Virginia Tech sustainability research impacts retirement community residents

Russell’s work started throughout summer season 2021, with two of her undergraduate college students conducting a cloth circulate evaluation evaluating the burden of supplies flowing into three communities with waste flowing out, and located that between 45 and 70 p.c of the whole waste weight was generated from meals. 

“Within the case of meals, due to the big parts that had been being served, a lot of that good meals — good diet — was going straight into the rubbish,” stated Russell. The waste, exacerbated by practices adopted for COVID-19, indicated an financial and dietary well being downside for the amenities.

“It’s straightforward to speak about being sustainable in our communities, however taking that subsequent step is the important thing,” stated Matt Winningham, Retirement Limitless Included’s director of technique and managed providers. “We look ahead to using this precious data to instill sustainability initiatives at each the group and the house workplace stage.”

This summer season, Russell and three undergraduate college students expanded their analysis to look into the corporate’s use of power. “We’re assessing how a lot electrical energy is consumed on website and the place it’s situated. We are able to use knowledge from the U.S. authorities to inform us what portion of that electrical energy is coal-, solar-, or hydro-based,” stated Russell. “And that provides us the well being of their power profile by way of higher or worse for the setting.”

Though ultimate statistics will not be obtainable but, Russell believes the latest communities can have the healthiest power profile. “Their inside lights are on timers and their home equipment are largely Vitality Star,” stated Russell. “Automated parts are most power environment friendly over these depending on people.”

One other part of Russell’s analysis, round economic system, takes the analogy of pure methods and metabolism a step additional. “It’s actually forcing methods fascinated with consumption and metabolism and connecting with different concepts,” stated Russell. “It’s about what we eat, how that’s remodeled or used, and what we do with it afterwards.”

That affect has been important for the residents. “One of many causes we had this chance is as a result of the corporate’s management heard from its residents that they had been involved about sustainability,” Russell stated. 

Residents have additional benefited from Russell’s analysis by way of RUI College, a program designed to advertise lifelong studying for the entire Virginia and Florida senior dwelling communities.

“We turned a part of a sustainability digital class collection,” stated Russell. “In considered one of them, the scholars offered our research. They walked the residents by way of the methodology and the principle findings from the report.”

“This undertaking is a good instance of how college students have skilled hands-on analysis whereas benefiting the corporate and educating the residents with their outreach,” stated Winningham. “We admire the chance to companion with Dr. Russell and her crew of scholars and to collect concrete knowledge to offer us the baseline for researching different strategies of operation at a number of of our communities in Virginia.”

Three undergraduate college students helping Russell will proceed with analyzing and decoding the information and making suggestions for bettering sustainable practices sooner or later.   

“This junior consulting place was an exquisite hands-on expertise straight associated to my school research and larger profession targets,” stated Cole Zimmerman, who’s within the sustainable biomaterials program. “It has sparked a ardour for sustainability consulting that I didn’t have previous to this work.”

“For me, this analysis emphasised the significance of understanding product methods and client habits earlier than designing any merchandise,” stated Ugochi Chukwueke, who’s learning industrial design. “Approaching a product idea holistically and intuitively within the preliminary ideation design part can keep away from a major quantity of waste throughout and on the finish of a product’s life cycle.”

“The analysis with Dr. Russell has given me nice perception into the hassle that goes into sustainable consulting work,” stated Hannah Gruspier, additionally within the sustainable biomaterials program. “The waste characterization, power audit, and communication abilities I’m studying now are getting ready me for the type of job I hope to have post-graduation.”