Sustainability Commons^™

Assessing The Effect Of Simulation Models On Systems Learning In An Introductory Environmental Science Course, Heather J. Skaza

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

While there is plenty of anecdotal evidence within the systems dynamics community supporting the use of systems simulations in the classroom to improve student understanding, there is little published, controlled, experimental research. This paper describes the results of a paired experiment testing the effect of using system dynamics simulations to increase systems understanding in an introductory environmental science course. We believed that the students using the systems simulations would demonstrate a greater systemic understanding of environmental issues than those who did not.

We conducted an experiment during the fall semester of 2009, with 304 students enrolled in four sections of …

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.

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 …

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 …

Greening In The United States Hotel Sector: An Exploratory Examination, Adam Kaplan

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The aim of this paper is to explore the concept of greening in the U.S. hotel sector. Much of the existing research on the topic of greening is relegated to the European and Asian hotel sectors. Within the literature review, the paper will examine what industry leaders and scholars have reported about the progress of greening in the global sector. Given the scant research domestically, the paper will attempt to generalize some of the findings to the situation in the U.S. hotel sector. The paper’s methodology section will build on European research on greening and develop a blueprint for U.S. …

An Analysis Of The Environmental Content Of Las Vegas Strip Hotels, Andrew M. Levey

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This study examines the environmental content of hotel properties websites. The central question of this study is whether Las Vegas Strip properties have gone green, or plan to go green. Thus, the purpose of this paper is to examine the frequency of the environmental content of twenty-three Las Vegas Strip hotels’ websites as well as five upcoming hotel projects and one hotel expansion project on the Strip. The twenty-eight hotels are all located along Las Vegas Boulevard, also known as the Strip. All properties examined have over two thousand rooms each. The goal is to determine how prevalent and important …

Hotel Energy Use Contributes To Global Warming, Christine Faja

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Before learning about the consequences of global warming and the efforts hotels are making to reverse the effects, it is important to get a better understanding of what exactly is the phenomenon that scientists call global warming. According to the EPA (2006), the earth’s climate has changed several times since the beginning of Earth’s existence. The earth is hotter than ever. NASA has reported that the earth’s average surface temperature has risen from 1.2 degrees to 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit since 1900. They also found that the warmest years have occurred within the last 15 years, with 1998 and 2005 being …

Urban Sustainability Through Green Building, Andrea Anzalone, Virginia Sawyer, Robert Woolsey

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This analysis is presented on urban sustainability through the use of "green building" in the City of Las Vegas, Nevada. This paper discusses the current practices used by the City of Las Vegas and compares them to the top 5 sustainable cities throughout the United States (as identified by the U.S. Green Building Council). Through comparison of nationwide initiatives and policies, this paper outlines recommendations the City of Las Vegas can adopt to increase their position as one of the leading sustainable cities.

Effects Of Residential Xeriscape Conversions On Property Values: A Baseline Case Study, Andréa E. Baker

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The conversion of grass lawns to xeriscape has become more prevalent in the desert Southwest, including here in the Las Vegas Valley. The purpose of this thesis was to determine whether the conversion of residential landscapes from grass lawn to xeriscape influences the property value of a home. This case study involved the comparison of property values for residential homes that had participated in the Southern Nevada Water Authority’s Water Smart Landscapes rebate program and non-participant homes with similar amenities before and after the landscape conversion. The results of the analysis show that xeriscape dose have a potentially positive impact …

A Waste Assessment Of The Unlv Dormitories, Colin Kaneda

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The purpose of this thesis is the examine the waste stream of the UNLV dormitories to see if there is a significant amount of waste than can be diverted through a possible recycling program to lower disposal costs. Also with this data we can look at if the student monitored program in the Upper Classmen Complex dormitories is having any effect on the waste stream. This was done through a waste assessment which is where garbage is sorted and weighed by categories. This study found that 35% of the waste stream is recyclable. This data was compared to the national …

Coastal Resort Development And Impacts On Shallow Water Aquifers In Southern Baja California, Sur. Mexico, Bud J. Bennenman

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

A Coastal resort named Fiesta Surf is being planned for the southern portion of the Baja peninsula on the Pacific coast between the resort town of Cabo San Lucas and Todos Santos. Two additional resorts and an exclusive housing community are in the planning stages within this region, known as the "Pacific Corridor." The proposal for development is in a high growth region near the southern tip of the Baja peninsula in the state of Baja California, Sur, Mexico. The Pacific coast of southern Baja has seen little development and consists largely of non-developed shoreline. The current economic base of …

Special Event Recycling: The Future Of Unlv's Recycling Program, Katherine A. Baker

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The current recycling program on the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) campus does not have a special event recycling aspect. The purpose of this study was to develop a special event recycling program and make recommendations of how to effectively implement it on the UNLV campus. In order to develop this special event recycling program data was collected through surveys and a pilot study. The data collected was then used to formulate recommendations. Recycling two different kinds of events, a walk and a concert tested those recommendations. Waste stream analyses were done on each event. The waste stream diversion …

Unlv Residence Hall Recycling & Reuse Program For Move-In And Move-Out, Angela Michelson

