The E-Cycler Expansion Project seeks to improve recycling rates, reduce waste contamination and support the university’s waste reduction goals. It calls for the purchase of eight Max-R brand E-Cycler bins, in which students, faculty and staff can deposit universal waste items like batteries and electronic devices. Cal Poly Humboldt’s new Zero Waste Action Plan (ZWAP) identifies the need to expand consumer electronics recycling to meet the increasing amount of e-waste generated on campus by adding additional collection bins.

Gist Theater LED Retrofit Project will replace older 750 and 1000 watt tungsten theater lighting fixtures with modern low consumption pro LED theater fixtures. Currently, Gist Theater uses about 40-50 fixtures during any given production. LED fixtures use less than 80 percent of the energy and require less fixtures with their color-changing capabilities. Therefore, the LED Retrofit will replace 50 high-energy fixtures with 18 low-energy fixtures, creating an extreme energy-saving change.

The Library of Things (LoTs) at Cal Poly Humboldt will provide students with access to tools, equipment, and everyday items that are often too expensive or impractical to own individually. By promoting shared use, reuse, and repair, LoTs reduce waste and support a more sustainable, circular economy. In order to figure out how to best implement this project, the SHIFT Committee has funded a student research position for AY 25-26 that will help figure out how best to navigate the logistical concerns that have and will rise with this project.  

Students proposed upgrades to the HVAc systems in Science D and E. The implemented project also incorporated monitoring based commisioning as an additional part of the project scope.

 In Spring 2010, HEIF received a proposal to “virtualize” 40 of Humboldt’s computer servers into four newer ones. Rapid advances in computer technology enables this consolidation, and for HEIF the new machines’ increased efficiency and fewer total number results in a net savings of electricity and reduced air conditioning of server rooms.

In 2014, the Marine Lab Seawater Circulation Retrofit addressed Cal Poly Humboldt’s (Humboldt) most energy intensive building, the Telonicher Marine Lab. The lab hosts students and guests for educational purposes related to marine sciences. The seawater recirculation system transports ocean water into the building’s live marine exhibits.  Water must constantly move through the filtering system to simulate movement and mimic a natural marine setting. At the time of the proposal, the pumping system of the seawater circulation used two oversized pumps.

The retrofit proposes to install a dedicated heating and ventilating (HV) system to the UPD to separate the heating system from the rest of the Student & Business Services (SBS) building. 

In 2012, this project was proposed to convert the main Natural Resources building air distribution system (Air Handling Unit-1) from a constant air volume system to a variable air volume system. The conversion would reduce gas and electricity consumption by allowing AHU-1 to provide an appropriate amount of air in a given moment rather than constantly providing maximum air. This project was defunded by the Committee in 2024.

This project provides funding for Humboldt campus departments/areas/offices that have completed a Green Workplace Assessment with the student group Green campus. Money is intended to fund energy efficient equipment that Green Campus identifies as being outdated or in need of replacement in order to achieve energy savings and energy efficiency. This project was defunded in 2024 because no projects were ever identified as being appropriate for this match funding.

In 2014, the Humboldt Energy Independence Fund allocated $60,777 to fund a retrofit of the Experimental Greenhouse located by Science D on the Humboldt campus, which had not been retrofitted since its original construction in the 1960s. The proposed retrofit included upgrades to the boiler system, water piping system, fans, and gas meter, will increase building use and decrease natural gas usage over a 20year lifespan. This project was defunded by the Committee in 2024.