant to sustainability. Since 2009, we also have reported our progress on reducing greenhouse gases, supporting my endorsement of the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment. In the coming year we will join the other UNC campuses to report our progress in meeting the sustainability policy passed by the UNC Board of Governors in 2012. Our broadest sustainability assessment to date will be a report to the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) covering over 75 items in its Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STAR). This report will be available on an AASHE website that allows for comparison with hundreds of college campuses. Several national publications use the AASHE database to inform the public and prospective students about the sustainability of university operations, teaching, research and engagement. This annual report demonstrates UNC Charlotte takes seriously the responsibility of sustainability, both in what we teach and research and in how we run our institution. As we continue to put sustainability into action, I hope you will enjoy a few of our early success stories.

Philip L. Dubois Chancellor

TABLE OF CONTENTS 2 3 4 5

From the Chancellor Introducing the Four Sustainability Claims Editor’s Note & Credits Economic Claim

12 21 28 37

Ecological Claim Regional Claim Social Claim Gems

40 Shaping the Future 41 Meet the University Sustainability Officer

INTRODUCING THE FOUR SUSTAINABILITY CLAIMS

CLAIM 1: ECONOMIC

EPIC, solar research and operational initiatives are just a few ways UNC Charlotte drives economic sustainability.

CLAIM 2: ECOLOGICAL From zero-waste measures in football to climate change and water conservation, environmental commitments are a priority.

CLAIM 3: REGIONAL

The Urban Institute, EEA Office and Blue Line Extension show

CLAIM 4: SOCIAL Building a solar house, launching UNC Charlotte Center City

the University’s sustainability leadership is alive and well in the

and creating the IDEAS Center are big campus investments in

Charlotte region.

social sustainability.

TABLE OF CONTENTS | THRIVE

EDITOR’S NOTE WELCOME TO THRIVE Production of this first issue of THRIVE has been somewhat like trying to capture the ocean: story choices are vast and deep, information develops and changes quickly and the impact of initiatives and research is extensive. The challenge was how to present and organize such a massive amount of information in a digestible way. Additionally, it became quickly apparent not every single accomplishment can be covered in one report. These, of course, are great opportunities. Ultimately, we chose a story-based report format organized mainly by four themes, or “Claims,” as mentioned in the chancellor’s introduction. Within each Claim are stories that exemplify the remarkable work being done by our University. You’ll even notice a fifth section, “Gems,” which provides further snapshots of notable activities. Some major stories you’ll uncover: how the Energy Production and Infrastructure Center is a powerful driver of economic sustainability for our region; how the Urban Institute’s partnership with two governmentplanning organizations resulted in a $4.9 million HUD grant to boost regional sustainability; and how UNC Charlotte students have built bridges in a Peruvian village to increase the social sustainability of the community. Our goal is to share THRIVE with you annually and to communicate

stories frequently as well. Mike Lizotte, the University’s sustainability officer, is committed to providing you, our stakeholders, with insights on partnerships, research, accreditations, initiatives and much more. You’re invited to read his thoughts on page 41. Enjoy the debut of THRIVE!

VOLUME 1, NUMBER 1 EDITOR Shelly Theriault UNIVERSITY SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER Mike Lizotte, Ph.D ASSOCIATE EDITOR Susan Shakelford CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Mike Lizotte, Ph.D Samantha Kirby PHOTOGRAPHY

Shelly Theriault Editor, Facilities Management Communications Officer

Wade Bruton Edward Davis Nancy Pierce Lynn Roberson Brett Tempest Charmeck.org Foreignfoodie.wordpress.com N.C. Department of Environmental and Natural Resources UNC Charlotte 2013 Solar Decathlon Team UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens UNC Charlotte CHARP UNC Charlotte EPIC UNC Charlotte IDEAS Center UNC Charlotte Office of Waste Reduction and Recycling UNC Charlotte Projective Eye Gallery DESIGN Myron Macklin THRIVE is published annually by the University of North Carolina at Charlotte Facilities Management Building 9201 University City Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28223-0001 Editorial Contact: ThriveEditor@uncc.edu The University of North Carolina at Charlotte is committed to equality of educational opportunity and does not discriminate against applicants, students or employees based on age, gender, race, color, national origin, religion, creed, disability, veteran’s status, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression.

THRIVE | EDITOR’S NOTE

CLAIM 1: ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY STRENGTHENING THE WORKFORCE INTRODUCTION The economic dimension of sustainability can be easiest to relate to but the hardest to understand. Most people can relate to the idea that households, businesses, governments and the economy as a whole need to be financially sound and able to support future generations. That is because people spend much of their time steeped in the world of jobs and everyday transactions required to live. The challenge is to understand how economic concerns relate to other realities. With sustainability, the imperative is to build a sound economy that also creates a positive future for the community and the environment. Imagine the economy as an object that we place into a large box we call the community, which goes into a larger box called the environment. The shape and size of the economy are important, and it’s possible to imagine an economy that that doesn’t fit well within its community or environment. An economy is complex. We might 5

imagine it has some fragile parts but also some hard edges that can damage the larger boxes of the community and the environment. Thus, for an economy to be sustainable, it needs to be welldesigned, handled with care and protected by a resilient community and an intact environment. UNC Charlotte focuses on how economies, communities and the environment can co-exist and flourish. The stories in this section describe exciting new research institutes, cutting-edge projects and best practices adopted by the University. These highlights demonstrate UNC Charlotte’s capacity to contribute knowledge, strengthen the workforce and demonstrate leadership in economic sustainability.

CLAIM: ECONOMIC | THRIVE

The AREVA Power Systems Teaching Laboratory is one of EPIC’s many sites for hands-on learning about energy.

‘DELIVERING TALENT’ EPIC CULTIVATES ENGINEERING WORKFORCE, FOCUSES ON SUSTAINABLE ENERGY FUTURE When UNC Charlotte’s Energy Production and Infrastructure Center (EPIC) opened its new building in late 2012, its story of economic development was front and center. “EPIC is a stunning example of UNC Charlotte’s responsiveness to the workforce development needs of a key industry that helps to drive our regional economy,” said Charlotte Chamber President Bob Morgan. “EPIC THRIVE | CLAIM: ECONOMIC

is delivering talent for the energy sector jobs of today and tomorrow.” Begun in 2008, EPIC’s role is to develop engineers and perform research to benefit the energy industry. The local region is home to more than 200 energy operations, including heavy hitters such as Charlottebased Duke Energy, Siemens Energy, AREVA and Westinghouse Electric. Those companies and 19 others have 6

contributed or pledged $17.5 million to EPIC so far. In the spring of 2013 when Parisbased AREVA announced it was moving its North American headquarters to Charlotte, CEO Mike Rencheck sported a UNC Charlotte tie at the press conference. He cited the airport and EPIC for determining the relocation. “Being part of that energy hub, with strong academic background, makes all

With research, EPIC draws from more than 100 faculty members, who hail from five colleges and 14 departments across campus. the difference in the world,” he said. While economic development is a key part of sustainability in and of itself, EPIC takes the concept much further.

PARTNERS WITH INDUSTRY EPIC Director Johan Enslin has described the center as a universityindustry partnership “to study and evaluate new energy technologies for a sustainable energy future.” The center’s vision echoes the point, saying EPIC’s goal is to meet “the education and research needs for a safe, reliable and sustainable energy future.” Sustainability is a ribbon that connects primary EPIC concerns — curriculum and degree programs, research, Charlotte Engineering Early College high school and even the EPIC building itself — a gold-certified LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) structure. Working closely with industry partners, the center provides input to the Lee College of Engineering on undergraduate energy concentrations in four engineering fields: electrical, mechanical, systems and civil and environmental. The same is true with master’s degrees in systems engineering and in energy and electromechnical systems. EPIC also works with the Belk College of Business on its master’s in business administration with an energy concentration.

EPIC’s high-bay lab played a pivotal role in developing the University’s award-winning Solar Decathlon house.

With research, EPIC draws from more than 100 faculty members, who hail from five colleges and 14 departments across campus. The researchers work in five clusters — energy markets and system engineering, large component design and manufacturing, power infrastructure and environmental

The Duke Energy Smart Grid Laboratory allows researchers to use a real-time digital grid simulator for experiments.

development, power systems modernization and renewables and energy efficiency. Their research dollars grew 43 percent from $6.6 million in 2011 to $9.4 million in 2013. Projects with a sustainable bent range from studies of capturing energy from sun, wind and ocean waves to ones that focus on applying energyefficient LED lighting to more devices and mimicking the incandescent 7

shades of light that people find pleasing for everyday use.

SMART GRID LAB The Duke Energy Smart Grid Laboratory allows researchers to use a real-time digital grid simulator to test algorithms, models and devices being developed to modernize the grid and assess the impact of renewable energy. Researchers also are seeking to improve solar panels by examining how clouds reduce energy output and how battery-like devices might compensate for that. EPIC also uses its AREVA Power Systems Teaching Laboratory, environmental lab and high-bay structures laboratory for teaching and research. The high-bay lab played a pivotal role in developing the school’s award-winning Solar Decathlon house, UrbanEden, (see pg. 29) which will be a “living lab,” Enslin says, for the Charlotte Engineering Early College. Researchers used the high-bay lab to stress-test a new geopolymer in the house’s walls, one that provides good insulation and reduces pollution by using coal ash in the CLAIM: ECONOMIC | THRIVE

“In terms of getting people organized around the topic of energy, workforce development and research, it is very, very powerful.” place of traditional portland cement. Manufacturing portland cement is a significant contributor to climate change, and the ash is a toxic by-product of coal-fired power plants

Lab equipment used at EPIC.

