Living Lab
Combining Study, Research, and Innovation
The University of Saskatchewan Sustainability Living Lab uses the campus and the surrounding community as a laboratory for teaching and research to explore all aspects of sustainability—environmental, societal and economic—to develop actionable solutions to make the campus and the community more sustainable. Students, faculty and staff work collaboratively on applied projects that address campus sustainability issues and challenges.
Staff members usually initiate projects, but ideas for projects can also be proposed by faculty and students.
If you have an idea for a project or would like to request a project, contact sustainability@usask.ca.
Funding from Fisher Scientific supports project-related expenses such as travel costs, costs associated with field work, equipment rental or purchase, materials and billable hours from U of S units. In addition, the Sustainability Revolving Fund (SRF) may fund some projects that bring forward actionable solutions that meet the SRF criteria.
Sustainability Living Lab Schedules and Projects
| Time | Course | Project | Presenters |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 3rd | |||
| 12:30 - 12:40 | Opening Remarks | ||
| 12:40 - 1:00 | Mandatory Waste Reduction and Recycling Subjects in K-12, Saskatchewan - An Efficient Approach to Raise More Awareness Towards Waste and Recycling in Saskatoon? | Juliane Schultz | |
| 1:00 - 1:20 | The Impact of Environmental Degradation on Rural Nigerian Women |
Shemi Adeoye |
|
| 1:20 - 1:40 | Waterfowl Nesting Structures in Saskatchewan |
Mitch Harris |
|
| 1:40 - 2:00 | Dam Resilient: The Persistence of Beaver Through the Flood of 2013 |
Amanda Ronnquist |
|
| 2:00 - 2:30 |
Break |
||
|
2:30 - 3:00 |
RRM 421 | A Relationship with the Land: Assessing Land Management Practices for Mistawasis Nêhiyak |
Sarah Kent Cree Longjohn Eric Meyers Jesse Milton Daniel Topp Keana Trudel |
| 3:00 - 3:30 | RRM 421 | Recommendations for Saskatchewan's Community Wildfire Risk Assessment Project |
Makayla Lupien Chris Thorne Josh Myhr Anna Jacobson Triann Littlepine Ian Hnatowich |
| 3:30 - 4:00 | RRM 421 | SHARING THE LAND: Environmental Impacts of Off-Leash Dogs at Chief Whitecap Park |
Jessie Best Megan Hamilton Mandie Jenson Carson Jorgensen Trevor Looman Brittany Neumeier Maria Sonntag |
| 4:00 - 4:30 | Opimihaw Creek Riparian Management Plan |
Tyler Casavant Brendan Duret Elise Nelson |
|
| 4:30 | End of Day #1 | ||
| April 4th | |||
| 8:45 |
Opening Remarks |
||
| 9:00 - 9:30 | COMM 448 | Sustainable Transportation Plan |
Nicole Good Nick Donauer |
| 9:30 - 10:00 | COMM 448 | Sustainability Marketing Plan |
Tori Lloyd Mikaela Spooner |
| 10:00 - 10:30 | NUTR 330/430 | Recommendations for a U of S Sustainable Dining Policy |
Xinyu Shen Jessica Braun |
| 10:30 - 11:00 | COMM 448 | Assessing the Electric Vehicle Potential for the U of S |
Etienne Hagenbuch Zachary Warnock |
|
11:00 - 11:30 |
ART 341/441 | ART*Cycled: Upcycled Public Art | |
| 11:30 - 11:45 |
SENS M.SEM |
