Project Team
Student(s)
Mikey Lampel
Environmental Studies, Public Policy
New York University
Gabe Schaefer
Energy Engineering
Penn State University
Mentor(s)
Sustainability Institute
Project Video
Project Abstract
In 2008, the State College Area School District passed the Resolution on Sustainability & the Design and Construction of High Performance Schools, which ensures that all new construction and renovation projects are built more sustainably. Though this Resolution helped guide new projects to be more sustainable, changes in policy, science and technology have made it outdated. We performed a preliminary carbon emissions inventory for three facilities using ICLEI ClearPath software. These facilities emitted 1,644.70 metric tons of CO2e during the 2018-2019 fiscal year. This inventory allows us to make mindful recommendations to the school district regarding made in consultation with the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED Gold or higher standard. These solutions are also outlined in Project Drawdown They include onsite or utility-scale solar energy production, increased energy efficiency, an electric bus fleet and new environmental education that is adapted to COVID-19 conditions. We also recommend that the District establish a greenhouse gas target into a new sustainability policy for the district that aims toward “drawdown”. Schools everywhere can utilize our techniques to perform their own carbon emission inventories and upgrade existing facilities to be more cost-effective and energy efficient and integrate sustainability education into their curriculum to better prepare students for a changing world.