Robert Cox. Clearly, EPIC’s attention to sustainability has many dimensions. When Enslin ponders the center’s influence, he says, “In terms of getting people organized around the topic of energy, workforce development and research, it is very, very powerful.”

and a contributor to climate change as well. EPIC is also home to The Center for Sustainably Integrated Buildings and Sites, best known as “SIBS,” and founded by UNC Charlotte. “We are trying to minimize the impact of the built environment,” says SIBS Director

EPIC BUILDING: A ‘GREEN’ MARVEL The EPIC building’s sustainable, or green, features are so extensive that the 200,000-square-foot structure uses about 30 percent less energy than typical buildings its size. That’s thanks primarily to its lighting and its heating and air conditioning system. “We have a lot of natural, indirect lighting from the outside, which saves on cost and creates a nice atmosphere,” said EPIC Director Johan Enslin. “We also save 40 to 60 percent on the typical HVAC bill because we use chilled and hot water circulated in pipes that cools and heats the building.” The most prominent lighting feature is an elliptical daylight well in the center of the building. The well extends 30 feet above the roof and allows light to stream into an atrium, where the light is distributed into the building by translucent fixture shelves made from recycled materials. At the roof level, an overhang reduces heat but doesn’t compromise light flow.

THRIVE | CLAIM: ECONOMIC

The EPIC building’s sustainable features include an elliptical daylight well in the atrium. Drawing from natural light, translucent fixture shelves distribute it through the building.

The building also minimizes water use by using rainwater and HVAC condensate. An attractive outdoor garden courtyard rests above a 20,000-gallon underground cistern, which collects rainwater from the roof and grounds for irrigation. No potable water is used for that purpose, and the landscape minimizes the need for watering with drought-tolerant plants. With the HVAC condensate, the center collects it in a 6,000-gallon

underground tank, cleans it with ultraviolet light and then uses it for bathroom toilets. That the building achieved “gold” status from the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design program is no surprise. And EPIC’s Enslin is inspired to do more. One day, he wants to retrofit the roof and a nearby parking deck with enough solar panels to power the building.

SHAPING ENERGY’S FUTURE: HARNESSING SOLAR RESEARCH

University researchers create and test the future. They examine issues that emerge with modern societies, identifying problems as well as solutions. The value of UNC Charlotte expertise can be seen in nearly $1 million granted to two projects from the U.S. Department of Energy’s SunShot Initiative. Deborah Strumsky, associate professor in the Department of Geography and Earth Sciences, is leading a team studying how to forecast investments for emerging solar energy technologies. Similar to people considering a wide range of complex, inter-related factors when building their retirement funds — such as what funds are available to them, the amount of risk involved and how long until they retire — Strumsky and her fellow researchers are considering how various factors impact the performance of solar technologies She is working with researchers

from Arizona State University and the University of Oxford. The research team is exploring how solar technologies in the past have been influenced by technical improvements, public

UNC Charlotte researchers are studying how to forecast investments for emerging solar energy technologies.

and private investments and public policy. By analyzing hundreds of years of patent data and historical cost and production data, the team will construct a model — called a “technology ecosystem” — to forecast technological progress. “New technologies arise out of the evolution of ecosystems of existing technologies,” Strumsky said. “These models are trying to determine the best way to allocate your research and development dollars to get the best bang for your buck. This information can help businesses better focus their solar research and development efforts, and it can help policymakers design more effective energy policies.” The SunShot grant is also funding the Energy Production and Infrastructure Center (EPIC) as the primary research partner to SineWatts Inc., to develop a new technology for solar panels that generate electricity. SineWatts, founded in 2011 in California, has relocated to Charlotte. EPIC will provide SineWatts with a team of students and post-doctorate 9

fellows to assist in the development of new, patent-pending technology. The team is working on using miniaturized electronics to create photovoltaic panels that efficiently convert electricity to the alternating current used by the grid, reducing the infrastructure and costs of solar power. Babak Parkhideh and EPIC Director Johan Enslin, both professors in the department of electrical and computer engineering, are leading the research team. “This is a great opportunity for our researchers to bring our expertise to the development of a potentially industry-transforming solar inverter technology,” Enslin said.

CLAIM: ECONOMIC | THRIVE

OPERATIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS Sustainable operations on a thousand-acre campus easily demonstrate how changes in dayto-day activities accumulate into big benefits, including economic advantages. Several UNC Charlotte operational initiatives demonstrate how this is done. When the state set goals to reduce fuel consumption in vehicles, the University responded by changing the type of vehicles it uses. “Electricity is a much cheaper fuel than gasoline, and the approximately 150 electric vehicles now used on campus have helped cut our fuel use by about 1/3,” said Mike Lizotte, the University’s sustainability officer. Cited as a “N.C. Smart Fleet Champion” in 2014 by the N.C. Clean Energy Technology Center, UNC Charlotte has made major inroads with its fleet. Today, 39 percent of its vehicles run on alternative fuels. Meanwhile, using “green” cleaning products and practices has earned Housing and Residence Life national recognition. The group won the Cleaning Industry Management Standard’s Green Building Certification with Honors award in 2013. Housing and Residence Life was the first applicant from North Carolina to be recognized for such effort to improve worker and resident safety. Implementing building performance contracts is another powerful way to promote sustainable practices, as it provides greater financial returns on long-term investments. UNC Charlotte now hires contractors who agree to profit only if they install energy-saving lighting, controls and other equipment proven to reduce energy bills. Combined with repairs and renovations to THRIVE | CLAIM: ECONOMIC

The University has more than 150 electric vehicles for on-campus duties.

older buildings, efforts such as these “provide an avoided cost of over $3 million per year alone,” according to Anthony Schallert, UNC Charlotte’s energy manager. Efficiencies are also found by working closely with staff and contractors to improve waste management. Educational events and

workshops, as well as increased and improved recycling bins, have led to more than 40 percent of campus waste being diverted from landfills. This means over two million pounds of waste per year is kept out of landfills and turned into sustainable recycled products. Additionally, construction and

Housing and Residence Life won the Cleaning Industry Management Standard’s Green Building Certification with Honors in 2013.

demolition work, another heavy contributor to waste, has now increased recycling rates to more than 80 percent because of performance contracts noted earlier. Economic and environmental advantages of sustainability make for a powerful lens to examine operational needs on campus — and the benefits are very real.

Recycling materials is a priority.

SIBS: ‘MAKING BUILDINGS PERFORM BETTER’ Under the wing of the Energy Production and Infrastructure Center (see pg. 6) is “SIBS,” which is short for The Center for Sustainably Integrated Buildings and Sites. While the name is broadly descriptive, it belies the results-oriented nature of SIBS. “We are helping people solve real problems,” said the center’s director, Robert Cox, Ph.D., an associate professor of electrical and computer engineering at UNC Charlotte. “As academics we are often working on ideas that will make things better in the future, which is great — but at the end of the day, it’s great to know you’re helping someone with an immediate need.” Sponsored by the National Science Foundation, SIBS doesn’t perform early-stage research to foster new products or processes, as many NSF groups do. “We are ‘Making Buildings Perform Better’ — that’s our tagline,” Cox said. SIBS is what NSF calls an Industry/

University Cooperative Research Center, or I/UCRC. Most of its funding comes from companies, which also have a say in selecting the center’s research projects. UNC Charlotte’s Cox led the charge to establish SIBS in 2012, and two other universities are involved, Carnegie Mellon and the City College of New York. The NSF contributes $50,000 a year to help with administrative costs, while industry partners each spend the same amount to participate. “The idea is the partners leverage the cost by sharing in the results of multiple projects,” Cox said. Among partners in the Charlotte area are Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Ingersoll Rand and Johnson Controls. SIBS works like this: Researchers across several disciplines at UNC Charlotte and at the other universities do research projects directed at improving building performance. “We can look at energy, waste, water, even impacts

on air quality,” Cox said. “Primarily because of the costs associated with it, energy has been the main focus so far.” An early success focuses on wringing energy costs out of retail banking locations. “We’ve already seen that consumption doesn’t change that much if the branch is open or closed, so now we’re saying, ‘OK, what is going on?’” Cox said. Researchers are analyzing everything from the power used by water fountains and copiers to how much of a building’s electrical bill is for exterior lighting. Another project is looking at using data analytics to reduce power consumption in small commercial buildings. That research relates to a study of the skills needed by today’s building managers. “Twenty to 30 years ago, being a facilities manager meant having a wrench,” Cox said. “Now it’s understanding data and a little bit about IT.”

CLAIM: ECONOMIC | THRIVE

CLAIM 2: ECOLOGICAL IN THE BEGINNING: THE ENVIRONMENT INTRODUCTION Historical roots of sustainability stem from concern for the environment — the preservation of nature, stewardship of resources and protection of health. Taking the plant metaphor further, the rootstock allows people to graft branches of modern life that include prosperity, knowledge, wonder — and, in essence, what it means to be human and vital in today’s world. Sometimes the focus on human life can be so sharp that the environment is overlooked. But the environment — air, soil, water and more — is the foundation upon which people build their livelihoods and ways of life. Sustainability is significant because it encompasses not only environmental concerns but social and economic ones as well. Decisions that result in a healthy and inspiring world are based on balancing, optimizing and finding solutions that respect all three tenets of THRIVE | CLAIM: ECOLOGICAL

sustainability. Universities are particularly well suited to explore such complex equations and search for solutions. They are places where society experiments with new ideas, and where it is acceptable, even expected, that the institution be put under the lens of inquiry as well. Stories in this section show how UNC Charlotte addresses environmental stewardship. They highlight efforts to preserve nature for education, conserve resources stressed by regional growth and change operations to lighten and eliminate negative ecological impacts. The efforts showcase the ability of a university to educate, inform and innovate in full public view.

The zero-waste initiative with UNC Charlotte football came about after a student government resolution on stadium vendor contracts.

