Princeton University Office of Sustainability

Project Ideas for JP, Senior Thesis or Graduate Study in Partnership with Operational and Academic Departments

The following topics have been identified in partnership with staff from University operational departments and faculty from various academic departments to assist students in advancing sustainability on campus through JP, Senior Thesis and graduate research studies.

The intention is to share existing campus technologies, processes, and practices that could: 1) provide excellent fodder for academic study, 2) potentially benefit the sustainability performance of the campus, and 3) contribute meaningfully to a body of knowledge that informs better societal decision-making.

We believe that collaboration between academics and operations will lead to innovation and accelerated sustainability performance in all areas - from social to technological.

If a particular topic is of interest, please contact the Office of Sustainability (258-1518) for additional assistance.

Also, if you are familiar with an idea that should be included on this list, please contact Shana Weber at shanaw@princeton.edu, or 258-1518.

This presentation was compiled for the recent October 21, 2011 discussion forum among students, faculty, and staff. It highlights faculty perspectives on the value of campus-based research, as well as research and project ideas based on pressing sustainability questions from operational units on campus such as Dining Services, Facilities Engineering, Building Services, Transportation and Parking Services and others.

Download PowerPoint (12 MB)

Humanities

• What is the role of visual and performance art in communicating sustainability and inspiring behavior change?

Social Sciences 

• What would incentivize University faculty, staff and commuting students to utilize public transportation, bicycles, and walking to get to and from campus?
• What are the barriers to campus community buy-in when choosing environmentally preferable products and practices?
• How do we effectively encourage healthy and sustainable food choices?
• How do we maximize personal water use reduction?
• Study current communication strategies for sustainability and develop/implement a communication, marketing and outreach plan for a active campus initiative
• What communication strategies result in behavior change?
• What communication strategies result in increased participation in using the campus as a lab for sustainability?

Research & Education

• What is the best approach for Princeton to integrate sustainability into ongoing coursework?

Energy Technologies Available for Study on Campus

• Geothermal (ground source heat pump) heating and cooling
  • Existing sites: Lawrence Apartments, Campus Club
  • Future sites: Hibben Magie, others
• Large-scale solar PV
  • Future site: 27 acres in West Windsor
• Cogeneration at the Central Plant
• Heat Recovery at the Central Plant
• Chilled water storage at the Central Plant
• Water conservation at the Central Plant cooling towers
  

Energy-Related Project Ideas

• Examine potential energy generation from the roughly 900 tons of food waste generated on campus each year (currently recycled by a pig farmer)
• Study optimization of ground source heat pump bore fields. Examine different types of ground coupled heat exchanges, their configurations and various ground drilling technologies
  
• Assess how to optimize photovoltaic installations into building glazing (glass), studying tradeoffs in capital cost vs. power produced, HVAC reductions and glare control (and any government incentive funds)
• Study the impact of green roofs on building energy use (Butler College). Additional information: video, story, sustainability report
• Evaluate heat island effects on the University and suggest methods for reducing those effects (taking into account capital cost vs. energy savings and potential environmental benefits)
  
• Study most effective use of LUCID DESIGN digital energy dashboards in shifting awareness and behavior, and encouraging use of campus as laboratory (current installations: Butler College, Frick Chemistry Laboratory)
• Identify the remaining operational strategies needed to achieve 2020 greenhouse gas reduction goals for the campus
• Assess the feasibility of local offshore wind power as part of the University's renewable energy portfolio
• What are the tradeoffs between Paper and Plastic recycling and waste to energy?

Building Design and Construction

• Life Cycle Costing and Life Cycle Analysis of materials (stone, metal, etc), energy technologies, and labor analysis for compliance testing
• Analysis of actual energy usage vs. planned (modeled) for chilled beam, ground source heat pump, lighting control technologies and/or whole-building performance
• Assessing carbon footprint of various building systems
• Analysis of indoor material options for enhanced indoor air quality
• Assessment of current recycling systems during construction
• Study of green roof installation potential on the existing campus and/or continued study of current and future installations
• Assessment of construction-related vibration and impact on local environment
• Study of BIM/Laser (LIDAR)/Point cloud technology
• Study use of digital media and web-based workflow tools on reducing paper usage
• Building-Specific: Neuroscience/Psychology Building
  • Materials/system testing: QC
  • Vibration control: planned vs. actual
• Building-Specific: Andlinger
  • Sustainability
  • Structural analysis: vibration control
• Building-Specific: Athletic Fields
  • Rain water control
  • Durability
  • Heat island/Solar
• Building-Specific: Jadwin Hall (20 Washington Rd) and Hoyt Renovations
• Develop economic assessment reports for implementation of various sustainable building retrofits appropriate for different types of campus buildings
• Study the University's Sustainable Building Guidelines and assess its impact

