Experiential learning is a pillar of an Elon education, and understanding campus as a “living lab” allows students, faculty and staff to support sustainability on campus through hands-on work. The Elon community can participate in integrated lab lectures, inquiry-based introductory courses or sustainable research to better understand just how campus functions as a living lab.

First introduced in 1749 but popularized in 1990, the concept of a “living lab” incorporates real-world experiences and scientific experiments to generate new knowledge to advance sustainable initiatives. This model is typically seen in research, where projects take place in everyday environments as opposed to isolated scientific spaces such as a lab. Adopting the idea of a living lab integrates community participation, multidisciplinary work and real-world sustainable solutions that can later be scaled beyond the community level.

How can we interact with a “living lab?”

University campuses provide ideal sustainable living labs as they intrinsically function as a small town: combining centralized housing, dining, energy systems and transportation under one management system. On Elon’s campus in particular, waste management systems, energy regulation, green architecture, and behavioral change initiatives grounded in experiential learning provide an ideal environment to conduct sustainable research outside of a controlled environment.

ľĂľĂČČ, faculty and staff can support campus as a living lab by participating in workshops, taking interdisciplinary classes that emphasize sustainable behavior, providing feedback to campus partners on initiatives or participating in campus research or class projects related to sustainability.

Sustainable research: What is already being done? 

Elon’s Sustainability Project Database highlights existing classes and ľĂľĂČČ research projects that connect to sustainability. This database explores existing campus initiatives while also identifying gaps in sustainable research and curriculum on campus. Alongside this database, the Sustainable Faculty Scholars program supports faculty on campus who are interested in incorporating sustainable principles into their courses. Courses that incorporate sustainability-based curriculum while also supporting student and staff project interests have created a space within Elon’s living lab for constant campus development that follows community interest and priorities. Courses that cover sustainability-related topics can be seen throughout departments across campus, such as history, engineering, theatre and Elon’s core curriculum.

Sustainable research: What can be done? 

The Sustainability Project Database is ever expanding, and students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to collaborate to continue developing this resource. Collaboration is primarily encouraged through proposing a project idea or research question. These proposals highlight what the Elon community would like to see as class projects or on-campus ľĂľĂČČ research and provide space for these ideas to be explored in a formal academic setting. Existing proposals alongside new ideas can help inform curriculum development and proposal ideas while simultaneously highlighting contacts across campus who are interested in supporting specific sustainability initiatives.

Elon further supports sustainable research through a Sustainability Research Grant that applies to any and all majors. With an emphasis on sustainable development goals, research grants are awarded to students who contribute meaningfully to the knowledge base of sustainability as a broad discipline.

The ľĂľĂČČ as a Living Lab program provides space for students, faculty and staff to advance sustainability initiatives on campus. All Elon community members are encouraged to contribute to potential project or research questions and collaborate across disciplines, schools, and departments to foster sustainable development. By modeling a living lab, Elon is advancing on-campus sustainability while developing a more comprehensive understanding of sustainable research and community engagement.

At Elon, sustainability is an institution-wide effort that is part of the Boldly Elon strategic plan. As campus begins the 2026-27 academic year and welcomes the class of 2030, ľĂľĂČČ’s Office of Sustainability is excited to continue building campus’ culture of sustainability and environmental stewardship. Understanding the role each of us plays in campus sustainability first requires understanding what campus sustainability looks like. Elon has a variety of campus initiatives dedicated to sustainability, and launched an updated Sustainability Master Plan in 2025, both of which support Elon’s operational efforts.

When it comes to individual actions, the Office of Sustainability relies on student employees to foster community and build campus stewardship. Among these employees is a team of peer educators known as Eco-Reps. When asked about Elon sustainability, these students provided tips and tricks to better understand the campus culture of environmental stewardship.

Come to Office of Sustainability events (Talya Schube ’29, Eco-Rep for Colonnades Neighborhood) 

The Office of Sustainability hosts a variety of events each month to engage students, faculty and staff in many forms of sustainability. With the help of student feedback, this looks like pop-ups in IrazĂş to explore alternative uses for old coffee grounds, or collaborations with the Astronomy Club to understand how spending time in nature stargazing can positively impact mental health. Specifically, at the start of the semester, the Office of Sustainability promotes events throughout campus to explore concepts of Earth Day Every Day: how daily actions of stewardship support campus sustainability initiatives. In addition to these events, student organizations such as Sierra Student Coalition offer opportunities to engage in local sustainability initiatives through hands-on volunteer work across North Carolina.

Walking is one of the most sustainable ways to get around campus (Gillian Prichard ’28, Eco-Rep for Historic Neighborhood) 

While it seems simple, and likely something many are already doing, walking or biking around campus are measurable steps towards sustainability.  During FY 2025, 14% of Elon’s gross greenhouse gas emissions were from student, faculty and staff commuting. Elon’s well-maintained paths make walking or biking accessible for community members to take small daily actions towards building campus’ culture of stewardship. The choice between walking or driving to class or a meeting may seem minute, but small individual actions can create large differences when communities commit to these actions together.

Take advantage of the dining halls (Sophia Barnes ’29, Eco-Rep for Loy Center Neighborhood)

Elon’s dining team, Harvest Table Culinary Group, is also hard at work to bring plant-forward meals and promote sustainable food consumption to students, faculty and staff alike. Whether through local produce, plant-based meals, or sustainable animal products, students are unconsciously supporting a greener campus. Swiping into a dining hall to enjoy a wide array of options, and possibly bringing some home in a , is a simple yet effective institutional measure in making campus more sustainable.

Utilize recycling bins in Moseley (Talya Schube ’29, Eco-Rep for Colonnades Neighborhood) 

While traditional recycling bins can be found throughout campus, specialized recycling bins are located in Moseley Student Center, Belk Library and throughout campus to help dispose of non-traditional items. Whether that be thin plastic (think grocery store bags), electronics, or writing utensils, these specialized bins help Elon’s campus divert more materials away from the landfill. While these items cannot be recycled via single-stream bins, separating them allows Elon and external organizations to re-use these existing materials. Next time you find yourself in possession of something you wish you could recycle, be sure to check to see if Elon has a recycling bin for it first.

These are all small actions that many are already taking to help build a culture of care and environmental stewardship. Appreciating Elon’s beautiful campus by walking, properly disposing of our waste, or eating at one of our many dining locations on campus are simple ways to continue to build a strong culture of sustainability on campus. Sustainability relates to all majors, careers, passions and hobbies and can at times feel overwhelming. It is an important reminder to know that the simple things on campus add up, and that small actions at a community level result in a culture of care that continues to strengthen Elon’s commitment to sustainability.