WHERE RECYCLING MEETS MOTHER NATURE ZERO WASTE AT FOOTBALL STADIUM IS ONGOING COMMITMENT How does a university manage the environmental footprint of a 15,314seat facility that covers 25 acres? If it’s UNC Charlotte, the answer is — enthusiastically. During the school’s much celebrated 2013 football kickoff, an innovative zero-waste program launched with it. While reaching 100 percent zero

waste may not be attainable at Jerry Richardson Stadium — or anywhere — the pursuit of perfection is highly worthwhile. “Zero waste is a goal … to guide people in changing their lifestyles and practices to emulate sustainable natural cycles, where all discarded materials are designed to become resources for others to use,” 13

the Zero Waste International Alliance noted in 2004. It’s where recycling meets Mother Nature — aiming to eliminate waste, period, similar to the natural, recurring cycle of rainfall or decomposing leaves. As Devin Hatley, environmental educator for the Department of Facilities Management’s Office of CLAIM: ECOLOGICAL | THRIVE

The waste-diversion rate for the first season was over 82 percent, translating into almost 20 tons that bypassed the landfill. Waste Reduction and Recycling put it, “Everything has a place beyond the landfill.”

STUDENT-LED EFFORT In 2011, the Student Government Association (SGA) passed a resolution entitled, “Encouraging Dining Services to incorporate zero waste initiatives into the football stadium vendor contracts.” From this, plans and action began. Logistics and execution were — and still are — paramount, depending heavily on the combined efforts of

Students volunteer with the zero-waste program.

several groups. Among them are: SGA representatives, the Charlotte Green Initiative (CGI), the EARTH Club, Auxiliary Services, Chartwells, the Department of Athletics and the Office of Waste Reduction and Recycling. Planning includes everything from coordinating new packaging standards with vendors to recycling and compostbin placement, marketing efforts and volunteer management, just to name a few. Money from an already established “green fee” has gone toward the zerowaste effort. This fee, approved by students in 2007, is $2 added to the tuition of each student who takes 12 credit hours or more each semester. Carefully monitored by the student

FOOD WASTE IN DINING HALLS PLUMMETS In just one year, UNC Charlotte Recycling and Waste Management has reduced the University’s dining hall food waste by nearly 85 percent. Every week, roughly 1,000 pounds of leftover food makes its way from Crown Commons Dining Hall and Crossroads Café to the Student Union’s loading dock. It is then collected by Earth Farms to use in making compost at its Mooresville, N.C. facility. According to the EPA, food disposed of in landfills rots and

becomes a significant source of methane — a potent greenhouse gas with 21 times the global-warming potential of carbon dioxide. “In implementing a composting program and educating the public about food waste, we aim to reduce methane generation created through landfilling and increase important soil amendments through composting,” said Devin Hatley, environmental educator in the Office of Recycling and Waste Management.

group CGI, the fee has paid for the stadium’s compostable trash bags and the installation of several stations that use laser-sensitive technology to automatically fill water bottles without spilling. The waste-diversion rate for the first season was more than 82 percent, translating into almost 20 tons that bypassed the landfill. It was an impressive number, “especially considering we were implementing a totally new program,” said Shannon Caveny-Cox, waste contract administrator for the Office of Waste Reduction and Recycling. With the 82 percent diversion benchmark now established, the goal is to incrementally increase that rate each year.

ONGOING IMPROVEMENTS Confidence in the emerging program is strong, with new and revised practices implemented this fall. Continued training, particularly with operations’ setup and cleanup, has improved zero-waste management “from the back of the house forward,” said Brad Green, director of catering and special services for Chartwells, the University’s food vendor. Last fall, volunteer groups received more training as “the trash coming out of the stands was so great,” Green said. With that in mind, new takehome souvenir popcorn tubs made their debut, serving as another wastediversion tactic. “The more we can give out as souvenirs, the less we put into our zero-waste program containers,” he said. Education has continued to be paramount. The sorority, Chi Omega, provided several volunteers before games at the gates, acquainting fans with zero-waste practices as they enter. ZERO WASTE CONTINUED ON 18 >

THRIVE | CLAIM: ECOLOGICAL

JEWEL OF NATURE

BOTANICAL GARDENS TO ADD NATIVE PLANT DISPLAY

The new Mellichamp Native Terrace Garden honors the longtime director of the botanical gardens, Larry Mellichamp.

In the heart of UNC Charlotte’s campus there’s a hidden treasure. Not the kind made of gold and sparkling jewels but rather of brightly colored flowers, the sounds of gentle chirps and buzzes and a beautiful, inviting landscape. The UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens is not only rich in nature but in history. It has thrived for nearly 50 years, since 1966, when the vision of biology professor Herbert Hechenbleikner and University founder Bonnie Cone began. Today the gardens continue to grow, serving as a living classroom for students, an educational resource

for the public and an inspiration for all. It covers 10 acres and features a greenhouse and two gardens: the McMillan Greenhouse, the Susie Harwood Garden and the Van Landingham Glen. Soon, a third garden will join the list: the Mellichamp Native Terrace Garden. “This garden is named to honor the legacy of Dr. Larry Mellichamp, who has shared his knowledge and passion for plants, native and beyond, with his students and the Charlotte community … as director of the UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens for the past 35 years,” said the garden’s Assistant Director Paula Gross. 15

While the Botanical Gardens contain a wide array of exotic plants, the Mellichamp Native Terrace Garden will feel a bit more like home with 1.5 acres of native southeastern flora. “This garden will serve to educate and inspire those interested in using a broad palette of native plants in their landscapes,” said Gross. “Homeowners will be able to directly see the beauty and function of a landscape that contributes to the ecological balance of its neighborhood.” Lying within the terraces and low stone walls will be gravel pathways leading through the lush greenery, CLAIM: ECOLOGICAL | THRIVE

colorful floras and naturally sustainable features. A stormwater-fed streambed and rain garden will help to recycle water and filter it into the soil, ensuring polluted water doesn’t run into storm drains, which often flow into rivers and lakes. Native grasses combined with lawn substitutes — such as ground covers that spread naturally but don’t grow tall — will allow for less maintenance. This in turn reduces negative impacts such as fuel and other toxic emissions, fertilizers, pesticides and increased water consumption. The garden will also feature a miniature meadow planting with self-sustaining wildflowers that reseed

themselves. “Native plants sustain native wildlife, provide a sense of place and are adapted to our local range of climate conditions… They are the foundation of our natural heritage,” Gross said. The Mellichamp Native Terrace Garden is planned for completion by April 2015. In the meantime, visitors can get an idea of what to expect from Mellichamp’s latest book, “Native Plants of the Southeast.” In its pages, he helps gardeners identify, locate and care for over 460 native plant varieties. Visitors craving the quietness and serenity of the gardens can satisfy their green thumb or simple curiosity year-round. To see the hours of

The UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens is free and open year-round.

operation, please click here. Admission is free, and guests are welcome.

A SNAPSHOT OF TODAY’S GREENHOUSE AND GARDENS The two gardens and greenhouse that currently make up UNC Charlotte’s Botanical Gardens offer visitors year-round plant pleasure. The McMillan Greenhouse, with its eight glass-house rooms, surrounding beds, terraces and courtyard bog gardens, takes guests around the world in just minutes. Known for diverse and exotic plants, the greenhouse showcases orchids as well as rare carnivorous plants such as pitcher plants and Venus flytraps. Especially noteworthy is “Bella,” a rare titan arum and one of the largest flowering structures in the world. She’s famous for her elaborate — and rarely occurring — bloom. But don’t be fooled; it comes with an incredibly pungent smell reserved only for the brave. The much larger of the two gardens, Van Landingham Glen, features seven acres of Carolina woodlands terrain, more than 3,000

THRIVE | CLAIM: ECOLOGICAL

Among its many exhibits, McMillan Greenhouse is home to a tropical conservatory.

rhododendrons and azaleas and over 1,000 plant species. One of its most unusual features is a reconstructed 120-year-old log cabin. The glen is also the burial site for University founder Bonnie Cone, who played a key role in starting the botanical garden. At three acres, the Susie Harwood

Garden is much smaller than the glen. Its meandering paths lead guests through a serene Asian garden with waterfalls and rock installations. In spring, there’s an explosion of color from wildflowers, azaleas and bulbs. In winter, visitors enjoy soft shrubs, trees and perennials.

CLIMATE CHANGE

FACING THE GREENHOUSE-GAS CHALLENGE

Exhaust from road vehicles contributes to greenhouse gases. Pictured here is a portion of I-77 running through Charlotte.

