Sustainability Commons^™

Case Study: Feasibility Analysis Of Renewable Energy Supply Systems In A Small Grid Connected Resort, Jody Robins

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This paper presents a case study on the feasibility of a small grid connected resort in the marine west coast climate of Canada to implement a renewable energy supply system. The current industry conditions of three renewable energy systems are explored including small and large wind energy conversion systems, solar photovoltaic cell systems, and energy cell systems. Furthermore, these three systems are evaluated using the power load, wind, and solar radiation information from a specific resort. The renewable energy source assessment and optimization software HOMER (National Renewable Energy Laboratory, US) is used to evaluate the costs and benefits of each …

Going Green In The Hospitality Industry, Christina Wilson Micioni

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this research is to examine whether a hotel’s greening efforts are a reason why everyday guests or hospitality professionals choose a hotel. Do meeting planners and business travelers expect certain things while staying at a hotel? Do the personal greening activities of a guest affect their hotel stay? This will also include the housekeeping needs of the guests and why they choose the hotel. The objective of the research will be to discover whether there is guest data to support the need for hotels to become green establishments.

College Of Engineering Senior Design Competition Spring 2009, University Of Nevada, Las Vegas

Fred and Harriet Cox Senior Design Competition Projects

Part of every UNLV engineering student’s academic experience, the senior design project stimulates engineering innovation and entrepreneurship. Each student in their senior year chooses, plans, designs, and prototypes a product in this required element of the curriculum. A capstone to the student’s educational career, the senior design project encourages the student to use everything learned in the engineering program to create a practical, real world solution to an engineering challenge.

The senior design competition helps to focus the senior students in increasing the quality and potential for commercial application for their design projects. Judges from local industry evaluate the projects …

Increasing Water Efficiency In California’S Commercial, Industrial, And Institutional (Cii) Sector, Ronnie Cohen, Kristina Ortez, Crossley Pinkstaff

Publications (WR)

Reliable and adequate access to water is critical for businesses and their surrounding communities. Across the nation, water shortages are triggering growing concern and an acceleration of efforts to increase water use efficiency. Adopting water-efficient technologies and practices that reduce consumption holds great potential for commercial, industrial, and institutional (CII) water users. Such measures can help stretch limited water supplies, save businesses money, reduce energy consumption, improve water quality, and protect local, regional, and statewide ecosystems. In February of 2008, California’s governor called for a reduction in per capita urban water use of 20 percent by 2020, and the CII …

Take Pride In America In Southern Nevada: Quarterly Progress Report, Period Covering January 6, 2009 – April 5, 2009, Margaret N. Rees

Anti-littering Programs

• Team set annual priorities

• Requests for Information sent to determine recycling feasibility

• Preliminary field data form developed for GIS database project

• Team presented assessment report to SNAP board

• Planning for Phase III media campaign begun

• Five clean-up events conducted this quarter

• Team provided 778 cubic yards of roll-off space for clean-ups

Colorado College State Of The Rockies Report Card, Walter E. Hecox, Elizabeth L. Kolbe, Matthew K. Reuer

Publications (SD)

This year’s Report Card content is largely focused upon wildlife, one of the key natural treasures of the Rockies and a distinguishing aspect to the wildness and beauty we cherish. A related section evaluates the Wild and Scenic River system in the Rockies and how this federal act has protected certain reaches in the West compared to other federal designations and unprotected streams. A key variable for the Rockies’ future is a growing population affecting our natural resources, and in this Report Card we consider the concentration of population growth within large metropolitan areas, a demographic trend known as a …

North American Energy Roundtable Presenters

North American Energy Roundtable

Roundtable presenters (list)

North American Energy Roundtable Program

North American Energy Roundtable

Roundtable schedule Roundtable participant biographies Sponsor: The North American Energy Roundtable is sponsored by the UNLV Urban Sustainability Initiative in collaboration with the UNLV Department of Political Science and the Consulate General of Canada.

