Sustainable Energy & Infrastructure Initiative

Sustainable Energy & Infrastructure College of Engineering & Facilities Sustainable Energy and Infrastructure Initiative Presented to the California Higher Education Sustainability Conference June 17th, 2014 Dennis K. Elliot, PE, CEM Assistant Director, Energy, Utilities, and Sustainability

Sustainable Energy & Infrastructure

Sustainable Energy & Infrastructure What is the Sustainable Energy and Infrastructure Initiative? 13/14 CENG Strategic Framework and Focusing Initiatives SEI Purpose and goals Identify and engage stakeholders Find opportunities for collaboration, synergy, and leverage Assess curriculum, research, and projects Articulate SEI vision, structure, story, including advancement opportunities Stakeholders Department heads and chairs, Directors of Centers and Institutes Faculty, students, administrators, advancement staff, corporate partners AFD/Facilities role Campus as Living Lab Upcoming on-site generation PPA s Facilities PV grant program Visioning Workshop May 17, 2014

Sustainable Energy & Infrastructure What is Sustainability? UN World Commission: The ability to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Cal Poly Academic Senate: The ability of natural and social systems to survive and thrive together to meet current and future needs. Triple Bottom Line Concept

Sustainable Energy & Infrastructure Talloires Declaration (Cal Poly signatory in 2004) A 10 point action plan to incorporate sustainability and environmental literacy in teaching, research, operations, and outreach at colleges and Universities: Increase awareness of environmentally sustainable development Create an institutional culture of sustainability Educate for environmentally responsible citizenship Foster environmental literacy for all Practice institutional ecology Involve all stakeholders Collaborate for interdisciplinary approaches Enhance capacity of primary and secondary schools Broaden service and outreach nationally and internationally Maintain the movement http://suscat.calpoly.edu/talloires/

Sustainable Energy & Infrastructure Cal Poly Sustainability Learning Objectives (SLO s) Cal Poly Academic Senate Resolution 688-09 (2009): In order to consider sustainability when making reasoned decisions, all graduating students should be able to: Define and apply sustainability principles within their academic programs Explain how natural, economic, and social systems interact to foster or prevent sustainability Analyze and explain local, national, and global sustainability using a multidisciplinary approach Consider sustainability principles while developing personal and professional values http://www.academicprograms.calpoly.edu/academicpolicies/sustainability_lo.html

Sustainable Energy & Infrastructure CSU Sustainability Policy Major revision to policy since last CSU Executive Order 987 (2006) Academics: The CSU will seek to further integrate sustainability into the academic curriculum working within the normal campus consultative process. Operations: The CSU will pursue sustainable practices in all areas of the university, including business operations such as procurement, IT, student services, food service, facilities operations, design and construction and self funded auxiliaries. Policy approved by CSU Board of Trustees May 2014

Sustainable Energy & Infrastructure Cal Poly Vision 2022, President Armstrong: $500M Fundraising Campaign Focus on Public-Private Partnerships Enhance sustainability efforts and attitudes, eliminate redundancies, create greater efficiencies and entrepreneurial activities.

Sustainable Energy & Infrastructure Academic Senate Sustainability Committee: Formalize SUSCAT (SUStainability course CATalog) Senate resolution on sustainability course assessment Working toward a graduation requirement

Sustainable Energy & Infrastructure Workshop session #1a Student Perspective: How do students look at and value sustainability? Personal life and values In education In career Where do students learn about sustainability at Cal Poly? In classes? Major or GE Projects Club activities and work experience How can educational experience be improved? Infuse into existing courses Create new courses Extracurricular activities

Sustainable Energy & Infrastructure Workshop session #1b Corporate Perspective: Is sustainability part of corporate values? Public image/relations Bottom line Business focus What do employers want to see in new hires? Skills and knowledge Project experience - is interdisciplinary important? Club activities or work experience How can educational experience be improved?

Sustainable Energy & Infrastructure Workshop session #2 Current Areas of Activity and Interest: Energy Efficiency Power Generation Sustainable Transportation Water/Energy Nexus Waste Reduction/Sustainable Materials

Sustainable Energy & Infrastructure Area of Interest Energy Efficiency Energy Efficiency/DSM in the Built Environment (40% of all energy use) HVAC, lighting, and plug load District heating and cooling Building automation systems and data analytics Path to Zero Net Energy buildings by 2020/2030 Energy Efficiency in Industry and Manufacturing Resource and material efficiency Life cycle design Green Computing Desktop, server, and device power requirements Performance optimization Data Centers Majors: ME, EE, CE, ENVE, IME, AERO, BMED, GEN, MATE, CPE, CSC, ARCH, CRP, CM, BRAE, AGB, NRM&ES, BUS, ECON, POLS

Sustainable Energy & Infrastructure Area of Interest Power Generation Renewable Energy Solar PV, Solar Thermal, Wind, Biomass, Wave, Energy Storage Cogeneration, fuel cell, gas turbine Biofuels Conventional Power Generation Gas, oil, coal, hydro, and nuclear Next generation designs, safety and carbon management Smart Grid Micro Grid System integration and interoperability Cyber security Big Data and analytics Majors: ME, EE, CE, ENVE, IME, AERO, GEN, MATE, CPE, CSC, ARCH, CRP, CM, BRAE, AGB, NRM&ES, BUS, ECON, POLS

