Peer to Peer Approaches To Bring
Sustainability Into University Curricula
Merrilee Harrigan
Vice President
Alliance to Save Energy
Overview
• What is the Alliance to Save Energy?
• Introduction to the PowerSave Green Campus Program
• Peer to peer approaches to bring sustainability into university
curricula through three case studies:
1. UC Merced’s PSGC Interns working with Creative
Writing class
2. UC Berkeley’s PSGC Interns teach Energy Efficiency &
Sustainability course
3. Cal Poly Pomona’s PSGC Interns produce Sustainability
Course Guide
• Discussion and Questions
What is the
Alliance to Save Energy?
Mission:
• To promote energy efficiency
worldwide to achieve a
healthier economy, a cleaner
environment, and greater
energy security.
Organization:
• Staffed by 90+ professionals
• 35 years of experience
• $17 million annual budget
• Recognized as the premier
energy efficiency
organization in the world
Policy Leaders
Environmental
Business
Leaders
Groups
Academia
What is the
Alliance to Save Energy?
• Nonprofit organization headquartered in U.S.; operations
worldwide
• Led by Senator Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Tom King,
Chairman of the Board and President, National Grid US
• Board includes 13 Members of Congress – Bi-Cameral,
Bi-Partisan
Program Areas of the Alliance to Save Energy
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Policy and Research
Industry and Utilities
Buildings
International
Policy and Research
Communications
Education
– Schools
– Campuses
Alliance
Commission on
National Energy
Efficiency Policy
Commission Goal:
Double Energy Productivity by 2030
PowerSave Green Campus Overview
23
campuses
Student driven energy
efficiency workforce
education program
Paid student
internships
Generates actual
savings -- in 2011,
nearly $7 million saved
and 88,000 people
reached
PowerSave Green Campus Program Goals
Peer to peer approaches to bring
sustainability into university curricula
1. UC Merced’s PSGC Interns working with Creative
Writing class
2. UC Berkeley’s PSGC Interns teach Energy
Efficiency & Sustainability course
3. Cal Poly Pomona’s PSGC Interns produce
Sustainability Course Guide
Direct Peer to Peer Education:
Academic Infusion in Business & Marketing
at UC Merced
-PSGC Interns infuse sustainability
concepts into business writing
curriculum to produce material
for resident hall water and energy
competitions
-Close Faculty involvement
-Topics Covered:
• Environmental Sustainability
• Water conservation
• Energy efficiency
COURSE STRUCTURE
Projects
Resources
Introductory
Business
Writing Class
With
Professor
John Haner
Student Presentations
Marketing Materials
Business Plan
• Objective
• Executive Summary
• Keys to Success
• Impact
• Education
• Product / Deliverables
Seven Action Items to Infuse
Sustainability into Course Curricula
Seek faculty sponsor
Draft curriculum
If possible, test curriculum on summer session
Implement curriculum on full term course
Schedule dates to teach general sustainability concepts
Assign deadline for business plan and marketing campaign
materials.
Utilize plan and marketing campaign materials in Water
Competition.
Takeaways of Direct Peer to Peer Education:
Academic Infusion in Business & Marketing at UC Merced
Pro’s:
• Unique student subset exposed to new material
• Targeted marketing materials
• Encourage positive behavior change in student
community (occupants) of sustainable, LEED certified
university campus
Challenges:
• Faculty involvement
Direct Peer to Peer Education:
“Energy Efficiency & Alternative Fuels”
DemocraticCal (DeCal) Class at UC Berkeley
• PSGC interns teach DeCal
program:
Student-led democratic
education program
Pass/no pass
Faculty sponsor
• 14 semesters; 20-30 students
• Topics covered:
• Auditing
• Behavior change
• Campus sustainability
COURSE STRUCTURE
Assignments
Guest Speakers /
Field Trips
Student Presentations
DeCal student doing outreach in
front of residential hall
Charles Bohlig from East
Bay Municipal Utility
District
DeCal student presenting in front of class
FACULTY INVOLVEMENT
Professor Dan Kammen
Guest
lecturer
Approves
syllabus
Faculty
sponsor
(professor)
Sets up
bSpace site
Submits
grades
Projects and Assignments
“Resource of
the Week”
Presentations
Home Energy
Audit
Carbon
Footprint
Calculator
Group
Projects
GUEST SPEAKERS & FIELD TRIPS
Representation from PG&E’s Pacific
Energy Center
Contacts
Research
Lauren Mills from Food Service and Technology Center
leading tour of Clark Kerr Kitchens
Create
syllabus
Send invites
Seven steps to organize a DeCal Course
Create a thorough syllabus
Fill out course proposal form found on website (decal.org)
Find a faculty sponsor
Have department chair sign the proposal form
Schedule course by requesting room and time
Turn in copies of a special studies application form with
syllabus to dean of the college of your department
Turn in a copy of the application form and syllabus to DeCal
office
UC Campuses with similar programs:
UC Davis
– ESLP
UC Irvine
– Uteach
UC Santa
Cruz ESLP
UC Los
Angeles –
USIE
UC Santa
Barbara ESLP
UC San
Diego –
CSSA
Takeaways of Direct Peer to Peer Education:
DeCal Class at UC Berkeley
Pro’s:
• DeCal offers students no pressure environment (pass/ fail) to satisfy curiosity
of energy efficiency and water conservation
• Enhances scholarly achievement for student facilitators
• Fosters social interaction for facilitators and students
Challenges:
• Managing expectations of students of the subject matter covered.
• Sorting out logistics just prior to each semester for course number and room
assignment
• Confirming speakers / managing cancellations
Direct Peer to Peer Education:
Sustainability Course Guide at Cal Poly Pomona
-PSGC Interns produce
Sustainability Course Guide
-Short term: ‘sustainability
pathway’
-Long term: certificate program
-Forge relationships w/ faculty,
including department chairs, Office
of Sustainability and the Registrar’s
office
Organizing the Guide
Five General Steps to Assemble a Sustainability Course Guide
Compile master list of courses related to sustainability
Determine if course is ‘focused’ or ‘related’ to sustainability
Confirm course offering in upcoming semester with
Department chair
Compile guide
Promote guide until registration closes
Takeaways of Direct Peer to Peer Education:
Sustainability Course Guide at Cal Poly Pomona
Pro’s:
• Increase exposure of courses
• Development of ‘sustainability pathway’ on campus
Challenges:
• Maintain courses that change quarterly vs. yearly
• Communication with Dept. Chairs/ Deans
• Long term – development of certificate
Takeaways of
Peer to peer approaches to bring sustainability into
university curricula
Pro’s
• Enhances scholarly achievement for student facilitators
• Collaboration with faculty
• Unique student subset exposed to new material
• Encourage positive behavior change in student
community
Con’s
• Initiating any of these projects does entail some significant
bureaucratic challenges
• More of a caveat - Students must engage in critical discussions of
concepts to reap value of intellectual exchange and ultimately seek
solutions to environmental issues of today.
Merrilee Harrigan
Vice President, Education
mharrigan@ase.org
Danielle Lauber
Program Associate, Alliance to Save Energy
DLAUBER@ASE.ORG
THANK YOU!
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