Transportation and Parking Services

• Investigate the relationship between fuel prices and transportation mode choice
• Study the impact of campus development density and its relationship to mode of transportation by students, faculty and staff
• Study the relationship between the local Princeton area fixed transit (rail, light rail, major bus service) infrastructure and its local economy
• Compare and contrast the Princeton Borough/Township/University’s journey-to-work data with other comparable college towns
• Just how valuable are parking lots compared to academic buildings? Conduct and economic impact study
• Study sustainable vehicle options for the campus fleet (ranging from carts to trucks)
• Evaluate sustainable fuel options for the campus fleet
• Assess various incentives to encourage University faculty, staff and commuting students to utilize public transportation, bicycles, and walking
• Conduct an assessment of the student-run UBikes program and quantify its sustainability impact
• What is the overall CO₂ impact of the campus TDM program?

Purchasing

• Further development of the Life Cycle Assessment tool for assessing vendor practices
• impact of Life Cycle Assessment on vendor practices and institutional footprint
• Study of the effective use of imaging and printers across campus to reduce paper consumption
• Evaluation of the use and effectiveness of digital signage across campus on reducing resource consumption (paper, energy)
• Study of most effective strategies for achieving campus community buy-in to chose environmentally preferable products and practices
  

Waste Reduction

• What are the most effective programs for reducing and diverting move-in and move-out landfill waste?
• What are effective zero-waste strategies for large campus events or for daily operations in selected buildings? 
• What would a campus zero-waste policy look like?
• Does single-stream recycling result in changed behavior and increased recycling rates?
• Develop a zero-waste implementation plan for Reunions or other major events.
   

Dining

• Is there an algorithm to calculate carbon emissions for recipes/menu items that can be developed for a menu management software program?
• What is the life cycle analysis of food items used for service?
• Is it economically feasible for local vendors to produce items packaged for institutional use?
• How do we effectively encourage healthy and sustainable food choices?
• What are the recycling and reuse options for the 1000 tons of food waste generated on campus each year (currently recycled by a pig farmer)?
• What are the food waste generation patterns in the dining halls?
• What are the bottled water purchase patterns on campus and what are the most effective way to reduce those purchases and their associated impacts?
  
• Assessment of the carbon footprint of primary food items and associated smartphone app development.
• How would the carbon footprint of Princeton University be affected by a measured percent reduction in animal product consumption per student?

Landscape

• What populations of insects exist on campus and what are their relative impacts on plant populations?
• How are organic fertilizers and pesticides used on campus and how can they be used
• What are the plant growth rates using various soils on campus?
• What are the nutrient impacts of irrigation on various soil types?
• How are campus rain gardens and bio-swales performing as tools for storm water management?
• What is the difference between the quality of harvested rainwater compared to domestic water and their impact on plants over time?
• Evaluate more sustainable equipment options for landscape maintenance (hedge trimmers, weed whackers, leaf blowers, etc)
• How much biomass is accounted for in the tree trimmings that are recycled on campus?
• What green roof plants are optimal for enhancing ecosystem services on campus?

Domestic Water

• Efficiently locating water bearing subsurface fractures
• What are the most effective strategies to maximize domestic water use efficiency on campus?
• How do we minimize irrigation where it occurs?
• How do we maximize personal water use behavior change?

Storm Water

• Evaluate current and potential storm water management strategies using athletic fields
• How can we maximize the use of athletic fields and parking areas as stormwater retention facilities?
• Assess current and potential strategies for minimizing storm water runoff while maximizing local water quality and groundwater recharge
• How effective are rain gardens and bio-swales in providing storm water retention and filtration?
• What is the cost/benefit analysis and effectiveness of various porous pavement systems vs. asphalt options?
• Are the current strategies working to improve the water quality of Carnegie Lake?

Communications

• Study current communication strategies for sustainability and develop/implement a communication, marketing and outreach plan for a active campus initiative
• What communication strategies result in behavior change?
• What communication strategies result in increased participation in using the campus as a lab for sustainability?

 Campus Programs

• How can we assess behavior change resulting from various campus programs like Outdoor Action, or the Office of Sustainability?
• How can we assess direct and indirect financial costs/benefits of various programs like the UBikes or EcoReps programs?
• How can we assess the overall impact of implementing sustainability goals on local ecosystem services (water quality, air quality, soil quality, access to healthy food, etc)?
• How significant is campus sustainability on student recruitment at Princeton?

Campus Labs

• What is the most effective way to incentivize energy efficiency and waste minimization in campus laboratories? 
• How can small-scale efforts in laboratories be scaled up for broader impact?