Sustainable Energy & Infrastructure Area of Interest Sustainable Transportation Advanced Vehicle Design EV, hybrid, alternative fuels Fuel efficiency and emissions Charging/fueling infrastructure Mass Transit Advanced aircraft and spacecraft design Electrification and alternative fuels Transportation Planning Community planning Highway planning Airport design Mass transit Majors: ME, EE, CENVE, AERO, GEN, MATE, CPE, CSC, ARCH, CRP, CM, BRAE, AGB, NRM&ES, BUS, ECON, POLS

Sustainable Energy & Infrastructure Area of Interest Energy/Water Nexus (20% of all energy in Ca) Water Infrastructure Collection, storage, and delivery Treatment and purification Waste Water Treatment/Biofuels Treatment, reclamation, and reuse Algae and biofuels Water Efficiency Irrigation systems landscape, recreation, and agriculture In Power Generation (2ndlargest user) In manufacturing In the built environment Majors: ME, EE, CENVE, IME, GEN, MATE, ARCH, CRP, CM, BRAE, AGB, NRM&ES, BUS, ECON, POLS

Sustainable Energy & Infrastructure Area of Interest Waste Reduction/Sustainable Materials Material Selection and Design for Manufacturing and Construction Material life cycle design cradle to cradle Rapidly renewable and recycled/recyclable materials High performance materials Concrete design (produces 6-8% of global CO2, fly ash issue) Waste Reduction Design for reuse and recyclability Integrated product design Packaging design Waste Management Recycling and landfill optimization Waste as an alternate fuel Majors: ME, EE, CE, ENVE, IME, AERO, BMED, GEN, MATE, CPE, ARCH, CRP, CM, BRAE, AGB, NRM&ES, BUS, ECON, POLS

Sustainable Energy & Infrastructure Workshop session #3 Findings on Curriculum, Research, and Projects: Common themes challenges and aspirations: We often don t teach sustainability explicitly, but discuss elements Faculty are interested, but are busy teaching fundamentals of discipline/technology Widespread interest in more interdisciplinary opportunities Many current interdisciplinary projects tell a compelling sustainability story, but are not marketed that way Structure desired for better connection, communication, and visibility Not sure how to integrate sustainability into existing curriculum Difficulty articulating social equity in engineering programs Coverage of professional ethics needs improvement

Sustainable Energy & Infrastructure Workshop session #3 Visioning Exercise: Define the future of SEI for the College Should focus be broad/holistic or narrow/targeted? Curriculum recommendations How do we address course assessment and graduation requirement? Majors, minors, or certificate? Organizational structure Centers and Institutes Committee or task force Advancement opportunities New Name?

Sustainable Energy & Infrastructure Findings Student perspectives: Learned primarily at home and in family environmental awareness Changing culture/lifestyle and social media Desire for meaningful job/career Integral part of Architecture, not articulated in most Engineering coursework Lots of clubs/projects to choose from, but found by accident No cross disciplinary look at sustainability or climate change for engineers Sustainability = good engineering Coursework is too highly structured Would like to see sustainability in GE, and renewable energy integrated into required engineering courses

Sustainable Energy & Infrastructure Findings Employer perspectives: Sustainability IS part of corporate culture: Bottom line issue control cost, enhance revenue Corporate image, transparency, and public relations It is a company goal because it is a customer goal Seeking students with excellent work habits, perseverance, ability to learn/adapt Students are technically strong, but there is a scarcity of: Maturity and holistic/human development Global awareness Professional polish and communication skills Ability to make a business case Recommendations: Need more focus on soft skills like writing, public speaking More group projects that include developing and presenting a business or project plan/model i.e. Shark Tank

Sustainable Energy & Infrastructure Findings Workshop recommendations: Five areas of focus are appropriate Start narrow, become broad Prioritize areas 1 &2 (Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy), then add Increase focus on whole systems thinking Broad sustainability discussions belong in GE (but engineers don t take Area F) Continue with course assessment, establish graduation requirement No new Sustainability Minor needed in CENG, already have: Sustainable Agriculture (CAFES) Sustainable Environments (home in CAED, but open to all) Environmental Studies (home in COSAM, but open to all) Leverage existing Centers and Institutes

Sustainable Energy & Infrastructure Findings Workshop brainstorming ideas: Fund faculty to collaborate with club projects (VP committed $15K pilot funding) Use campus as a test bed for renewable energy testing Build a campus microgrid Use solar panels for EV charging Initiative Names DEMISE, SEE or SE^2

Sustainable Energy & Infrastructure Contact info and references: Dennis Elliot Assistant Director, Energy, Utilities and Sustainability - delliot@calpoly.edu Cal Poly University Sustainability Website www.sustainability.calpoly.edu Cal Poly College of Engineering - http://ceng.calpoly.edu/ Centers and Institutes - http://research.calpoly.edu/centerslist.html Best Practice Awards and Building/Project Case Studies - http://afd.calpoly.edu/sustainability/awards.asp Cal Poly PowerSave Campus powersavecampus@calpoly.edu Cal Poly PowerSave Campus Website www.powersavecampus.calpoly.edu Cal Poly PowerSave Campus Facebook Page - www.facebook.com/CalPolyGreenCampus Polly the Polar Bear Facebook Page - www.facebook.com/PollyThePolarBear Mr. Eco Website www.mrecomusic.com Biennial Sustainability Progress Report http://afd.calpoly.edu/sustainability/docs/Metrics/2014_SustainabilityReport.pdf