M.SEM Project Poster: Assessing Sustainability Culture at the U of S | Lynette Manual |
| 11:45 - 12:00 | SENS M.SEM | M.SEM Project Poster: Supporting the Design of a Crowdsourcing Platform for Citizen Science | Lin Li |
| 12:00 - 1:30 | Lunch | ||
| 1:30 - 2:00 | ENVE 482 | Characterizing the University's Waste Stream |
Nolan Hunter |
| 2:00 - 2:30 | NUTR 330/430 | Assessing the Social Benefits of the McEown Park Community Garden |
Brooke Motowylo Melissa Vollmer |
| 2:30 - 3:00 | ENVS 401 | Charge Yourself with PEP: Pedaling Electric Power |
Andrea Alejandra Saldes Cortes |
| 3:00 - 3:30 | USSU Sustainability Committee Funded Projects | ||
| 3:30 | End of Day #2 | ||
| April 5th | |||
| 9:30 - 9:40 |
Opening Remarks |
||
| 9:40 - 10:00 | ENVS 401 | The Lawnscape Redemption: Enhancing Our Urban Greenspaces with Native Species |
Owain Berry Ian Hnatowich Triann Littlepine Chris Thorne Layton Willick |
| 10:00 - 10:40 | ENVS 401 | Two Eyes to the Night Sky |
Alex Acton Sehjal Bhargava Jacqueline Gelineau Bretton Hutt Selena Komarevich Ke Yuan |
| 10:40 - 10:50 |
Break |
||
| 10:50 - 11:10 | ENVS 401 | PEP (Pedaling Electric Power) |
Andrea Alejandra Saldes Cortes |
| 11:10 - 11:30 | ENVS 401 |
BAM: Borrow A Mug |
Amanda Horvath Athena Wu |
| 11:30 - 11:50 | ENVS 401 | Hot or Not: Assessing Heat Loss on Campus |
Kyla Beaudry Meaghan Dierker Carson Jorgensen Dayle Meyers Keana Trudel |
| 11:50 - 1:00 | Break | ||
| 1:00 - 1:20 | ENVS 401 | Fish-N-Greens: Sustainable Means "Closing the Loop on Sustainable Food" |
Jason Cook-Studer Anja Eliasson Ashgan Abdelaziz |
| 1:20 - 1:40 | ENVS 401 | Talk Trash with US: Centralized Composting in AgBio |
Sarah Kent Trevor Looman Kyra Mazer Brittany Neumeier |
| 1:40 - 2:00 | ENVS 401 |
Bee a Bee-liever: Let's Get Kirk Hall Buzzin' |
Caitlyn Anhorn Sarah Halpenny-Mason Josh Lange Kelsey Smid Jacklyn Waronek |
| 2:00 - 2:20 | ENVS 401 | Freedom Fridge: Stick That In Your Fridge And Eat It |
Zach Rychlo Daniel Topp Anna Jacobson Josh Myrh Jesse Milton |
| 2:20 - 2:40 | ENVS 401 | PLANning Sustainably: An Investigation Into the Certificate of Sustainability/Transforming the University of Saskatchewan's Current Transit Terminal |
Ethan Guthro Jessica Russell |
| 2:40 - 3:00 | Break | ||
| 3:00 - 3:20 | ENVS 401 | Here Comes the Sun... |
Mandie Jenson Meagan Hamilton Maria Sonntag Landon Balon Shuo Li Diane Dai Alishia Beach Victoria Thicke-Rattray |
| 3:20 - 4:00 | ENVS 401 | Incoming Solar Information |
Anthony Baron Levi Freistadt Justin ritco Emily Rogal Siyu Ruan Trent Siemens Cody Slonski Shucheng Wu Tianyu Yang Femi Yusuf |
| 4:00 - 4:20 | ENVS 401 |
The World Revolves Around US |
Cassidy Daskalchuk Jessica griffeth Kenna Skoglund Ashlee Tomalty |
| 4:20 - 4:40 | ENVS 401 |
Bright Ideas Powered by the Sun |
Colby Dennis Makayla Lupien Reanna Berg Sara Copeland Wyatt Moore |
| 4:40 - 5:00 | ENVS 401 | Ain't Going Down Till the Sun Comes Up |
Zach Person |
| 5:00 | Wrap Up and Clean Up | ||
| 5:30 - 8:00 | Our Common Future Networking Reception and Keynote Address by City Councillor Sarina Gersher | ||