Universities play a special role in society as institutions that both teach and generate knowledge. The twin mission allows the community to learn from the past and build a brighter future. But it also includes an obligation to address emerging challenges. One of the most challenging ideas to emerge over the past century is how human activity is changing the planet. For example, centuries of air pollution have been affecting the atmosphere and oceans that regulate the Earth’s climate. Humans created these pollutants, known as greenhouse gases, while meeting the needs and desires of a

growing population. While people are learning how to adapt to planetary changes, the new challenge is how to reduce pollution to a level that Earth’s natural systems can handle. In October 2009, Philip Dubois, chancellor of UNC Charlotte, signed the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC). Over 680 leaders have committed their institutions to the effort to show society it is possible to become “greenhouse gas neutral” — a

point where the institution is no longer emitting this form of pollution. “Anyone who is familiar with this University’s legacy understands we have had a strong commitment to environmental protection, and signing the Presidents’ Climate Commitment shows we are demonstrating how a large public institution can be a good environmental steward,” Dubois said. The first step for UNC Charlotte was to complete an inventory of greenhouse gas sources for the campus. The largest source is purchased electricity. Next is the fuel burned to heat buildings. Third is the fuel burned to transport students and staff. The “Big Three” sources dominate CLAIM: ECOLOGICAL | THRIVE

Climate change affects the quality of air and water. Seen here is the Pee Dee River in Anson County, east of Charlotte.

the air pollution of most universities and industrialized societies. Every member of the campus is responsible for this pollution, and everyone can help reduce it. The institution controls some sources, such as buildings, and individuals are responsible for others, most notably, commuting. In 2012, UNC Charlotte assembled its first Climate Action Plan. The plan sets ambitious goals to work toward greenhouse gas neutrality by 2050. It also warns that if no action is taken, the trend is that pollution levels will more than double by that year. The Climate Action Plan represents a fork

“We further believe that colleges and universities that exert leadership in addressing climate change will stabilize and reduce their long-term energy costs.”

in the road — to embark on a path to eliminate pollution or to continue on a route that doubles it. It also provides detailed analysis of methods available to reduce greenhouse gas pollution, including their economic feasibility. Most of the recommendations to invest in technology or change policy are estimated to have financial advantages, especially if prices rise for electricity, heating fuel and gasoline. The leading recommendations are to invest in refurbishing older buildings to make them more energy efficient. The buildings would produce less

pollution, cost less to operate and be more comfortable for students and staff. Reducing greenhouse gases has broad implications. The ACUPCC text signed by the chancellor spells it out: “We further believe that colleges and universities that exert leadership in addressing climate change will stabilize and reduce their long-term energy costs, attract excellent students and faculty, attract new sources of funding and increase the support of alumni and local communities.”

Florida Atlantic, UNC Greensboro and other institutions. Back on campus, zero-waste practices are in discussion for basketball games in Halton Arena. In April, the football program’s zero-waste program received the 2014 Outstanding Collaboration/ Partnership Award from the National Association of College Auxiliary Services, South Region. “The award is presented to a unique, innovative, or distinctive partnership that benefits the university/college, its respective

community and business partners,” Green explained. Acknowledging the award, Hatley adds, “Student organizations, fans, staff, vendors and, of course, many volunteers have demonstrated the true spirit of zero waste through environmental stewardship.”

ZERO WASTE CONTINUED FROM 14 <

Also, the “installation of permanent, visible signage for the compost and recycling bins,” are being strongly considered for the future, noted Hatley — which will make stations even more visible to patrons. Fans aren’t the only ones being educated; the initiative has attracted several other universities. UNC Charlotte has welcomed the opportunity to share planning, implementation and operational strategies with Louisiana State, THRIVE | CLAIM: ECOLOGICAL

WATER CONSERVATION APPLYING THE THREE R’S

The University harvests rainwater for landscape irrigation and other uses. This view from Atkins Library looks northwest.

To minimize trash, there is an easyto-remember phrase: “Reduce, Re-Use, Recycle.” It can also be applied to other materials, mitigating supply problems, costs and waste. Across a range of issues with water, UNC Charlotte is having success with the three-R’s approach. The state of North Carolina has been aggressive in reducing water use at its facilities for more than a decade. To decrease water use and expenses, the

University has employed a variety of tactics. Technology is one. Rain sensors control irrigation so fields only receive water when the need is high. Several indoor plumbing fixtures are now lowflow, or in the case of waterless urinals, no-flow. Following nature’s lead has also helped. Native, drought-tolerant plants are replacing thirsty landscaped lawns and vegetation. The result is a campus that uses 42 percent less water per 19

square foot of buildings than it did in 2003. Annual savings on water bills exceed $1.5 million dollars. Another way to conserve water is to use water collected from nature in place of costly drinking water from utilities. Rainwater-harvesting systems move water from rooftops to special landscaped areas to water plants and allow the water to soak into the ground. Some buildings have a cistern to store rainwater for later irrigation needs or CLAIM: ECOLOGICAL | THRIVE

“Reclaimed water has been used since the beginning of modern time. Cities and towns send wastewater to rivers, and the water is then extracted downstream by other cities and towns.” for such indoor uses as flushing toilets. Some buildings even collect water condensing on air-conditioning units, essentially removing moisture directly from the air. Using water in a building more than once is also possible. An example is UNC Charlotte Center City, where water draining from sinks is re-used as toilet-flushing water. The University is also partnering with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Utilities on a much larger recycling project. Currently, the campus exports water to flush sewage to a wastewater treatment plant only a few miles away. In the next few years, the University expects to have finished a pipeline to carry cleaned water from the plant, called reclaimed water, back to campus. John Fessler, the University’s director of capital projects, puts the pipeline in perspective. “Reclaimed water has been used since the beginning of modern time. Cities and towns send wastewater to rivers, and the water is then extracted downstream by other cities and towns. (In the interim,) nature has started the process of cleaning the water using biological and physical reactions. Today we are THRIVE | CLAIM: ECOLOGICAL

Native, drought-tolerant plants and dry creek beds — seen here at the University’s Susie Harwood Garden — help with managing water resources.

short-circuiting the process” with the pipeline. The reclaimed water will be used for irrigation, air conditioning and toilet flushing at a fraction of the cost of utility-provided clean drinking water. While this large recycling project means lower water costs for the campus, it also will impact the bigger picture of water stewardship. It means less fresh water drawn from local waterways and fewer water-carrying nutrients and other pollution entering 20

local streams, rivers and lakes. That leaves more and better water for outdoor recreation, wildlife and fish, plants and other creatures who make the waterways their home.

CLAIM 3: REGIONAL ACHIEVING SUSTAINABILITY AMID CONSTANT CHANGE INTRODUCTION UNC Charlotte has declared a mission as North Carolina’s urban research university. That commitment is evident in the many ways the University supports sustainability efforts in the Charlotte region. You can see highlights of such efforts on these pages. In a region as dynamic as Charlotte, change is constant. A sustainable future harnesses Charlotte’s flair for change. Communities find better ways to meet their needs, correct wrongs and adapt to a changing world. A sustainable future also preserves the natural and human-made features that help our communities flourish. It maintains our best works and relationships. Many see sustainability and the balancing of economic, social and environmental concerns as a useful way to think about preservation and 21

change. In its Sustainability Plan, UNC Charlotte states a vision “to be a regional model of sustainable stewardship.” That vision becomes reality by providing student energy and faculty expertise through established institutes and programs, building facilities to serve as innovative spaces for new enterprises and ideas and playing a key role in community development and regional transportation. The University sets an example for how to balance preservation and change in the Charlotte region, accepting responsibility for both as it promotes a sustainable future.

CLAIM: REGIONAL | THRIVE

The Urban Institute and other University organizations collaborated on the “Sustain Me Baby” exhibit at the Projective Eye Gallery.

‘BUILDING BETTER COMMUNITIES’ URBAN INSTITUTE SEEKS SOLUTIONS TO REGIONAL CHALLENGES Applying for a multimillion-dollar sustainability grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is no small order. So when two Charlotte-area organizations took it on several years ago, they wanted the UNC Charlotte Urban Institute at their side. “There’s so much talent at the University — from data tracking to community planning to regional trends — you can’t get better than that,” said Michelle Nance, the planning director at the Centralina Council of THRIVE | CLAIM: REGIONAL

Governments, which, along with the Catawba Council of Governments, successfully applied for the $4.9 million HUD grant. An applied research center that focuses on regional growth and qualityof-life issues, the Urban Institute has an inherent interest in sustainability. Its mission is to seek solutions to social, economic and environmental challenges in the region. “At the heart of sustainability is building better communities, and that’s what the Urban Institute has been there to do 22

for this region,” said its director, Jeff Michael. Created in 1969, only four years after UNC Charlotte gained university status, the Urban Institute has always focused on the vitality of the Charlotte region, and not just from an urban perspective. As the organization prepared to celebrate its 45th birthday in 2014, its leadership underscored the point. “Our strategic planning process reaffirmed the institute’s focus on the metropolitan region more broadly defined, including urban

and suburban, small town and rural,” Michael wrote in an article on the institute’s website. Taking a major role in the HUD grant and the resulting “CONNECT Our Future” project was a natural for the institute. The project encompasses 14 area counties — the same ones the institute often focuses on — and CONNECT’s goal is to develop a shared regional growth vision and framework, which are based on input from individuals, community groups, businesses and government staffers and officeholders.

32 INDICATORS Michael and other institute personnel have been active in CONNECT’s work groups and rolled out 32 “well-being” and growth indicators in connection with the project (see pg. 24). “We are establishing benchmarks,” Michael said. Among other institute activities with a strong sustainability focus are the institute’s own Charlotte Regional Indicators Project, its PlanCharlotte website and the KEEPING WATCH initiative. When the Charlotte Regional Indicators Project debuted in 2007, it was the first comprehensive, data-driven look at the region in 11 areas: arts, recreation and cultural life; demographics, the economy; education; the environment; government and citizen participation; health; housing; public safety; social well-being and transportation. Updated regularly on the institute’s website, the data give “people a specific set of facts they can use as they make their decisions about all kinds of things,” says Urban Institute Associate Director Mary Newsom. The

Encouraging recycling is a vital message of KEEPING WATCH, a joint initiative of the Urban Institute and the College of Arts + Architecture.

institute also partners with United Way, Goodwill Industries, the Council for Children’s Rights and others to collect and analyze data for the organizations. A newer project is PlanCharlotte.org, an important part of the Urban Institute’s growing community outreach and information role. The institute “has a history of focusing, among other subjects, on land use and community planning, but in recent years, has done less in actual planning in favor of focusing on more citizen information and public engagement and on research to inform decision-makers,” said Newsom, who led PlanCharlotte.org’s launch in March 2012 and serves as its editor. PlanCharlotte.org features news, information and analysis on growth, quality of life and the future of the region. Topics often address planning and design, transportation, land preservation and development, agriculture, economic development and the environment.

