Can scientific labs cut their energy use by implementing improved freezer maintenance practices? How much waste would campus reduce by increasing uptake of composting? Does applying a window film to glass buildings lead to a decline in bird strikes?

At Penn, solutions to complex environmental challenges begin right on campus. As one of the top research institutions in the world, the Penn community is well positioned to leverage its academic strengths and aptitude for innovation to develop new approaches to improving campus sustainability. 

Developed by the Environmental Innovations Initiative and the Penn Sustainability Office, in collaboration with many faculty, staff, and students, the Campus as a Living Lab program helps connect interdisciplinary research teams to pursue pilot projects and forge new areas of inquiry that advance the goals of the Climate and Sustainability Action Plan 4.0. Leveraging Penn’s campus as a testbed, these projects and pilots emerge in classroom settings, in labs, and in our Philadelphia community, leading with creativity and a solutions-focused approach to develop tomorrow’s environmental sustainability toolkit. 

More to come in fall 2026, stay tuned!