| Time | Course | Project | Presenters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wednesday March 29th | |||
| 9:00 - 9:30 | ART 341/441 | ART*Cycled Presentation | |
| 9:30 - 10:10 | ART*Cycled Viewing in the Main Foyer of DCC | ||
| 10:10 - 10:40 | NUTR 430 | Host a Freight Train Locally |
Alexa McEwen Laurel Goshawk |
| 10:40 - 10:50 | Break | ||
| 10:50 - 11:20 | NUTR 430 | Community Orchard on Campus |
Kelsey Seipp Eline Berglof |
|
11:20 - 11:30 |
Break | ||
| 11:30 - 12:00 | NUTR 430 | Health and Sustainability Food Summit |
Lauren Kapphan Gina Guo Amanda Geradts |
| 12:00 - 12:40 |
Lunch |
||
|
12:40 - 1:00 |
Biology Program | Costs of Reproduction in Sable Island Horses and its Consequences to Inter Birth Intervals |
Stephanie Witham |
| 1:00 - 1:20 | BIOL 398 | Ecology of Marine Molluscs in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago |
Meghan Hamp |
| 1:20 - 1:40 | BIOL 398 | A Comparison of Arctic Benthic Communities in Soft and Hard Bottom Habitats |
Ashley Beckett |
| 1:40 - 2:00 | BIOL 398 | A Comparison Between Hard and Soft Bottom Benthic Invertebrates in an Arctic Bay |
Michelle Brandt |
| 2:00 - 2:20 | BIOL 398 | Comparison of the Macrofauna Communities of the Itirbilun, Tingin, and Inugsiun Fjords of Baffin Island |
Carly Fehr |
| 2:20 - 2:40 | Environmental Science Program | Dry Land Aquaculture |
Sarah Halpenny-Mason |
| 2:40 | End of Day #1 | ||
| Thursday, March 30th | |||
| 9:00 - 9:20 | ENVS 401 | A Positive End for Dead Batteries |
Beau Drieschner Nicholas Fangou Austin Liska Jason Grose Wenjie Chi |
| 9:20 - 9:40 | ENVS 401 | PAC Showers |
Keaton Nodwell Michael Springinotic Nicholas Kreutzwieser |
| 9:40 - 10:00 | ENVS 401 | Let There Be Light: Windows to a Greener Campus |
Seun Ajose-Adeogun Jesse Reimer |
| 10:00 - 10:20 | ENVS 401 | Astro Towing: Giving a Boost to Sustainability |
Brent Roller Dewei Jiang Zi Yang Sophia Qu |
| 10:20 - 10:30 | Break | ||
| 10:30 - 10:50 | ENVS 401 | Come Stay with US: Do We Have a Say in U of S Development? |
Kendall Scott Jeffrey Zalaski Abigail Vandenameele Samantha Rimke |
| 10:50 - 11:10 | ENVS 401 | WATER You Doing About Sustainability? |
Jennifer Nguyen Brooke Anderson Leah Dueck Natasha Hirschfeld Courtney Clarke Megan Coverdale |
| 11:10 - 11:30 | ENVS 401 | What's Your Angle? Spotlight on Sustainability at the U of S |
Lauren Dyck Cree Longjohn Amanda Lindgren Karlee Wilkinson |
| 11:30 - 11:50 | ENVS 401 | Pack a Bowl with US: Sustainable Food Packaging |
Auston Baron Bronwen Plumer Chelsea Coates Douglas Dixon |
| 11:50 - 12:10 | Environmental Biology Program | Project Penguin and Polar Protectors: Building Sustainability Between the Poles |
Alana Krug-MacLeod |
| 12:10 - 1:00 | Lunch | ||
| 1:00 - 1:20 | ENVS 401 | The Buzz on Bees: Increasing Bee Awareness at the U of S |
Teri Calver Rozlin Holoboff Jessica Slopek Lindsey Rudd |
| 1:20 - 1:40 | ENVS 401 | Let's Talk Dirty: How to clean Up Your Act with Vermicomposting |
Katelyn Gaetz Brooke Howatt Shelby Kaczur Corbyn Pankonin Beckett Stark Steven Cheyne |
| 1:40 - 2:00 | ENVS 401 | Why So Salty? Just Beet It! |
