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University of Oregon students are helping the city of Springfield design and develop a number of projects, in conjunction with the Sustainable City Year Program. It鈥檚 part of the university鈥檚 Sustainable Cities Initiative to teach students about sustainable design by engaging them in city development.

In each of the past three years, the SCYP 鈥� through an application process 鈥� has selected one city in Oregon to assist with sustainability projects and goals. This year, Springfield was chosen.

鈥淪tudents hunger for coursework that combines the theoretical with the applied,鈥� said Chris Jones, program manager for the Sustainable Cities Initiative. 鈥淭hey desperately want to contribute their work toward sustainability goals. Connecting their regular coursework to municipal projects is incredibly motivating and satisfying.鈥�

So far this year, more than 200 students from five academic departments have worked on projects with Springfield officials, addressing environmental, economic and social aspects of sustainability.

Students have rendered designs for a new elementary school, performed the city’s first greenhouse gas inventory, proposed innovative bicycle transportation projects and developed urban design concepts for a former lumber mill.

Students with majors outside of architecture and design have been involved too. Some majoring in public relations, for example, were assigned to create press releases and written content about the regional wastewater system and its relation to Willamette River quality.

Each project gives students a glimpse of day-to-day activities and interactions their potential career paths would entail.

鈥淚t responds to a need that exists and isn’t just speculative,鈥� said Ian Korn, an architecture graduate student who participated in the program last fall. 鈥淲e get a better feel for what our work life will be like, and they (city officials and local residents) can point out issues or ask questions we would have never thought of on our own.鈥�

Springfield is using the program as a cost-efficient way to gain new perspectives on some ongoing projects. The city has to pay an 鈥渁dministrative cost鈥� for each class that鈥檚 involved with a project, but according to Courtney Griesel, the city鈥檚 project manager for SCYP, the price is small compared to the return.

鈥淚t allows students and faculty who have been studying and reading about cutting-edge principles to contribute some creative and innovative ideas,鈥� Griesel said. 鈥淲e are always looking for ideas to improve current projects and step to new projects, and we were able to use the ideas from the partnership to help.鈥�

Griesel added that typically seven groups of students work on a project simultaneously 鈥� much more manpower than the city usually has available.

In of their biggest efforts for the city so far, students examined the process to develop, finance and construct a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design silver-rated library building. They didn鈥檛 limit their ideas.

鈥淭here are so many things that a city planner who is worried about budget, time and public reaction would skip over because they don’t see it as feasible,鈥� Korn said. 鈥淎s students, we don’t have anyone to tell us, 鈥楴o, you can’t do that.鈥� We can dream big.鈥�

Although Griesel admitted that some of the ideas presented last term had to have 鈥渁 dose of real鈥� added to them before they could be considered, she said that most of the projects will move forward with at least some of the students鈥� recommendations.

Students enrolled in the program鈥檚 winter and spring term classes will be able to contribute to existing projects, like the library, and also develop their own with the city.

鈥淪pringfield benefits because they get our ideas 鈥� that’s what architecture students are best at,鈥� Korn said. 鈥淲e hope that we can inspire Springfield to dream big too.鈥