Afternoon Concurrent Track 1: Sustainability In The K-16 Classroom, Ellen Ebert, Rebecca Reichenbach, Nick Pretasky, Dale Walsh

Education for a Global Future: 21st Century Challenges in Sustainability & Climate Change Education

AFTERNOON CONCURRENT TRACK 1: SUSTAINABILITY IN THE K-16 CLASSROOM Moderator Gale Sinatra Student Union Room 207 Ellen Ebert – Using the STS/EEE Model in 6-12 Curriculum to Understand the Sustainability Issues Related to the Colorado River System Abstract: Beginning in 1982, the National Science Teachers Association called for curriculum designers to develop materials that demonstrate the interconnectedness among science, technology and societal issues while presenting both positive and negative influences. This session will focus on using the STS/EEE learning model to design curriculum for secondary science that emphasizes sustainability issues focused on the Colorado River system. The presentation will outline …

Afternoon Concurrent Track 2: The "State" Of Climate Change Education, David M. Hassenzahl, Michael Collopy, Scott Mensing, Paul Buck, Donica Mensing, Hans-Peter Plag, Jen Huntleysmith

Education for a Global Future: 21st Century Challenges in Sustainability & Climate Change Education

AFTERNOON CONCURRENT TRACK 2: THE “STATE” OF CLIMATE CHANGE EDUCATION Moderator Scott Mensing Student Union Room 211 David Hassenzahl, Michael Collopy, Scott Mensing – NSHE EPSCoR Climate Infrastructure Grant Education Component Abstract: The Nevada System of Higher Education has received funding from the National Science Foundation EPSCoR program to develop climate change research infrastructure. This session will present information on what the Education Component is doing and plans to do, and solicit ideas on future climate education efforts for NSHE. Education is one of six components of this grant, and will support NSHE efforts on: Undergraduate research. Each school year …

Afternoon Concurrent Track 3: Green Curricula At Unlv, Thomas Jones, Ken Teeters, Barbara St. Pierre Schneider, Nancy Menzel, Lori Candela, Yu Xu, Sally Miller, Scott Nowicki

Education for a Global Future: 21st Century Challenges in Sustainability & Climate Change Education

AFTERNOON CONCURRENT TRACK 3: GREEN CURRICULA AT UNLV Moderator Carolyn Yucha Student Union Room 213 Tom Jones, Ken Teeters – Incorporating Sustainability into a Hospitality Management Curriculum Abstract: For the past 15 years, faculty members in the Harrah College of Hotel Administration who teach Facilities Management (HMD 395) have incorporated a sustainability management component in this required course. The concepts of sustainability and global climate change are introduced through readings and multi-media. The concept of Triple Bottom Line is presented and is applied to almost every component in the course. Students are assigned a variety of semester-long service-learning projects that …

Keynote Address: Sustainability And Student Learning, Geoffrey Chase

Education for a Global Future: 21st Century Challenges in Sustainability & Climate Change Education

Keynote address & Keynote speaker biography

Morning Concurrent Track 1: What Does It Mean For K-12 Students To Think About Sustainability In The Western U.S.?, Ellen Ebert, Rebecca Reichenbach, Allison Brody, Amy Page, Marcel Parent, Signa Gundlach

Education for a Global Future: 21st Century Challenges in Sustainability & Climate Change Education

MORNING CONCURRENT TRACK 1: WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR K-12 STUDENTS TO THINK ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY IN THE WESTERN U.S.? Moderator Kent Crippen Student Union Room 207 Ellen Ebert - Using the STS/EEE Model in 6-12 Curriculum to Understand the Sustainability Issues Related to the Colorado River System (repeats Afternoon Concurrent Session #1) Abstract: Beginning in 1982, the National Science Teachers Association called for curriculum designers to develop materials that demonstrate the interconnectedness among science, technology and societal issues while presenting both positive and negative influences. This session will focus on using the STS/EEE learning model to design curriculum for secondary …

Morning Concurrent Track 2: Creation And Correction Of Myths About Global Warming, Matthew S. Lachniet, Gale Sinatra, Carolanne Kardash, Gita Taasoobshirazi, Doug Lombardi, E. Michael Nussbaum

Education for a Global Future: 21st Century Challenges in Sustainability & Climate Change Education