Logan McMahon Fatima Babiker Shanna Pospisil |
| 2:00 - 2:20 | ENVS 401 |
Renewable Rides: The Road to Campus CarShare |
Jessie Best Zachary Reddekopp Braden Bessel Jared Andreychuk |
| 2:20 - 2:40 | ENVS 401 | Mopeds |
Paul Harasyn |
| 2:40 - 3:00 | Break | ||
| 3:00 - 3:20 | ENVS 401 | Raindrop, Drop Top, All the Leaks Have to Stop! |
Natasha Werbicki Amber Ross Ty Roberts Erin Meyers |
| 3:20 - 3:40 | ENVS 401 | Waste: Millenials Take on Consumption |
Lukka Jasem Taylor Hahn Anqi Chen Ashton Poier |
| 3:40 - 4:00 | ENVS 401 |
Bring Attention to Your Pension! |
Jordana Knoblauch Kara Leftley Jake Glass Russell Agnew Connor Forsdick |
| 4:00 - 4:30 | ME 495 | Building an All-Weather Bicycle Tire Pump |
Nicholas Mikhail Evan Corrigal Jessie Talbot Muhammad Wahhaj Javed |
| 4:30 | End of Day #2 | ||
| Time | Course | Project | Presenters | Presentations and Reports |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9:00 - 9:15 | Opening and Introductions | |||
| 9:30 - 10:30 | PLAN 490 | Regional Sustainability Planning Mega-Project | Report | |
| 10:30 - 11:00 | Break and Viewing of Displays and Posters | |||
| 11:00 - 11:30 | NUTR 330/430 | Feasibility of On-Campus Farmers' Market |
Nadine Nevland Kara Friesen |
|
|
11:30 - 12:30 |
Lunch | |||
| 12:30 - 12:50 | ENVS 401 | Cut the Fork'n Waste with US |
Kendell Senger Jenna Curson Laurel Zelensky |
|
|
12:50 - 1:05 |
ENVS 401 | Caution, Contents Wasteful: Reducing Coffee Cup Waste at the U of S |
Taylor Kaye |
|
| 1:05 - 1:20 | ENVS 401 | Sustainable Schools, Sustainable Futures |
Kim B. |
|
| 1:20 - 1:40 | ENVS 401 | Planting the Seed of Sustainable Agriculture: Road Map to 2018 |
Amanda Jolly Kellie-Anne Nasby Nicole Vanderleesk Taylor Stenerson |
|
| 1:40 - 1:45 | Break and Viewing of Displays and Posters | |||
| 1:45 - 2:00 | ENVS 401 | Sustainable Youth: Growing our Future in Green Spaces |
Vincente Dazzan |
Report |
| 2:00 - 2:20 | ENVS 401 | Growing Sustainability at the U of S: A Public Orchard Proposal |
Natasha Levesque Lauren Reynold Angela Nerbis Tyler Lefley |
|
| 2:20 - 2:40 | PLAN 490 | Food to Fertilizer with the Saskatoon Food Bank |
Eric Pulvermacher Alanna Jonson Kennedy Keith Elizabeth Edmondson |
|
| 2:40 - 3:00 | ENVS 401 | USASK Free Market on Campus |
Louis Dumais Carlene James Chantal Bethune Kristen Ottenbreit Chelsey Skeosh Courtney Burgera |
|
| 3:00 - 3:20 | ENVS 401 | We Are Greenbin: Eco Group Discounting |
Steven Kessler Folly Baugh Brady Myhr Bruce Wang |
|
| 3:20 - 3:35 | Break and Viewing of Displays and Posters | |||
| 3:35 - 3:55 | ENVS 401 | Watts of Sweat: ReCycle Your Energy at the PAC |
Scott Wood Cassidy Oborowsky Brianna Zoerb |
|
| 3:55 - 4:15 | ENVS 401 | Get Lit with US: Solar Panels on Campus |
Allison Carr Chelsea Baraniecki Jenna Rae Fusick Courtney Trudeau Kristin Ottenbreit |
|
| 4:15 - 4:35 | ENVS 401 | 2 for the Price of 1: Shine Bright for Less |
Landon Sealey Sam Garnett Joshua Doerksen |
|
| 4:35 - 5:00 | Food and Socializing | |||
Posters and Displays:
| Poster | COMM 450 | Marketing to Reduce Food Waste |
