1. Living Lab Toolkit:
Processes and digital support
systems for high-impact
sustainability projects

2. A living lab is a given place where problem-based teaching, research and
applied work combine to develop actionable solutions that make that
place more sustainable. For PSU’s campus living lab, this requires a joint
commitment from students, faculty, staff and local residents to design,
implement, adapt and teach new approaches that address issues of
equity, economy and ecology.
DEFINITION OF ‘LIVING LAB’ AT PSU

3. project criteria
• Place. Reflects PSU’s commitment to our campus and
neighborhood
• Sustainability. Strives to implement lasting change to make a given
place more resource efficient, equitable, and ecologically balanced,
acknowledging a resource-finite world.
• Real-world learning. Links knowledge to action with problem-
based, results-oriented learning opportunities
• Fit. Supports PSU’s sustainability vision and advances campus and
neighborhood priorities
• Adaptive. Takes an open-ended approach where ongoing
assessment, capturing and reporting contributes to the collective
knowledge base and improves future projects
• Collaborative Action. Fosters deep engagement with community
members that leads to on-the-ground project implementation

4. needs
• Means to connect classes and students to
campus projects
• Means for communication between operations
and academics
• Means for streamlined communicationswith
facilities staff to use time more efficiently
• Provide transparencyfor how students, faculty,
staff and/or community can engage in campus
sustainability
• Provide comprehensive record of projects
successes and failures

5. opportunities
• More classes bring sustainable campus
operations into curriculum
• Student projects better align with campus needs
and community needs and interests (e.g. Climate
Action Plan goals, SOMA EcoDistrict)
• Tap into student leadership, wherein more
experienced project leaders train incoming
students
• Integrate with Solutions Generator and other
funding programs

6. tools / approaches
• Web-based portal to submit, catalog, track, and
engage in campus sustainability projects
• Central repository for campus sustainability data
and “who to contact” for what campus research
needs
• A forum to propose projects
• Increased outreach to classes about project
opportunities
• Seed the Solutions Generator with project ideas
that meet campus needs

7. an applied sustainability project clearinghouse
LIVING LAB PROJECT PORTAL

8. ideas
• FoodHub • Web-based platform
• ioby • Searchable database
• fmyi • Social networking
• Museum of the City • Resource sharing
• Smarter Cities • Project management
• Hands On Portland • Data management
• UC Santa Cruz Project • Team-based contact
Clearinghouse management

9. FOODHUB
membership-based business to business platform and marketplace, a
Craigslist.com “wanted” to find and fill needs. Profile page and
searchable directory

10. ioby
web-based “crowd-resourcing” platform with online searchable database
that connects people and money to site-based projects

11. fmyi (for my innovation)
membership-based social networking-style interface with resource
sharing, project and data management features, and team-based contact
management to track interactions with stakeholders

12. MUSEUM OF THE CITY
‘virtual museum’ web-based multimedia portal with online searchable
database and resource sharing (coming soon) for publishing research
work, abstracts, essays, and other documentary presentations

13. Smarter Cities
A PROJECT OF THE NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL
web-based multimedia resource portal for and about cities, where
students, policy makers, city planners, business leaders, community
groups and urban dwellers can learn about best
practices, initiatives, share ideas and solutions, and post news, events
and opportunities

14. Hands On
GREATER PORTLAND
web-based volunteer resource organizing platform with online
searchable database to connect volunteers to volunteering opportunities
(salesforce software technology)

15. UC Santa Cruz Sustainability Project Clearinghouse
web-based resource platform with online searchable database to
connect students, faculty, and staff to campus projects, post project
ideas, get involved and learn about completed projects