MORNING CONCURRENT TRACK 2: CREATION AND CORRECTION OF MYTHS ABOUT GLOBAL WARMING Moderator Robert Futrell Student Union Room 211 Matthew Lachniet – Global Warming Misconceptions and Myths: Barriers and Opportunities for Communicating Climate Change Science to a Non-scientific Audience Abstract: Opinions on an anthropogenic influence in global warming abound. Within the non-scientific public, the strength of one’s opinion commonly seems to be in inverse proportion to their knowledge of climate science. One reason for this disconnect between reality and opinion is the persistence of many climate change myths in popular knowledge of global warming. These myths are regularly propagated in …

Morning Concurrent Track 3: Weathering Climate Change In The Curriculum, Andy Jorgensen, Amy Northrup, David M. Hassenzahl, David E. James, Thomas C. Piechota, Jeff Jablonski

Education for a Global Future: 21st Century Challenges in Sustainability & Climate Change Education

MORNING CONCURRENT TRACK 3: WEATHERING CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE CURRICULUM Moderator Barbara St. Pierre Schneider Student Union Room 213 Andy Jorgensen – Creating a Learning Community for Solutions to Climate Change Abstract: The Climate Solutions Committee of the Council of Environmental Deans and Directors (CEDD) has proposed the creation of a learning community that will develop curricular content on solutions to anthropogenic climate change by drawing on the best available research on the phenomenon, coupled with the most effective pedagogical methods. The goal is to transform academic education about climate change from the current emphasis on physical and biological science …

Keynote Address: Climate Change And Sustainability: The Reality And Impacts Of Global Warming, Roberta M. Johnson

Education for a Global Future: 21st Century Challenges in Sustainability & Climate Change Education

Keynote address & Keynote speaker biography Abstract: -What determines the Earth’s climate? -What’s happening to Earth’s climate today? -What do models tell us will happen in the future? -What is sustainability and why does it matter? -What’s happening nationally regarding K- 12 climate change and sustainability education?

Education For A Global Future Keynote Address Speaker Biography, Kevin Coyle

Education for a Global Future: 21st Century Challenges in Sustainability & Climate Change Education

Keynote speaker biography

Education For A Global Future Conference Program

Education for a Global Future: 21st Century Challenges in Sustainability & Climate Change Education

Conference schedule

Take Pride In America In Southern Nevada: Quarterly Progress Report, Period Covering October 6, 2008 – January 5, 2009, Margaret N. Rees

Anti-littering Programs

• Douglas Joslin has resigned from his Project Manager position

• Zia Engineering submits draft report

• GIS project meetings lead to preliminary proposal

• HECTOR announced as the winning name in the name the mascot contest

• Five clean-up events conducted this quarter

• Team provides 619 cubic yards of roll-off space for clean-ups

The 2009 Unlv Campus Sustainability Survey Report, Mark J. Salvaggio

Reports (USI)

In an effort to understand environmental awareness, concerns, practices, and values at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), the Urban Sustainability Initiative (USI) conducted its first campus environmental sustainability survey during the months of March, April, and May 2009. This pilot study was developed to collect baseline data from students, faculty, and staff members at the UNLV campus to be used in a longitudinal study that assesses attitudes and preferences towards environmental sustainability issues. This research project is guided by one of the major goals of USI, which involves reaching out to the academic community to help find workable …

Examining The Influence Of Restaurant Green Practices On Customer Return Intention, Audrey L. Szuchnicki

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

In recent years there has been an increased awareness of how the actions of the foodservice industry are effecting the environment. With this awareness we have begun to see a change in priorities for both new and existing businesses. At the forefront of this change in the "green" direction is the GRA who certifies how eco-friendly an establishment is based on its' environmental guidelines. This study will examine the correlation between customer return intention and the institution of green practices within a restaurant setting. The expected outcome would be that a restaurant that is certified green or, implementing measures to …

Empirically Derived Formulas To Predict Indoor Maximum, Average, And Minimum Temperatures In Roofpond Buildings Using Minimum Climatic Information, Ibrahim Kivarkis Kako

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This thesis introduces an empirically developed formula to predict the comfort conditions and thermal performance of a Skytherm(TM) Southwest Roofpond placed over a light-weight un-insulated structure built at the School of Architecture at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

The predictive formula introduced in this study may be used in different parts of the world (particularly developing nations where insulation and air-conditioning are rarely used) to predict the performance of a Skytherm(TM) Southwest Roofpond using minimal climate data.