Abby Tait Brent Lendsay Laura Peter Kara Leftley |
| Poster | COMM 450 | Marketing to Reduce Food Waste |
Nicole Kidder Renata Huyghebaert Alexandra Barlas Celia Haradence |
| Lesson Plan | ECE 322 | The Importance of Bees: Exploring the Significance of Sustaining Ecosystems |
Cheryl McKay Cayley McKenzie Shelbi MacKinnon Sarah Klein Deanna Watson |
| Lesson Plan | ECE 322 | Water is Life - Keeping it Safe |
Sarah Gibson Jenny Klassen Breanne Unger Kristen Reddekopp Laura Goodmanson |
| Lesson Plan | ECE 322 | From Here to There - Keeping Fresh Land, Water & Air |
Rhonda Parton Kendra Gerbig Hellary Black Michelle Puchula Rylee McKenzie |
| Lesson Plan | ECE 322 | Classrom Compost |
Mari Karla Amanda Serena Brianna |
| Lesson Plan | ECE 322 | Sustainability - Our Role and Responsibility for Wildlife Preservation |
Erica Osterried Kayla Arguin Sofia Quijada Shauna Martin Chanda Bugler |
| Lesson Plan | ECE 322 | The Tree Project |
Jennelle Minish Sydney Shumlanski Alissa Hildebrandt Tori Bass Tracy O'Hara |
| Lesson Plan | ECE 322 | Saving the World by Using Recycled Paper |
Argyro Karachalio Erica Bronkhorst Jessica Bradford Kathryn Archer Meagan Forbister |
Unprogrammed Reports
Think More, Waste Less
Waste Not, Want Not
| Time | Course | Project | Presenters | Reports and Presentations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10:00 - 10:30 | ME 495 | Mechanical Systems in the Education Building |
Dacey Schentag Jay Brockmann Luke Deobald Tanner Deobald |
|
| 10:30 - 11:00 | NUTR 430 | Campus Sustainable Food Culture | Taletha Bennet | |
| 11:00 - 11:15 | Break | |||
| 11:15 - 11:30 | ENVS 401 | Growing UP: Green Rooftops on Campus |
Kelsey Kirkham Paige Pister Meagon Willerton Tracy Fehr Marina Tetreault |
|
| 11:30 - 11:45 | ENVS 401 | Chewing on Sustainability: A Campus Farmers' Market Feasibility Report |
Tor Lokken Lauren Achtemichuk Hilary Luchinski |
|
| 11:45 - 12:00 | ENVS 401 | Why Not US: Sustainable Renewable Energy |
Valentina Chertez Brittney St. Amant Seamus Woodward-George Devon Hunter |
|
|
12:00 - 12:15 |
ENVS 401 | Brighten US Up - Solar Energy |
Chelsea Hebert Alana Closs Dakota Borys |
|
| 12:15 - 12:30 | ENVS 401 | Money CAN Grow on Trees: Investing our Endowment Responsibly |
Amie Vowles Rebekah Esau Bryce McCall Vince Zhang Alex Gresiuk |
|
|
12:30 - 12:45 |
ENVS 401 | Recycled Paper - Can You Spot the Difference? |
Sarah Johnson Amanda Schurman Laura Soucy Colton Allan Shauna Juravinski Trevor Nygren Janessa Paetkau |
|
| 12:45 - 1:00 | ENVS 401 | Dry Your Hands, Not the Floor |
Ryan Jabs Lukas Smith Carolyn Murray Tawni Wilson Cierra Wallington |
|
| 1:00 - 1:15 | ENVS 401 | Engage with US | Emile Perreault | |
| 1:15 - 2:00 | Break | |||
| 2:00 - 2:20 | PLAN 490 | Place Riel Bus Mall Revitalization |
Michael Sliva Jill Doepker Rozan El-Salem |
|
| 2:20 - 2:40 | PLAN 490 | Surface Runoff on Campus: Public Perceptions and Strategies |
Lindsay Sthamann Haven Rees Kianna Mofazzali James Hnatowich |
|
| 2:40 - 3:00 | PLAN 490 | Sustainable Food Production on Campus: Perceptions, Values and Ideas for the Future |
