With nearly 40,000 students and a total economic output of more than $3.2 billion, Purdue University is practically a small town of its own. The university came to Collaborative Project Consulting for a plan to use “the entire campus as a living laboratory to develop and demonstrate sustainability best practices.” The Collaborative team started by gaining input from more than 100 stakeholders representing operations staff, faculty, undergraduate and graduate students, senior administrators, regional campus representatives and West Lafayette residents. Our process used web-based information management, in-person interviews, on-site workshops, data and policy analysis to organize the university planning effort and craft a comprehensive document. We helped the university navigate the specific interests of this rich community to find a common ground and shared vision for an environmentally progressive future.

The resulting Purdue University Sustainability Strategic Plan contextualized sustainability within the campus's larger operations, selected metrics to track and report sustainability performance over time, and developed short- and long-term strategic goals. The plan is aligned with programs such as AASHE Stars and LEED, and it capitalizes on onsite natural resources – wind, biomass, stormwater, rainwater, food waste and animal waste – to reduce the university’s environmental impact and generate cost savings.

In 2015, Purdue was recognized for its efforts as one of the greenest colleges in the U.S. by the Princeton Review.

Collaborative was chosen by the University of California, Riverside to craft an actionable Sustainability Plan outlining short term, intermediate, and long term campus goals. By performing an analysis of existing sustainability efforts, analyzing environmental performance data, and interfacing with the Chancellor's Committee in Sustainability (CCS)--comprised of broad range of staff, students, and faculty--Collaborative presented a comprehensive road map to sustainability achieving the goals established by the UC Policy on Sustainable Practice. To effectively implement the far-reaching goals of the report, the Plan was sectioned into nine complementary areas corresponding to major topics of concern, including built environment, energy and climate protection, water, site(s), transportation, recycling and waste management, procurement, food, and academics & research. 

In 2015, UC Riverside was recognized for its efforts as one of the greenest colleges in the U.S. by the Princeton Review.