How Boston University Is Pursuing TRUE Zero Waste at the Duan Family Center for Computing & Data Sciences with Spare-it

The Challenge

When Boston University opened the Duan Family Center for Computing & Data Sciences, recognized as the largest fossil-fuel-free and carbon-neutral building in Boston, the next goal was clear: pursue TRUE Zero Waste certification. Achieving it requires 12 consecutive months of data showing a 90% diversion rate with no more than 10% contamination. 

On a high-traffic university campus, where the building population changes constantly, generating that level of consistent, granular waste data is a serious challenge. Data from haulers and manual audits was inconsistent, contamination was hard to pinpoint, and engaging the building community around waste behavior required more than signage. 

The University needed continuous waste data at the building, floor, and bin level to turn their sustainability goals into measurable progress.

The Solution

The University brought in Spare-it to put these goals into action, deploying smart scales under 270 waste bins across all 18 floors of the building. The smart sensors transmit precise weight data periodically with no WiFi access or major infrastructure changes required. The system was fully operational within days. 

Since deployment in 2023, students have captured over 18,000 waste assessment images using the Spare-it AI Waste Assessment App, all analyzed by the platform's AI to pinpoint waste composition and contamination alongside real-time weight data. These assessments are conducted by student interns, a deliberate choice that has enabled the university sustainability team to scale their efforts while engaging their students. 

Spare-it's data is displayed in real time on an interactive sustainability wall in the lobby and on floor-level displays throughout the building, creating floor-by-floor visibility that encourages community participation. The data has also been brought into classrooms, including an introductory data science course that uses live waste data for student projects. In addition,

students from the BU Spark!, worked in collaboration with the engineering team at Spare-It to develop the AI used within the smart sensors.

The Results

"You can't manage what you don't measure. This holds especially true for sustainability. That's why data is crucial for us. Spare-it has been instrumental in helping us pursue TRUE Zero Waste certification." Dennis Carlberg, Chief Sustainability Officer, Boston University

The Duan Family Center is currently pre-certified for TRUE Zero Waste, signaling the University’s commitment to pursue full certification for this specific building. Since deployment, the building has reduced its contamination rate by 14% with consistent year-over-year improvement from 2023 to 2026. 

Beyond the numbers, students are engaged as active participants in the building's sustainability program, conducting assessments, working with real waste data, and incorporating it into their coursework. Based on results at the Duan Family Center, Boston University is exploring expanding Spare-it's technology to other campus buildings, working toward their university-wide goal of zero waste by 2030.

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Boston University's pursuit of TRUE Zero Waste at the Duan Family Center for Computing & Data Sciences is ongoing. Results will be updated as the certification process progresses.