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The goal of this thesis was to develop a program for the UNLV Residence Hall Recycling & Reuse Program for Move-In and Move-Out that would collect unwanted and unneeded materials from the residents and put them to use. Move-In collected cardboard boxes for recycling while Move-Out collected usable items such as shoes, clothes, food, bedding, and school supplies for resale. In order to have a good collection turnout, a combination of advertising and resident and staff education was conducted. Letters were sent to Resident Assistants (RA’s) and Complex Coordinators and posters and other advertisements were placed in high traffic areas …

Water Conservation In The Las Vegas Valley, Judith M. Keir

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This thesis deals primarily with residential use of water in the Las Vegas Valley, an arid climate located in the Mojave Desert, and whether the education of people living here has any bearing on whether or not they conserve water. Many of the residents of the Las Vegas Valley have moved from other areas of the country, and perhaps are not aware of the fact that there is a limited supply of water available to the Valley. I believe that people are not necessarily wasteful, and that they would want to conserve water, if they were aware that conservation and …

Recycling At Work: Waste Reduction And Recycling In The Las Vegas Hospitality Industry, Darlene M. Cartier

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The Las Vegas hotel and restaurant industries generate 27% of the total waste for Clark County, Nevada. In an effort to study and increase recycling participation in the hospitality industry, Las Vegas hotels and restaurants were contacted to participate in a collaborative project between UNLV's Department of Environmental Studies and the Clark County Health District's Environmental Health Division, The project involved interviewing establishments with recycling programs currently in place. Information gathered from interviews and program tours was used to develop programs for hotels and restaurants who were not yet recycling. This thesis contains case studies of restaurants and hotels who …

Composting Landscape Waste From The University Of Nevada, Las Vegas, K. Jill Hammond

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The University of Nevada, Las Vegas is a major producer of organic waste in the Las Vegas Valley. Composting landscape wastes is one way to reduce both landfill dumping and fertilizer costs for the university. It is also an environmentally friendly means of curbing a nationwide problem: unnecessary use of landfill space. Three sites within Clark County were analyzed for the feasibility of composting: Frenchman Mountain, UNLV Campus, and Boulder City Landfill. Using cost analysis, water availability, and other factors to analyze each site, Boulder City Landfill appears to be the best place to house UNLV's composting operation. Composting in …

The Real Cost Of Beef: A Monetary Assessment Of The Environmental Degradation Caused By Beef Production, Carolyn Babcock

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The environmental degradation caused by beef production is severe. The current literature assesses the ecological damage, but falls short of assigning a per pound dollar amount to reflect the real cost of beef. In the United States, most of the environmental focus has been centered around the use of public lands for grazing and the grazing fee the government considers appropriate. The fee covers the maintenance of the grazing program, which includes maintenance of the actual land. This paper will concentrate on beef-related environmental degradation and select specific damage for monetary valuation.

Innovations In Reuse, Lisa R. Osorio

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Material reuse benefits all sectors in the community by decreasing the amount of reusable solid waste that is discarded. It increases the resources available for various programs and builds partnerships with educators, and businesses to support and promote reuse programs that will improve the quality of life in areas in which they operate. Several areas of the country currently have reuse programs that focus on several areas of reuse. Successful projects in several cities have focused on such areas as reuse for education, the arts, or other nonprofit activities. These sustainable programs have benefited other communities and should serve as …

The Barriers Present In More Developed Countries And Less Developed Countries Slowing The Implementation Of Substainability, Luke Giovine

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

In 1996 the natural resource base of the world is being depleted at a rate far below the sustainable level. This is very evident in less developed countries (IDC), where raw limited natural resources are being poorly utilized and/or exported to more developed countries (MDC). The More Developed Countries such as the United States, Japan, and Germany use a high amount of natural resources and energy to maintain their material Standard Of Living (SOL), and this is at rates above what their own country can sustain with its own natural resources within its own borders. Both MDC's and LDC's are …

Limiting Growth In Las Vegas - A Necessary Growth Strategy For The Twenty-First Century, Cheryl Ann Frassa

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Land development in the Las Vegas Valley continues at an unprecedented rate and future growth will no doubt be strongly advocated. Yet, water resources in this desert area are finite, and in the near future, supply will fall short of demand. Plans are underway to supplement the existing supply, and proposals to secure additional sources are under investigation. But there are no guarantees these ambitious endeavors will materialize. In light of the pending water crisis, the pervasive "growth at all cost" policies now dominant in the valley must be abandoned and more realistic land-use policies developed; ones based on the …

Updating The Colorado River Compact, Jeffrey A. Freer

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Water is essential to life in the arid environment of the western United States. For centuries, humans have used the Colorado River to fulfill their needs and until the past 100 years, the use of the river was sustainable. Over the last 100 years, the Colorado River has been dammed and diverted to "reclaim" the arid west for man's use. In 1946, a Department of the Interior report stated that "Tomorrow the Colorado will be utilized to the very last drop. Its water will convert thousands of additional acres of sagebrush desert to flourishing farms and beautiful homes for servicemen, …