“KEEPING WATCH” The institute’s newest sustainabilityrelated program is KEEPING WATCH, a joint initiative with the College of Arts 23

“We’re using art, community engagement, reporting and other types of academic analysis to draw attention to sustainability with a variety of audiences, ones for art, public policy, scientific evidence, community concerns and history.” + Architecture. The three-year project began in spring 2014 and is designed to raise the profile and knowledge of local environmental issues, as well as to foster collaboration across disciplines and community groups. Most events will take place around Earth Day in April each year, and PlanCharlotte will feature related articles on its website. Working with historians, writers, CLAIM: REGIONAL | THRIVE

URBAN INSTITUTE, COLLEGE OF A+A PLAY KEY ROLES IN CONNECT CONNECT Our Future is a threeyear, 14-county project that rolled out a growth vision and framework for the Charlotte region in 2014. While the vision and framework aren’t binding on local government officials, the recommendations are designed to be a guiding influence in making decisions about land use, transportation, housing and other infrastructure and quality-of-life issues. Both the UNC Charlotte Urban Institute and the UNC Charlotte College of Arts + Architecture have played key roles in CONNECT — which began in 2012 and ends this year. A $4.9 grant from HUD and $3 million from regional sources, mostly through in-kind contributions, are funding the project. In addition to supporting the application to HUD and serving on CONNECT work groups, the Urban Institute is measuring 32 general regional data indicators. They are based on input from the project’s public engagement initiative, its nine CONNECT work groups, the CONNECT consortium of government staff and elected officials and HUD.

CREATING A SNAPSHOT “When I think of the Urban Institute, the two words that come to

artists, scientists and environmental experts, KEEPING WATCH is exploring three local environmental issues: plastic waste and recycling in 2014, water quality and urban streams in 2015 and air quality and the value of trees in 2016. This year’s topic, KEEPING WATCH THRIVE | CLAIM: REGIONAL

mind are ‘expertise’ and ‘discipline’ in developing the indicators and the platform that will assist this region chart its progress,” said Michelle Nance, planning director with one of CONNECT’s lead sponsors, Centralina Council of Governments. “The Urban Institute is developing a snapshot of the region.” The indicators are housed on the institute’s website. They fall into the six categories based on the core values of CONNECT. Here are a few examples: Under “Sustainable, Well-Managed Growth,” the indicators identify percentages of people who work at home or travel to work by commuting alone, sharing rides, biking, transit, walking, etc. Another indicator looks at whether commute times are 30 minutes or fewer, 30-59 minutes or 60 minutes or more. For “Strong, Diverse Economy,” indicators include the percentage of unemployment by geography, median household income, per capita income, annual employment growth/change (all industries), payroll growth and percentage of employment by industry. “Safety and Healthy Environment” indicators show percentage of days with unhealthy air quality, ground-level ozone, particular matter emissions, farmland acreage,

on PLASTICS, kicked off March 28 with the “Sustain Me Baby” exhibit at the Projective Eye Gallery at UNC Charlotte Center City and the “Is This Yours?” collection of public art installations in Charlotte. Related programming during the spring includes a “Recycled Runway” fashion show, film screenings 24

farmers markets by 1,000 population and prevalence of key diseases. Future funding is needed to keep the indicators going. “Everybody wants that to happen,” Nance said. “The beauty and usefulness of the information is the ability to track it over time.”

PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT The College of Arts + Architecture has been a driving force in the public engagement associated with CONNECT — which has involved over 100 communities in the region, nearly 60 community growth workshops and whose outstanding work has been cited by HUD. For the workshops, professor David Walters, associate professor Jose Gamez and graduate students in Arts + Architecture put together a participant workbook for community meetings as well as a regional land-use and design workbook that pictured and described “place types” in the region, giving participants common reference points for the project. “I can’t speak highly enough about the work they have completed,” Nance said of the A+A contingent. Plus, “the visual quality of the documents have made us all look good.”

and panel discussions, plus an installation at the McColl Center for Visual Art by resident artist Aurora Robson. Newsom heads KEEPING WATCH for the Urban Institute and is excited about its scope. “We’re using art, URBAN INSTITUTE CONTINUED ON 36 >

FROM PLAYGROUNDS TO FARMS, STUDENTS MAKE IMPACT When Dylan McKnight was considering the final project for his master’s in community planning, UNC Charlotte professor Janni Sorensen introduced a perfect opportunity. Sorensen is founder of the University’s Charlotte Action Research Plan (CHARP), a program that helps marginalized communities establish stronger neighborhood coalitions and advocacy. One such community is Reid Park, an economically distressed community in Charlotte. Today McKnight leads the University’s CHARP partnership with Reid Park and is one of many students obtaining hands-on regional sustainability experience through internships and similar activities. McKnight is working with the Reid Park Neighborhood Association to transform the community into a more socially and economically sustainable area. Improvements include a new playground, safer greenways and the knowledge to advocate for the community. He is gaining important knowhow. “I had the need to practice the community planning skills that I had learned while studying at UNC Charlotte, and the Reid Park neighborhood offered a real-world setting,” he said. The real-world setting for civil engineering student Adain Alar is the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Utilities Department. As part of the Sustainability, Energy and Environmental (SEE) intern program, he conducts hands-on water quality research for the department.

As part of his master’s program, Dylan McKnight began working with Reid Park to improve the community’s playground and more.

Since 2012, the University’s Energy and Environmental Assistance Office has overseen and employed SEE interns from a variety of disciplines to assist with key community research projects. “I have the unique opportunity to work with the water quality division at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Utilities Department, (and) my experience has far exceeded my expectations,” Alar said. He attributes valuable skills he’s gained to landing his summer internship with a large construction company. Meanwhile, Jacob Huffman is also busy working in the field — the crop field, that is. The geography major has partnered with Friendship Gardens and several other Charlotte organizations to create the Urban Farm Learning Center at Garinger High School. The farm supplies produce to Friendship Trays, a Charlotte “meals on wheels” program that provides healthy, organic foods. The farm also serves to educate the community about sustainable 25

as the community enables students to shape their own futures, growing numbers of students are defining Charlotte’s. agriculture methods, one of Huffman’s main goals. “This is the sort of work I am going to dedicate myself to … and I’d like to open the field of urban agriculture up to as many people as I can so they may too experience the joy of growing and knowing about the food they eat,” Huffman said. From playgrounds to farms, UNC Charlotte students can be found throughout the region, and the impact seems to be a fair trade: as the community enables students to shape their own futures, growing numbers of students are defining Charlotte’s. CLAIM: REGIONAL | THRIVE

EEAO OFFERS CUSTOM TEAMS, SOLUTIONS The Energy and Environmental Assistance Office’s (EEAO) recently celebrated its 20th year providing leadership and collaborative partnerships to address challenges in the region. Based at the University’s Energy Production and Infrastructure Center, the EEAO tackles many sustainability-related issues while also providing students real-world learning opportunities. “The EEAO has grown from a small outreach office to one that offers a broad base of faculty and student expertise, providing environmental, sustainable and energy solutions for the region,” said its executive director, Regina Guyer. With grant funding having steadily grown from $20,000 to $500,000 per year, Guyer develops custom teams of staff, faculty, graduate and undergraduate students to meet client needs. Services are tailored and extensive, reflecting a multidisciplinary approach. Projects include engineering evaluations, field testing and sampling, energy solutions, grant collaborations, project management, educational outreach, environmental analysis, focus groups and surveys, according to the EEAO’s website. One example is the group’s work with the Regional Stormwater Partnership (RSWP), an organization comprised of more than 25 municipal agencies and communities that deal with issues such as stormwater runoff and water quality. Charged with engaging members and strengthening collaborations, the EEAO began bimonthly “Tech Talk” sessions. They consist of THRIVE | CLAIM: REGIONAL

workshops, training and networking opportunities. The inaugural talk featured Harrisburg’s town engineer Derek Slocum presenting the town’s development of a stormwater master plan. The EEAO enhances what RSWP can offer its members, said the organization’s Jennifer Frost. It has “brought a level and variety of expertise to the RSWP that allows our group to try new strategies,” she said. “We look at the EEAO as our partner in regional collaboration.” Another project is with N.C. State’s Urban Water Consortium, made up of North Carolina’s 12 largest utilities. The EEAO helped the consortium implement a Fats, Oil and Grease (FOG) communications program targeted to multi-family housing and Latino communities. Drawing from the University’s Department of Communication Studies, faculty and students researched and produced a communications strategies report entitled “Improving Grease Disposal in Multifamily Housing & Latino Populations.” Customized to the needs of each utility in the consortium, the report resulted in strategy trials and evaluations that encouraged behavior changes among utility customers. At the University, an entire public relations practicum class was designed around the project. “These students gained a greater understanding of the issues of FOG within our water infrastructure and used their creativity for creating public relations materials to communicate the importance of proper strategies of FOG disposal,” 26

Rainwater from roofs, lawns, streets and other sources flow into drinking water sources such as rivers and lakes.

Guyer said. Another EEAO client is the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Utility Department. Describing the value of the relationship, the department’s Jacqueline Jarrell said it has “provided a wonderful opportunity to partner with UNC Charlotte to explore new technologies, research and sustainable practices at our facilities. The student internships have been a win-win in providing the resources we needed and providing the students exposure to the water industry.”