Courtney Wiens Adriana Atcheson Vanessa Wellsch Krista Nokonechny |
|
| 3:00 - 3:30 | BLE 495 | Design of a Manure Utilization System for the Rayner Dairy Research and Teaching Facility | Alanna Howell | Report |
|
Course |
Project Title |
# Groups/ |
|---|---|---|
|
COMM 499 |
Sustainability as a Buzzword: the Implications of Undergraduate Perceptions of the Term |
1/ 1 |
|
ME 495 |
An Efficient Design Option for an Existing Building Refrigeration System |
1/ 1 |
|
CE 295 |
Bicycle Infrastructure Plan for the University of Saskatchewan |
2/ 8 |
|
CE 295 |
Potable Water Reduction Strategy for the University of Saskatchewan |
2/ 8 |
|
ENVE 495 |
Evaluating and Designing Options for Renewable and Alternative Energy for the Education Building at the University of Saskatchewan |
1/ 3 |
|
ENVE 495 |
GHG Emission Reductions for the Rayner Dairy Barn |
1/ 4 |
|
CE 295 |
Permeable Surfacing Options for U of S Parking Lots |
3/ 12 |
|
CE 295 |
LEED Compliant Roofing Technologies Appropriate to Non-Flat Roofs |
2/ 8 |
|
Nutr 430 |
Survey of Student Knowledge and Attitudes about Local Food |
1/ 2 |
|
Nutr 430 |
Plastic Food Containers – Are they Safe? |
1/ 1 |
|
ENVS 401 |
Got Gas? Greenhouse Gas Reductions in the U of S Agricultural Systems |
1/ 4 |
|
ENVS 401 |
From Food Waste to Fertilizer: Composting at Marquis Hall |
1/ 1 |
|
ENVS 401 |
Switch with US: Transitioning to Recycled Paper Across Campus |
1/ 4 |
|
ENVS 401 |
Where is Our Money Going? Sustainability Investing at the U of S |
1/ 4 |
|
ENVS 401 |
Sustainable Education at the University of Saskatchewan |
1/ 2 |
|
ENVS 401 |
Native Plants and Sustainable Landscape Management on Campus |
1/ 5 |
|
ENVS 401 |
Don’t Turn US On and Leave |
1/ 3 |
|
ENVS 401 |
iRecycle my eWaste |
1/ 1 |
|
Year |
Course |
Project Title |
# Groups/ |
|---|---|---|---|
|
2005 |
CE 295 |
University Transit Terminal Design Project |
4/ 16 |
|
2005 |
CE 295 |
Integrated Storm Water and Waste Water Management |
2/ 8 |
|
2006 |
CE 295 |
Investigation into the Sustainable Rejuvenation of Kirk Hall |
2/ 7 |
|
2008 |
CE 295 |
Sustainable Transportation System on the University of Saskatchewan Campus |
2/ 8 |
|
2008 |
CE 295 |
Storm Water Management on the University of Saskatchewan Campus |
2/ 8 |
|
2008 |
ME 495 |
Non Potable Water Source for Campus Irrigation |
1/ 3 |
|
2008 |
ME 495 |
Energy Efficient Refrigeration Design for Marquis Hall |
1/ 3 |
|
2008 |
Econ 277 |
The Economics of Curbside Recycling Programs: How They Compare with Conventional Waste Management |
1/ 1 |
|
2008 |
Phys 404 |
Solar Powered Laptop Recharge Station Design |
1/ 2 |
|
2008 |
ABE 495 |
Waste Utilization Plan for the University of Saskatchewan |
1/ 4 |
|
2009 |
ABE 495 |
University of Saskatchewan Wind Farm Feasibility Study |
1/ 3 |
|
2009 |
CE 296 |
Safe and Sustainable Pedestrian Link |
1/ 4 |
|
2010 |
CE 295 |
Design for Safe Pedestrian/Bike Traffic to Cross College Drive |
3/ 12 |
|
2013 |
COMM 357 |
Student's Recycling Behaviour on Campus |
1/ 2 |
|
2012 |
GEO 398 |
A Thirst for Energy (Embedded Energy in Bottled Water) |
1/ 1 |