The data collected in the experimental setup at the Natural Energies Advanced Technologies Laboratory included outside and inside temperatures of various surfaces …

Systematic Analysis Of Identifying Key Dimensions Of Environmentally And Socially Responsible Hotels, Courtney Suess

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Development in Southeast Asia involves making good decisions for the future, so the idea that good planning can ignore sustainability is something of an oxymoron. Good development has to be sustainable and we have reached a point where the old ways of tourism development are intolerable. For example, hotels spring up without planning for the future. This short sightedness means natural endowments, like coastlines, erode and forests are cut down, chasing away the wildlife; or cultural history in the form of temples, historic buildings, and sacred places are destroyed. Ironically, tourism development is eradicating the very forms of product that …

Parametric Study Of Efficiency Measures For Home Energy Conservation In Las Vegas, Nevada, Todd M. France

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Pulte Homes, a production home builder and community developer partnering with the U.S. Department of Energy's Building America program, has collaborated with the Center for Energy Research at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and NV Energy, the local electric utility, on an energy conservation project in the Las Vegas Valley.

This study entails four model homes at a new development in the Summerlin community of Las Vegas, Nevada, named Villa Trieste. The home models, ranging in floor plan area from 1,487 to 1,777 square feet, have been constructed under the Environments for Living program and are LEED (Leadership in …

Rebuilding After Disaster: Going Green From The Ground Up, U.S. Department Of Energy

Publications (E)

If you’re a leader in a community that has met with disaster and must be rebuilt, this guide is for you. It’s intended to show how communities—big or small—can incorporate green principles and technologies like energy efficiency and renewable energy into their rebuilding plans. The information in this guide is based on the real-life experiences of two U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) teams. One team worked with city leaders in New Orleans, Louisiana, after hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005, and the other assisted community leaders in Greensburg, Kansas, after a devastating tornado in 2007. Although the two communities are …

City Of Las Vegas Green Building Program, City Of Las Vegas, Nevada

Publications (SD)

No abstract provided.

Inside Unlv, Diane Russell, Michelle Mouton, Cate Weeks, Stephanie Strow

Inside UNLV

No abstract provided.

Road To The Green Seal, Milos Cerovic

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Green Seal is one of the most recognized non profit organizations that work closely with companies from all over the country to provide certification of environmentally friendly products used by employees. There are many reasons for product certification process. The most obvious one is to preserve the environment and energy efficiency. Another important reason is to reduce the cost and increase the profit by using products with higher durability and less expensive packaging. Of equal importance is participation in green initiatives which allows hotels and other organizations to capture additional businesses, media exposure etc. InterContinental Chicago is the largest and …

Modeling Natural Resources Scarcity And Proverty Effects On Fertility In Honduras, Nepal, And Tanzania, Ayoub Shaban Ayoub

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This dissertation examines whether the vicious circle theory applies in three developing countries characterized by high population growth. According to the vicious circle theory, natural resource scarcity coupled with poverty leads to population growth via positive effects on fertility particularly in rural areas of developing countries. Population growth then leads to a further increase in natural resource scarcity, creating a "feedback loop." This is the first study to use micro-level data to test and control for endogeneity using a two-stage Probit model (IVPROBIT). The existing literature has largely failed to address endogeneity in the relationship between natural resource scarcity and …

Take Pride In America In Southern Nevada: Quarterly Progress Report, Period Covering July 5, 2008 – October 5, 2008, Margaret N. Rees

Anti-littering Programs

• Take Pride in America in Southern Nevada wins national Take Pride in America Award for best state program and Senate recognition

• Zia Engineering begins work on Recycling Plan

• Name the Mascot contest drawing interest and support

• Dumping and litter prevention information for Northern Nevada added to web site

• Three events conducted this quarter

• Team reaches milestone of 60 events since inception

• Agreement with Spring Mountain Youth Camp finalized