BLUE LINE EXTENSION ‘IMPORTANT INVESTMENT’

Creating a sustainable region means building the infrastructure for healthy and thriving communities. Transportation networks draw attention because they can improve or degrade the prospects for sustainability. Transportation networks are also a key to expanding economic opportunity. They impact people and businesses by driving expenses, pollution, land use and how we use our time. It makes us more, or less, wasteful with energy and land, as well as more, or less, likely to spend our time productively or happily. Regional transportation and development is following a more sustainable path with the expansion of Charlotte’s Lynx light-rail system. The first leg made a major positive impact on south Charlotte and uptown, including UNC Charlotte’s Center City campus. And soon the main campus in University City will join the system. The University has been instrumental in plans to double the length of the Blue Line by 2017. The extension will link UNC Charlotte’s main campus, students and faculty with UNC Charlotte Center City and the businesses, organizations and cultural groups located uptown. Chancellor Philip Dubois and University trustees championed the Blue Line extension. They granted easements and improvements totaling more than $5 million that will allow the Charlotte Area Transit System to build two stations and connecting rail on state-owned property. As the chancellor noted at groundbreaking ceremonies: “The reason we all have worked together

Local leaders hope the Blue Line Extension projected to come to the University in 2017 is as successful as the light-rail line that runs through South End, pictured here.

so hard, so well and for so long is that we have understood that the benefits to the city were too large and too significant … It will be one of our most important investments.” Federal Transit Administrator Peter Rogoff summed up the significance this way: “This project will create thousands of jobs during construction, create economic opportunity by connecting the city’s financial, high-tech and cultural centers with the thriving UNC Charlotte campus and give commuters an alternative to sitting in traffic on I-85 and U.S. 29.” A 2011 study estimated new rail commuters will save 75 million miles of driving each year. The main campus is well suited for rail transit. The University and its neighbors have high-density housing, thousands of jobs and retail businesses. The area also has networks of public and private buses, lanes and trails for bicycles and paths and sidewalks for pedestrians. The timing is also critical for 27

Regional transportation and development is following a more sustainable path with the expansion of Charlotte’s Lynx light-rail system. UNC Charlotte. Accommodating more cars requires expensive garage, road and bridge projects, and expanding public transit is a way to help peoople control their transportation costs. It also helps reduce air pollution and preserve an attractive campus for area residents as well as for the daily influx of students, faculty, staff and visitors.

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CLAIM 4: SOCIAL WEAVING THE FABRIC TO MEET HUMAN NEED INTRODUCTION A popular business slogan for sustainability is “People, Planet and Profit.” It is an easy-to-remember list of what sustainability is meant to protect. Businesses also describe these efforts as corporate social responsibility. Regardless, for organizations, groups and individuals, a high tensile social fabric is central to sustainability. One view of social sustainability is to understand and meet people’s needs — which tend to come from the environment and be delivered via the economy. That includes not only physical needs (food, water, shelter), but also modern needs (transportation, communication, energy, health care, security, education, employment) and ancient needs (family, community, spirituality). A different angle is to address poverty, disease, war, migration and other social issues that create THRIVE | CLAIM: SOCIAL

environmental and economic problems. Universities exist to meet human needs but also have social responsibilities as employers and neighbors. They meet the human need for education, skills and the betterment of the community, while also addressing the diverse requirements of students, employees and guests. The stories that follow demonstrate ways UNC Charlotte manifests its social sustainability role — from how students built an award-winning entry for the 2013 Solar Decathlon competition to how faculty and students are constructing bridges in a Peruvian village. The stories reflect the University’s commitment to excellence in social sustainability and, in keeping with its mission as a research institution, the search for understanding and solutions that go far beyond campus.

UNC Charlotte students reassembled their Solar Decathlon house in only seven days at the national competition in Irvine, Calif.

SOLAR DECATHLON HOUSE A ONE-OF-A-KIND LEARNING OPPORTUNITY Two years ago, a talented cadre of UNC Charlotte students earned an extraordinary learning opportunity. The U.S. Department of Energy selected them as one of 20 university groups to compete in the prestigious 2013 Solar Decathlon. The challenge: to design and build an affordable, innovative and fully functional energy-efficient home within the context of each team’s local geographic setting. Hence, UNC Charlotte’s idea — UrbanEden — was born. The name represents two key environmental influences: “Urban,” suggesting Charlotte’s densely

populated geographical makeup and “Eden,” symbolizing a quiet, lush garden. “The whole concept is to build a house that brings the garden into the city,” said Meg Whalen, director of communications and external relations for the College of Arts + Architecture. Students and faculty, primarily from the School of Architecture, the William States Lee College of Engineering and the Belk College of Business, moved forward with the design submission. The three designated student team leaders were Cortney Albert, design; Clarke Snell, overall project; and Preston Finnie, engineering. Myriad sponsors, including the University itself, 29

Ingersoll Rand and others were also integral to the team’s success, providing necessary funding and valuable professional experience.

MANY DISCIPLINES A multi-disciplinary approach provided students the opportunity to work with different departments, translating into varying perspectives and layers of learning. It also offered “a one-of-a-kind learning experience while they are still at school, giving them the tools they need to pursue careers in the sustainable energy industry,” said Mona Azarbayjani, CLAIM: SOCIAL | THRIVE

assistant architecture professor and lead principle investigator for the team. Engaging with many academic areas made an impression on Robert Miller, a team member who recently earned his bachelor’s in architecture. He remembers attending “meetings not only with the heads of the School of Architecture but also with the various engineering disciplines, marketing and business,” he said. “At that point, I realized what this project meant to everyone.” Interweaving disciplines also proved pivotal to the overall project. “It would not have been feasible without a cross-disciplinary approach, and I now look at design this way, in that all design should be cross-disciplinary in order to achieve the best result,” said Michelle Todd, another team member who recently earned her master’s in architecture. The design process took over a year of planning meetings, refinements and consultations; the subsequent construction took four months. On Aug. 23, 2013, the team hosted an open house and media preview, followed by a commissioning ceremony and send-off with Chancellor Philip Dubois, generous donors and friends.

The Solar Decathlon house involved students and faculty primarily from the School of Architecture, the William States Lee College of Engineering and the Belk College of Business.

One hundred and twenty-five tons of packed materials later, the long haul to Irvine, Calif. began.

BATTLING THE CLOCK Upon arrival, contestants had only 10 days to reconstruct their houses. Due to unavoidable transportation issues — UrbanEden’s trucks arrived a few days late — the UNC Charlotte team had only seven full days to reassemble the house. Thanks to the team’s unwavering commitment, UrbanEden was completed on time.

‘GREEN’ HOUSE UrbanEden boasts a plentiful supply of green features. For complete information, visit urbaneden.uncc.edu. 1. Recycled steel beams 2. Adjustable solar panels 3. Wall capillaries 4. Urban vertical garden 5. Interactive energy management control system 6. Triple-pane glass 7. Geopolymer concrete walls and foundation

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“We had been working 17-hour days, and it seemed like we were not going to meet our deadline. Fortunately, we were able to pull together … and get the job done,” Albert said. “It was stressful and rewarding at the same time.” For eight days, thousands of visitors toured the competing houses. One guest commented that “the attention to detail and thoughtfulness of UrbanEden was the only one he would proudly call his house,” Miller recalled. As the days passed, visitors SOLAR DECATHLON HOUSE CONTINUED ON 36 >

3 7 6

5 4

CENTER STAGE

UPTOWN BUILDING MAKES POWERFUL CONNECTIONS

UNC Charlotte Center City houses graduate programs in urban design, business and urban education.

“The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” — Aristotle With its kinetic design, educational offerings and strategic locale, UNC Charlotte Center City is the, embodiment of the philosopher’s words. Located near the heart of downtown Charlotte, the 11-story, 143,000-square-foot building encourages an interconnected sense of place, housing collaborative meeting spaces, smart-technology classrooms, a cafe and community events. It earned the nationally acclaimed Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design’s (LEED) gold rating in 2013. Developed by the nonprofit U.S. Green Building Council, LEED certification

recognizes the advanced use of “green” architectural and building practices in six categories: sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor and environmental quality and innovation and design process. Apart from structure, UNC Charlotte Center City houses graduate-level programs focused on urban design, business and urban education. “Many students live or work in proximity to uptown,” said Jerry Coughter, executive director of UNC Charlotte Center City. But perhaps more importantly, it is a real-life example of how social sustainability works. The site’s very presence connects the surrounding urban community and enhances 31

current and future generations through learning, discovery, culture and quality of life.

‘REFERENCE POINT’ Fully Internet accessible, “the building is wirelessly connected to the Envision Charlotte network,” noted Coughter. This collaborative network of corporate, governmental and university leadership is committed to engaging Charlotte’s urban community on sustainable practices, specifically evaluating building-usage data related to energy, water, air and waste. “As a new, energy-efficient building, we provide a reference point for them (the network) as compared to many of the CLAIM: SOCIAL | THRIVE

The site’s very presence connects the surrounding urban community and enhances future generations. older participating buildings,” Coughter said. The building’s tranquil landscape offers urban amenities such as the growing Charlotte B-cycle bicycle sharing program, an electric vehicle charging station and open public grounds for outdoor events. Coughter also expects community use to increase when the adjacent First Ward Park — which will be more than four acres — is completed. The projected completion date is 2015. On the inside, lower floors provide visitors and students open, inviting gathering spots. The Projective Eye Gallery, on the ground floor, presents an eclectic rotation of engaging exhibits throughout each year. “School groups visit many of the exhibitions, with some drawing thousands of people into the building,” Coughter said. “Sustain Me Baby,” an exhibit in spring 2014, (see pg. 22) explored two artists’ powerful interpretations of the negative — and dangerous — effects of plastic waste.

AUDITORIUM, OTHER SPACES A 300-seat auditorium hosts speaker series, lectures, films and performances, offering an array of topic flavors ranging from local to international tastes. The public also enjoys a cafe and comfortable lobby areas facilitating anything from formal receptions to quiet, casual THRIVE | CLAIM: SOCIAL

University and community leaders turned out for the groundbreaking of First Ward Park, expected to be completed in 2015.

A Charlotte B-cycle sharing location at UNC Charlotte Center City allows people to rent bicycles.

conversation. Upper floors contain a mix of shared instructional and administrative spaces to “encourage interdepartmental interaction” and “capture the intimacy of a UNC Charlotte campus academic building within a dynamic new urban context,” said Richard Maimon, principal with KieranTimberlake, the architectural firm that designed the building. With an expanded annual literary 32

festival, the new First Ward Park coming and the much-anticipated light-rail Lynx Blue Line extension to open in 2017, UNC Charlotte Center City continues to multiply social connections for the community.

