Track 1. Sustainability
Efforts to improve sustainability and reduce emissions on college campuses have received growing attention in recent decades (Silva et. al., 2022). Certification of these efforts according to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED; see Additional Resources) standards has had an enormous impact on college sustainability initiatives (Vosoughkhosravi, 2022). As of 2025, there are over 9,000 LEED‐certified and registered campus projects across the United States (U.S. Green Building Council, n.d). At NYU, building emissions have been a large focus of the university’s Climate Action Plan to reach net zero emissions by 2040; to date, 90% of NYU’s energy consumption stems from its buildings (NYU, n.d.).
The university’s Office of Sustainability Better Buildings targets improvements in building performance, energy efficiency, and the well-being of occupants. Already, the initiative has advanced campus sustainability through a range of strategies, including co-generation for heating and cooling, energy-efficient renovations, capital equipment upgrades, and smart building technologies. These efforts have led to major improvements in buildings like Rubin Hall and the LEED Gold–certified John A. Paulson Center. To this effort, the Sustainability track seeks proof-of-concept prototypes that support a healthier and more sustainable campus environment. Projects in this area will apply technology to make data-driven recommendations to promote building performance, energy efficiency, and the well-being of occupants.
The Sustainability track supports a broad range of projects that target improvements in campus building performance, energy efficiency, and the well-being of occupants, incorporating one or more of the following:
While this page provides sample outcomes and project ideas, these are starting points, not boundaries. Teams are encouraged to adapt, expand, or diverge based on creative insights and campus-specific opportunities. Regardless of the technologies explored, projects on the Sustainability track must result in a functional, proof-of-concept prototype that meets all SLDP requirements.
Project teams who wish to pursue the Sustainability track must prepare an application that addresses the following:
Indoor environmental conditions directly affect occupant wellbeing, health, and performance. Teams will design a prototype that can collect data from campus spaces such as classrooms, lounges, and maker environments. The team should aim to design a device that can collect meaningful data for designing interventions that improve air quality and comfort.
Teams interested in this focus are encouraged to think about the variety of spaces on campus and the unique challenges they may face regarding air quality and comfort. Prototypes may include measurements of the following:
Examples of prototypes include devices that monitor specific metrics (such as occupancy, carbon dioxide, VOC emissions from 3D printers or other lab activities, or temperature) related to indoor well-being.
Environmental awareness is a key step toward collective behavior change. Teams will design interactive devices that use environmental data and persuasive storytelling to promote sustainable habits across NYU campuses. Projects should leverage sensor inputs, real-time feedback, and educational content to raise awareness and inspire action. Devices must be contextually grounded (e.g., placement in a dining hall, dormitory, or printer station) and tailored to campus-specific sustainability goals.
Teams interested in this focus are encouraged to identify an issue within sustainability education (e.g., waste sorting confusion, high energy use, water consumption) and design a prototype that can raise awareness about the issue, including:
Examples of prototypes include waste-sorting devices, energy-use dashboards, and displays that communicate messaging related to sustainability.
Green spaces contribute to improved air quality, stress reduction, and biodiversity—even in interior environments. Teams will analyze environmental conditions on campus and prototype devices that enable the greening of urban spaces.
Teams interested in this focus are encouraged to consider technologies that can bring green spaces indoors, addressing challenges such as:
Examples of prototypes include devices that recommend plant placement and orientation, automated watering and soil monitoring devices, or vertical farming platforms.
Vosoughkhosravi et al. 2022. “The impact of LEED certification on energy performance and occupant satisfaction: A case study of residential college buildings.” Accessed 30 July 2025 from https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2022.105097
Silva et al. 2022. “Trends in research: carbon footprint reduction in universities as a way to achieve a green campus.” Accessed 30 July 2025 from https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-10-2021-0440
NYU. n.d. “Better Buildings.” Accessed 30 July 2025 from https://www.nyu.edu/life/sustainability/operations/better-buildings.html
U.S. Green Building Council. n.d. “LEED rating system.” Accessed 30 July 2025 from https://www.usgbc.org/leed