Pervious pavement, which allows liquid and air to flow through it; so water passes through the pavement and flows directly into the earth below, unlike conventional asphalt and concrete surfaces. This pavement minimizes water pollution and recharges groundwater aquifers. Pervious pavement mitigates the urban heat island effect, a phenomenon that occurs when urban materials (such as conventional pavements and buildings) absorb and store heat and increase the ambient air temperature. Additionally, the surface facilitates vegetation health, because roots have access to the water that flows through the pavement. The pervious parking lot is located west of the ASU Art Museum, and was a National Center for Excellence in SMART Innovations for Urban Climate and Energy project.

The Arizona State University Zero Waste department supports university sustainability initiatives through engagement, operations, planning, and visioning. ZW aims to achieve zero solid waste, which results in a 30 percent waste reduction and 90 percent diversion from the landfill. Outdoor dual landfill and recycling bins on campus are found outside on every campus with pictures on what can go into the landfill and the recycling. Using ‘landfill’ rather than ‘trash’ better communicates the impact the individual’s throwaways are having on our planet. Composting is available “back-of-house” in Memorial Union, residential dining halls and select dining facilities.
 
The Zero Waste department has several programs including Ditch the Dumpster and the Blue Bag Program. Ditch the dumpster is a move-out event from April 24th - May 12th, where students who have accumulated more than they need can divert waste from the landfill, support local non-profits and become educated about waste, proper recycling and addressing social needs. In spring 2016, Move-Out contributed to 105, 125 pounds of material that were donated, repurposed, or recycled. The blue bag program is a Campus-wide program where offices can recycle K-cup coffee capsules, snack bags, batteries, etc., which cannot be placed in the traditional blue bin.

The Garden Commons provides a space to educate students about a holistic food system and connect them to the land with hands-on learning opportunities. Organic, local foods are grown and harvested to support the campus Farm Stand along with donations to food banks. In addition to community donations and volunteer opportunities, the garden provides classes and student engagement events that focus on food system themes, sustainability, environmental awareness, and wellness.

Street Address: 

5992 S Tweet St
Mesa, AZ 85212

The ASU Seed Library is a free campus seed project committed to increasing the capacity of our community to grow wholesome food from the basic building blocks of life: seeds. To start your garden, visit the Seed Library cabinet next to Naturespace on Level 3 in Hayden Library. The seeds you check out from the ASU Seed Library are provided to you at no financial cost, and yet they are priceless.

A commitment to growing plants from seeds is a gift to you. We hope you learn much, experience the joy of gardening and enjoy the fruits of your labor. At harvest time, please take some extra steps to save seeds for yourself and the library. Please visit the Seed Library guide for more information.

Street Address: 

300 E. Orange Mall
Tempe, AZ 85281

Promoting use-inspired research is one of the eight design-imperatives of the New American University, in which the advancement of knowledge and the transformation of society are fundamentally intertwined. Funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the National Center of Excellence on SMART (Sustainable Materials and Renewable Technologies) Innovations for Urban Climate and Energy is a premier laboratory for developing materials that contribute to a sustainable urban environment. In the SMART laboratory, researchers create solutions to address the issues, such as the urban heat island effect, that rapid urbanization raises. These researchers develop cool pavements, building materials, and roof technologies. The SMART laboratory played a leading role in developing the pervious pavement that covers the ASU Art Museum’s parking lot.

Our hubs of student activity embrace an inclusive spirit. The MU is home to gender neutral bathrooms, lactation rooms, nondenominational meditation space, and cultural coalitions. It also houses changemaker central. 

1290 S. Normal Ave.
Tempe, AZ 85287

The single-axis tracker solar array above the Fulton Center Parking Garage tracks the sun’s movements during the day and reset at night, increasing the energy output. There are 1, 680 panels which annually produce 706,293kWh and 1,930 kWh daily. These systems are ideal here because the infrastructure can be supported and repair vehicles can easily access them. 

Street Address: 
300 E. University Dr.
Tempe, AZ 85281

The facilities management central plant and grounds services team constructed a system to capture and re-use 13,500 gallons of reverse osmosis reject water produced daily from the central plant. They received $5,000 seed money from University Sustainability Practices to design, fund and manage the project. Previously, the reject water flowed down the drain and into the sewer system. The water is now piped to a holding tank and used by grounds services on campus for power washing and cleaning streets and malls, or pumped by the central plant up to the cooling towers for the campus chillers.

During the first partial year of operation, the departments saved nearly 1.5 million gallons of water that had been purchased for those operations in previous years. The team projects an annual savings of more than 4 million gallons of water, and the entire cost of design and construction has been recouped in the first 10 months of operation. 

The facilities management central plant and grounds services team constructed a system to capture and re-use 13,500 gallons of reverse osmosis reject water produced daily from the central plant. They received $5,000 seed money from University Sustainability Practices to design, fund and manage the project. Previously, the reject water flowed down the drain and into the sewer system. The water is now piped to a holding tank and used by grounds services on campus for power washing and cleaning streets and malls, or pumped by the central plant up to the cooling towers for the campus chillers.

During the first partial year of operation, the departments saved nearly 1.5 million gallons of water that had been purchased for those operations in previous years. The team projects an annual savings of more than 4 million gallons of water, and the entire cost of design and construction has been recouperated in the first 10 months of operation. 

Currently, there is a renovation project to increase efficiency by about 12% by raising the cooling towers another 6 feet up to allow water in cooling towers to evaporate more efficiently. In addition, controls will be changed in order to optimize water flow. 

The Graphic Information Systems Print and Imaging Laboratory is Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) certified. The lab, where ASU graphic information technology students practice their trade and assist the university with major print work, uses 100 percent recycled paper for all productions, including letterhead, envelopes, notepads and note cards. This is another huge accomplishment for the university in its quest to become a sustainable place to work, learn and live.