If you are interested in pursuing any of the projects below, please send an e-mail expressing your interest to sustainability@duke.edu
.
Temperature and Scheduling Policy

Evaluate full impact and potential expansion/additional reductions
Occupancy sensors

Review existing information on sensors at Duke
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Conduct additional building audits where necessary
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Evaluate current technology and decide on recommended product
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Track number of locations, cost per unit installed, etc. to develop proposal for campus-wide implementation
Evaluation of potential impact of behavior change vs. operational changes for utility conservation
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Ex. utilize best sample residence halls (Bell Tower, K-4?) to conduct educational campaign with control group to evaluate impact

Review existing research and other institutions evaluation of potential impact of behavior change campaigns
Irrigation

Review existing system to further develop current baseline and metrics

Review current Duke standards for irrigation in new construction
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Develop educational materials/efforts to illustrate impact of irrigation and Duke’s initiatives
Solar Thermal

Evaluation of current system on Bryan Center and potential expansion to other projects – dorms, pools, etc.
Fixture review

Document existing Duke standards for plumbing fixtures

Review drought response to inventory efforts (ex. dual flush valves) and identify buildings and areas that could still be improved
Communication/behavior change

Develop broad educational/behavior change initiative focused on energy and water conservation

Evaluate and recommend potential feedback opportunities – dashboard, etc.
LEED

Update LEED points spreadsheet

Document best practices for energy and water from existing LEED buildings (i.e. what we did in these buildings to gain energy/water points)
Developing communication and educational tools and programs


Helping develop a communications plan

Updating existing education programs and materials
Developing new communications programs

Researching materials

How to properly dispose of non-traditional recyclables

What materials are best to use in place of non-recyclable materials

Understanding the environmental impacts of specific materials
Duke Recycles Warehouse

Help maintain inventory

Research new styles of bins and labels
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Weigh material after football games
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General clean up and organization of sorting area
Waste audits of specific buildings or locations
Plan and operate Duke Free Store events

Read more about the Free Store: http://sustainability.duke.edu/campus_initiatives/waste/freestore.html
Special event services

Helping to set up events

Working/volunteering at waste stations

Helping develop/promote green event services
Building and bin audits
Volunteer projects

Recycle for the Children

Freshmen Picnic

Organizing a group to help at the recycling warehouse

Etc.
Any additional topic ideas are welcome
Research biogas projects, including livestock and landfill methane capture projects to learn more about:

Types (and costs) of equipment used

Carbon offset potential

Energy generation potential
The purpose of this research will be to help to understand what is entailed in injecting biogas from livestock methane and landfill projects into the natural gas pipeline, which would enable centralization of energy production from biogas sources.
Analyze data from Duke University’s Loyd Ray Farms Swine Waste to Energy Project, including data on the performance of the energy generation system
Examine the opportunities for using guidance from the Climate Action Reserve to aggregate small forest carbon projects into a larger aggregate of projects in a cost effective manner
Investigate the carbon offset potential and carbon offset price of southeastern peatland hydrology restoration
Help redesign the website of the Duke Carbon Offsets Initiative to make it more informative about offsets projects

Promote the PTS Housing Guide to off-campus students to encourage them to live along the bus routes coming to Duke
Design and run a competition between graduate schools to encourage alternative commuting
Create a detailed plan for lowering air travel miles at Duke that builds on previous research and the information in Duke’s Climate Action Plan
Research and create plans for regional park and ride locations and assist with execution
If you are interested in pursuing any of the projects above, please send an e-mail expressing your interest to sustainability@duke.edu
.