CCAT was recognized for Best Practices during the fourth annual awards competition hosted by the University of California, California State University, and Investor-Owned Utility Energy Efficiency Partnership. The awards competition coincides with the annual University of California, California State University, and California Community College Sustainability Conference.
In addition to accepting the award, Steuben also gave a presentation about CCAT’s program history and recent accomplishments to conference attendees. Steuben said he did his best to sum up 30 years of history in 30 minutes. “It was good to get to tell the CCAT story,” Steuben said.
The Student Sustainability selection committee commented that, “HSU’s CCAT demonstrates sustainable living through a wealth of resource-conserving projects. The center is a hub for collaborative environmental enterprise and a laboratory for progressive student-designed and implemented energy, water and food systems. A 30-year presence at HSU and replication by other campuses distinguishes CCAT as a model of student sustainability.”
A few of CCAT’s recent accomplishments include remodeling the original Buck House with reused and recycled materials. The remodel was unique as it was executed with the help of student and community volunteers. Student projects currently featured at CCAT include homemade natural paints, a rainwater catchment system, and organic gardens. In addition, CCAT’s library has increased in recent years providing students and the community with the resources they need to research and create appropriate technologies.
Jessica Huyghebaert, a current CCAT co-director, said that the center won the award, “because we have a really great program with dedicated student co-directors that make sure that CCAT succeeds and fulfills its mission.”
The conference was hosted by California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo from July 31 to Aug. 3. The event was a system-wide exchange, aimed at fostering collaboration between campuses, government, business and non-profit entities. The conference allowed staff, faculty and students to showcase best practices for campus sustainability, from curriculum to campus operations.
With over 1,100 conference attendees, all three public higher education systems in California were represented: University of California (UC), California State University (CSU), California Community College (CCC) systems.