STUDENTS BUILD BRIDGES IN PERU, FORM EWB CHAPTER

Following the 2004 tsunami, Brett Tempest, a former construction manager for Habitat for Humanity, saw firsthand the importance of engineering and social impact. For 11 months, he supervised a seven-person engineering field team and a host of contractors on reconstruction projects along India’s southeastern coast. Later, as a faculty member at UNC Charlotte, he wanted to share this social impact with his students. “I was really committed to having a platform and a club that students could join and use their engineering skills for some community good,” said Tempest, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering. He found that by initiating a student chapter of Engineers Without Borders (EWB), an international organization that designs and implements sustainable engineering projects in impoverished communities around the world.

VILLAGE OF PARA PARA In 2010, Tempest began the lengthy legal process to establish the chapter. In the meantime, he set up an engineering service club that took on its first project in 2011. The club began working with the Peruvian village of Para Para after a nonprofit partner of UNC Charlotte’s, the Michael Scott Mater Foundation, requested help. The first trip there was in the summer of 2011. A team of professors, students and community members decided that a series of bridges would be the best project to help the community. “The closest major township was an hour away, separated

UNC Charlotte students have built bridges to help connect the Peruvian village of Para Para to nearby towns.

by massive mountains and tremendous gorges,” recalled senior engineering student Sean Lanier. Better access to the next town meant quicker and safer travel to necessities and medical care. “Transportation … is interesting because it’s access,” said Tempest. “It’s a safer route to school for kids or the ability to get up and down the mountain. This community is in a fairly remote area and if the river (was) up, the existing bridges became impassable or dangerous to cross.” In 2012, the club officially became the EWB-UNCC chapter and has continued the project in Para Para, even though it is not an official EWB endeavor. “It’s a summer abroad program with a service project,” Tempest said. “The students get course credit, learn about development and engineering issues, as well as social and economic issues.”

plan to return to Paru Paru in the near future to build at least one more bridge and to continue their relationship with the community. “It’s really essential that you follow through, so we’ll need to go and make sure that the things we’ve built are performing the way we want them to,” said Tempest, who believes that a key to international service lies in finishing what you started. He and chapter members now have their eyes out for their first official EWB project, which will be a complex, multiyear commitment, either domestic or overseas. They also would also like to take on smaller local projects. Tempest would love to return to his Habitat for Humanity roots and collaborate with the local professional chapter of EWB on a project. “That would be great,” he said.

ANOTHER BRIDGE PLANNED The chapter has made two additional trips, building a total of three bridges. EWB-UNCC members 33

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FULL CYCLE

INSS EMERGES TO STUDY SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY

When the Integrated Network for Social Sustainability held its first conference, one of the field trips was dinner at a local farm.

In June 2011, Craig Farkos traveled his usual bicycle route to work. As lanes overflowed during rush hour, a driver accidently struck the Charlotte-based engineer, turning his typical morning commute into an unexpected trip to the hospital. Facing a long recovery, Farkos, chair of the American Society of Civil Engineers’ Committee on Sustainability, contemplated his experience. Why did the act of biking seem to lack such respect? Biking is a growing mode of urban transportation, THRIVE | CLAIM: SOCIAL

generally recognized as a “green” practice. And, despite tensions between “riders” and “drivers,” it is, in essence, a good thing. His thinking then morphed into a larger question: the act of biking is a socially sustainable practice, specifically contributing to an area’s health and environmental well-being — so what can be done to raise awareness of socially sustainable activities? IDEAS Center founder Helene Hilger

“We’re interested in how these kinds of projects also affect people, which can be everything from quality of life to labor issues to the effects of policies on pollution.” Most meetings at the initial INSS conference were at UNC Charlotte Center City.

INSS IS BORN During this time, Farkos recalled having met Helene Hilger, founder of UNC Charlotte’s IDEAS (Infrastructure, Design, Environment and Sustainability) Center, several months earlier. He remembered her strong desire to incorporate social sustainability issues into the center and the classroom. He contacted Hilger, and ultimately it resulted in a decision to more formally research social sustainability in general. Hilger wasted no time recruiting UNC Charlotte professors from various departments, knowing that multiple disciplines were necessary to

understand the contexts, definitions and interconnectedness of social sustainability The effort grew quickly and soon the Integrated Network for Social Sustainability (INSS) emerged — dedicated to developing a better understanding of social sustainability and its close relationship with other aspects of sustainability. “Everyone knows about the environmental and economic aspects of sustainability,” said Nicole Peterson, professor of anthropology and the INSS principal investigator. “We’re interested in how these kinds of projects also affect people, which can be everything from

quality of life to labor issues to the effects of policies on pollution.”

CONFERENCE LAUNCHED One of the group’s early initiatives was launching the first annual INSS Conference in May 2013. The conference was possible thanks to a Research Coordination Network Program grant through the National Science Foundation, a sum that exceeded $700,000. Social complexities of urban development was the meeting’s focus. Presentations, discussions and local tours explored a wide-range of

THE FOUNDERS OF INSS UNC Charlotte’s Helene Hilger recruited professors across disciplines when she wanted to study social sustainability. They became founders (along with Hilger, a former co-principal investigator) of the Integrated Network for Social Sustainability, best known as INSS.

Principal Investigator • Nicole Peterson, assistant professor • Thomas Gentry, assistant professor of anthropology, College of Liberal of architecture, College of Arts and Arts and Sciences Architecture Co-Principlal Investigators • Jennifer Munroe, associate professor of English, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

• Brett Tempest, assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering, William States Lee College of Engineering

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issues, including the impact of new architecture on its environment and more sensitive issues such as child prostitution that can result from urban growth. By day three of the conference, several research topics had developed, and UNC Charlotte took on two of them. The first, headed by INSS founding member and associate professor of applied linguistics Liz Miller, is the Linguistics Project. Its lofty goal is to define social sustainability through research and examination of INSS member articles, blogs, conference presentations and discussions, with the goal of establishing a universal definition. Jennifer Munroe, INSS co-principal investigator and an English professor, is developing the second initiative: an educational and curriculum component. Students from an array of majors will soon begin traveling abroad to study social sustainability issues. The first trips, scheduled for summer 2015, include accessing university archives from an international sustainability

conference in Germany, researching urban sustainability in London’s center city and learning about sustainable development initiatives in Peru. Farkos’ bicycle accident was an unfortunate event, but he and Helene Hilger realize it served an important purpose — planting seeds for an organization, INSS, to further the knowledge on the important topic of social sustainability. * Editor’s Note: Farkos now lives in Ethiopia, building hospitals in rural areas and, of course, exploring bicycling policies.

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community engagement, reporting and other types of academic analysis to draw attention to sustainability with a variety of audiences, ones for art, public policy, scientific evidence, community concerns and history,” she said. “The message of sustainability needs all those audiences.”

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kept repeating the sentiment. “That was when (I) knew that we had won the hearts of the people,” he said. Ultimately, UrbanEden returned with two well-earned recognitions: the popular-vote “People’s Choice Award” and a third place tie in the engineering contest.

A NEW HOME

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UrbanEden will reside permanently near UNC Charlotte’s Energy Production and Infrastructure Center (EPIC) building. “The vision is to make UrbanEden a platform for testing new home-scale technologies, so it will see upgrades as new materials and 36

“That was when (I) knew that we had won the hearts of the people” equipment are developed,” said Mike Lizotte, university sustainability officer. Classwork and interdisciplinary research projects will also occur in this “living” laboratory. Azarbayjani, for example, plans to work with a team “to collaborate on measurements, verification and monitoring of the house when it’s reassembled.” Student team members have been deeply influenced as well, offering a far deeper understanding and increased resolve of how their academic interests contribute in major ways to a socially sustainable future. A few of their parting thoughts: “UrbanEden was not only an experiment of how to generate renewable energy but also how to responsibly use this valuable commodity.” — Robert Miller “Architecture is not just about an object in the landscape … it’s about how it functions in the landscape and what it does for our environment, both natural and built.” — Michelle Todd “As architects and designers, this is a major reason we do our job, to create a positive impact on others’ lives and the natural environment through the built environment.” — Cortney Albert * Editor’s Note: Take a virtual tour of UrbanEden.

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MORE SHINING EXAMPLES OF SUSTAINABILITY UNIVERSITY DEBUTS PROJECT MOSAIC UNC Charlotte has launched Project Mosaic to enhance social and behavioral science research. The divisions of Academic Affairs and Research and Economic Development are funding the campuswide effort, which will include social sustainability issues. “Our faculty, our students and our communities will benefit from the knowledge and collaborations this effort will produce,” said Joan Lorden, provost and vice chancellor

for academic affairs. “Almost all of the issues confronting the world today have a societal element. Dealing with these complex challenges requires a concentrated, cohesive approach that draws upon the combined research and scholarship of the social and behavioral science disciplines.” Project Mosaic was inspired by the National Science Foundation report “Rebuilding the Mosaic,” which identified the need for research in the

social and behavioral sciences to be increasingly interdisciplinary, data intensive and collaborative. Initially, Project Mosaic will center on two themes that fit this new research paradigm. The first theme is human and social capital, innovation and quality of life. The second theme is metropolitan centers, world trade, transportation and communication.

