Empowering Sustainability Through Web-Based Information Sharing: Showcasing Campus Sustainability Initiatives Through Linked Data on the Web

Abstract

The San Diego State University (SDSU) Library recently undertook a collaborative
linked data project aimed to improve the discoverability of the university’s sustainability
efforts by integrating building data and sustainability features into Wikidata, an
open-access knowledge base. Data were collected from the SDSU Facilities Department
and the Office of Energy and Sustainability (OE&S) to create and enhance Wikidata
entries for 119 campus buildings. This involved structuring unstructured data, developing
a Wikidata data model, and linking building information to Google Maps. The
information was then integrated into Wikidata, making it easier for researchers, students,
and the public to explore and learn about sustainability initiatives and campus
infrastructure.