Through the Office of Sustainability, students, faculty, and staff are collaborating on initiatives that connect classroom learning, research, and campus operations to address environmental challenges. Several new Living Lab projects are putting this approach into practice, exploring ways to reduce environmental impacts and make better use of campus resources.
Exploring the Environmental Impact of AI
As AI becomes increasingly integrated into education, research, and daily operations, three interconnected Living Lab projects are exploring how Rice can use the technology responsibly while managing its environmental impact.
- AI Impact Tracker: Advancing AI Literacy and Sustainability at Rice: Led by Dana Santoscoy, assistant director of AI and Education in Rice Digital Learning, this project will improve a tool that estimates the energy, water and carbon footprint of generative AI. The team will study student AI usage and conduct a multi-week pilot to develop a publicly accessible resource.
- Exploring Environmentally Responsible Approaches to AI: Led by Lisa Spiro, assistant university librarian for Digital Scholarship and Organizational Development, this learning community brings together students, faculty, staff and community members for discussions, guest lectures and workshops focused on sustainable AI practices and environmental research.
- Responsible AI: Balancing AI Adoption and Sustainability: Conceived by Michelle Thackray, associate vice president for Operational Excellence, this project hopes to explore potential ways AI could support Rice’s sustainability goals while considering its energy and water demands.
The Office of Sustainability is helping coordinate the three projects, connecting researchers and campus partners whose work addresses shared challenges.
A Permanent Home for Campus Thrifting
Another Living Lab initiative is moving closer to reality after several years of student research and planning: a permanent on-campus thrift store.
The concept builds on earlier student projects developed through ENST 302/SOCI 304, including the award-winning Give a Hoot! Donate Your Loot! move-out campaign, launched in 2023, and a student-organized pop-up thrift store held during the 2024 ArchiMarket.
The pop-up demonstrated strong interest in affordable, secondhand clothing. Room 124 in McMurtry College has been identified as the future home of Rice’s on-campus thrift store. Renovations are being planned to address heating, ventilation, and air conditioning needs before the space can open.
The store would provide a convenient, year-round option for donating and purchasing secondhand clothing, extending the life of usable items and reducing textile waste. Student feedback, including previous input from the Rice Student Association Environmental Commission and the Queer Resource Center, is helping inform the store's development.
Additionally, Rice ReUse, a student organization focused on reducing furniture and appliance waste during move-out, gives discarded items a second life by offering affordable dorm essentials to students. The initiative helps keep usable items out of landfills and plans to expand into the former Lovett Library space at Main Street Residence.
Together, these Living Lab projects are creating new ways for the Rice community to put sustainability into practice, from making more informed decisions about AI use to donating and purchasing secondhand clothing and dorm essentials. Students, faculty and staff can help shape these efforts through research, collaboration and everyday choices that reduce campus waste and resource consumption. To learn more about the projects and opportunities to get involved, visit sustainability.rice.edu.