SCHOLARS SPEARHEAD NEW CLUB AND GARDEN Several Levine Scholars recently pooled their talents and resources to help establish a new community garden on campus. Levine Scholars are required to lead a civic engagement project that enriches the community, for which they are provided funds, support and guidance. Kevin Rodengen, Jacob Emerson and Chloe Rodengen, all members of the Class of 2015, spent the past year planting many seeds for success. They established a new student organization, The Garden Club, to recruit student gardeners and gained working experience in Charlotte-area community gardens such as Friendship Gardens and Sow Much Good. UNC Charlotte dining contractor Chartwells and a grant from the student-funded Charlotte Green Initiative helped launch the effort. The students sought input from the University community to help refine their mission and chose a site. They also recruited fellow students and staff to help with landscape designs and

Students and other volunteers built the garden near Storrs and Robinson Hall.

artistic renderings of their vision. In September 2014, these efforts culminated into UNC Charlotte Garden Build Day. Students and volunteers installed six raised produce beds, a hammock lounge and handicappedaccessible pathways, fulfilling the first step of its mission: “To establish a community space at UNC Charlotte that grows fresh, local food, provides a serene space for students to hang out outdoors 37

and educates the community on sustainable agricultural and living practices.” Produce from the garden, located near Storrs and Robinson Hall, will be shared with campus dining (Chartwells), Friendship Trays and club members. The Garden Club plans for spring include doubling the number of garden beds and installing a pergola. New members are always welcome.

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FILL ’ER UP WITH ELECTRONS UNC Charlotte has been awarded a grant of $52,000 from the N.C. Solar Center (recently renamed the N.C. Clean Energy Technology Center) to support electric vehicle charging on campus. For commuters and visitors driving plug-in vehicles, Parking and Transportation Services (PATS) will install 20 charging stations. Two of the newest parking garages on campus, South Village and CRI, were built to accommodate such charging stations. “This is a great example of taking the future seriously

— the planning by PATS made the project attractive to funders and will save time and money,” said Mike Lizotte, University sustainability officer and project coordinator for the grant. There will be no additional cost for electricity use from people charging their cars during the grant period, in line with the grant’s purpose to encourage alternate fuel vehicles that can reduce air pollution. The money will also support expansion of charging stations for the growing number of electric vehicles used by campus

departments. Vehicle charging is also available at UNC Charlotte’s Center City.

BELK HALL EARNS TWO GREEN GLOBES RATING Belk Hall, a 426-bed residential building opened in 2013, achieved a certification level rating of Two Green Globes from the Green Building Initiative’s (GBI) Green Globes for New Construction program. This level “demonstrates excellent progress in the reduction of environmental impacts and use of environmental efficiency practices,” per GBI’s website. It is the first state-owned building and sixth overall to earn a Green Globes rating for new construction in North Carolina. “With this latest award, UNC Charlotte is demonstrating leadership in constructing green buildings that make state operations more efficient, protect the environment and improve living conditions for our students,” said University sustainability officer, Mike Lizotte. The University demonstrated that the facility exceeded many aspects of national construction industry standards. According to GBI, the building had an 86 percent energy performance reduction relative to other buildings of the same type nationwide. THRIVE | GEMS

Environmentally friendly features won Belk Hall a rating of Two Green Globes from the Green Building Initiative.

Other environmentally friendly features include: a white roof to promote indoor cooling; energyefficient windows that maximize natural light while maintaining high insulation values; energy-efficient equipment such as sensors that power 38

down when an area is not in use; recycled materials in furniture, carpets, metal studs and tile; and outdoor landscaping design that doesn’t require extra watering.

SYMPOSIUM: TURNING TRASH TO TREASURE “One person’s trash is another person’s treasure” cleverly illustrates the theme of the University’s BioEnergy Symposium in 2013. Attendees explored anaerobic digestion — or creating renewable energy from organic waste — for its emerging advantages of sustainable options versus traditional methods. The approach continues to gain global attention for its many environmental advantages.

Hosted by the Infrastructure, Design, Environment and Sustainability (IDEAS) Center, the symposium convened hundreds of participants from academia, state and local government, municipal utilities, businesses and the public. “Our overall goal was to provide information and trigger discussions that could truly lead to implementation in North Carolina,” said Regina Guyer, IDEAS Center associate director. “It brought together individuals with expertise and interest and provided a catalyst for education toward new or improved sustainable activities in the state.” Two popular presentations were “BioEnergy from Waste — The LowHanging Fruit” by Perry L. McCarty, Silas H. Palmer Professor Emeritus at Stanford University, and “On the Horizon — We’re on to something. Will

The symposium drew a wide range of participants to discuss anaerobic digestion.

Everyone Else Agree?” by Steven Burke, president and CEO of the Biofuels Center of North Carolina. Past symposiums have explored transportation biofuels (2012) and waste-to-energy (2011), with the next symposium reconvening in 2015. Click here to watch a brief interview with Guyer about the 2013 symposium.

A TON OF TRASH COLLECTED — LITERALLY Last April, more than 300 students, faculty and staff members fanned out over UNC Charlotte’s 900 acres for the campus’s bi-annual Campus Clean Up. The volunteers collected approximately one ton of litter and recyclable items and planted approximately 150 trees. The event draws people passionate about their environment. “Campus Cleanup was designed for one purpose — to allow everyone in the campus community an opportunity to give back and show commitment to the land, the University and its mission,” said Devin Hatley, environmental educator for Facilities Management’s Office of Waste Reduction and Recycling. The Office and Facilities Management’s grounds unit manage the project, which began in 2006 and is held every April and October.

The bi-annual Campus Cleanup involves students, faculty and staff.

Hatley and the student-led organizations of Charlotte Green Initiative and the EARTH Club help coordinate the volunteers, who received bags, gloves and other supplies to gather trash at assigned locations. For more information on Campus Cleanup and other campus beautification programs, go to http:// bit.ly/1oe5nVc.

The cleanup on April 6, 2014 included planting about 150 trees.

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SHAPING THE FUTURE GRADUATES TAKE SUSTAINABILITY KNOWLEDGE INTO THE COMMUNITY UNC Charlotte and the region are seeing benefits of a sustainable approach in operations, business, research, and communities. The list of professions where sustainability is applied is growing, and universities are updating curriculum and offering new degrees to meet future demand. In 2013, the first task force appointed by the University’s new Executive Sustainability Committee focused on curriculum and research. This faculty committee reviewed ways to assess the school’s curriculum and recommended ways to encourage faculty to develop new curriculum, courses and degrees. UNC Charlotte has over 30 degree programs that require courses addressing sustainability. The offerings

span five colleges and include bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees. Some departments have been teaching core sustainability concepts for decades. Recently UNC Charlotte created interdisciplinary options that include a bachelor’s degree in environmental studies and a master’s degree in business administration with a concentration in energy. Here is a list of the fields taught at the University with sustainability courses:

Construction & Facilities Management

Africana Studies

Real Estate

Architecture

Systems Engineering

Biology

Urban Design

Construction Management Earth and Environmental Sciences Engineering Management Engineering Technology Environmental Studies Geography Infrastructure & Environmental Systems Public Health Public Policy

Business Administration Civil Engineering

FOSTERING THE FUTURE: 2014 LEVINE SCHOLARS Recipients of the prestigious Levine Scholars Program embody one of the fundamental aspects of sustainability: to grow and nurture people and resources that will, in turn, improve the lives of future generations. Due to the generosity of Charlotte’s Sandra and Leon Levine, each scholarship includes full tuition, room and board, four summer experiences and a grant providing each student the opportunity to develop and launch his/her own service project. One such project is the UNC Charlotte Community Garden featured on page 37. These exceptional men and women are chosen based on three key factors: scholarship, ethical leadership and THRIVE | SHAPING THE FUTURE

civic engagement. Per the Levine Scholars Program website, these students “graduate fully prepared for a life of learning, service and leadership in their chosen field.” The 2014 class pictured above marks the first 13 graduating scholars who are now cultivating new endeavors which include law school and a Fulbright 40

scholarship in Quito, Ecuador. Their futures are unlimited.

MEET OUR UNIVERSITY SUSTAINABILITY OFFICER STANDING ON SHOULDERS, PEERING INTO THE FUTURE Since joining UNC Charlotte in October 2013, I have been dedicated to assessing our sustainability efforts. It’s a great first assignment — like any new employee, I am curious about my new home and how I can contribute. In my first career as a scientist, I was rewarded for curiosity and sifting through evidence. The aim was to test whether we needed to retain or change our world view. Sir Isaac Newton told us how this is possible: “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.” In the same way, I see my role as a sustainability leader is to conserve the best ideas from our past while testing our best ideas for the future. I learn from the big-shouldered giants of UNC Charlotte and begin my climb to help the University advance its understanding and manifestation of all that is sustainability in higher education. A less romantic view of my position is that I’ve been busy documenting campus sustainability and helping the University make plans and follow through. This view is no less important. One of our biggest challenges is communication — how do we go from documents, tables and charts to recognizing contributors and inspiring our community? This initial sustainability report is a key step. Considering all the ways we could communicate, we have chosen to tell stories. As a scientist, I would be comfortable simply producing the aforementioned documents, tables and charts, but that’s not enough. As Chancellor Dubois outlines in his remarks for this report, UNC Charlotte

is committed to making assessment data available to external organizations as well as to other institutions within our own UNC system. We also benefit from up-close looks at what sustainability truly means on our campus. Stories also provide human dimensions that data can overlook. Stories describe the challenges and accomplishments of sustainability leaders and innovators. They encourage and motivate people to improve their corner of the community. Stories demonstrate values and process as well. They show how people draw from the best of the past, adopt the best of today and develop new knowledge and solutions that propel our world forward. I like that. This report is a thin slice in time, and I look forward to all the new stories we’ll tell in the future.

Michael P. Lizotte, Ph.D. University Sustainability Officer

About back cover: UNC Charlotte Center City opened in uptown Charlotte in 2011 and has further strengthened the University’s connection and impact in the Charlotte region. Learn more on pg. 31 or visit centercity.uncc.edu.

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