The approach by Allegheny faculty is to get students excited about how the wide range of issues their department tackles differs from class to class, person to person, year to year. One thing all faculty have in common is the stance that the ever-changing and immediate need to address environmental issues is best tackled hands-on. In this way, innovation at Allegheny is action.
Professor and physicist Ian Carbone has a materials science background, lending a unique perspective to the environmental science program. With an interest in energy efficiency, his work with students focuses on improving living conditions for the residents of Meadville and the surrounding communities. He and his class start by conducting energy audits. These have included the community recreation center, the Unitarian Church, and a local elementary school.
From basic walk-throughs of buildings to identify where air is escaping and mechanical systems are out of date to using infrared cameras to study the type of insulation inside walls, students learn practical skills and building owners get free insight about how to save on energy consumption. To further illustrate why investments into building upgrades make sense, students create computational models of the building. This, combined with local weather data and the building characteristics gathered by walking and measuring the building, can predict how much energy the building consumes in a typical year. This energy model, enables operations teams to comprehend the benefits of a new furnace or additional insulation in an attic, among other costs.
Sometimes the outcome of the energy audits are the case for installing solar panels, which Carbone has trained his students to do themselves. Since its inception in 2021, he has safely guided students through two complete solar installation projects. Community collaborations between Allegheny students and local nonprofits to get solar panels on buildings include the design of the project by students.
Perhaps the most innovative and practical outcome of taking the community energy design course, is that each student will take a national certification exam through the North American Board of Energy Practitioners. The Photovoltaic Associates exam is an entry-level professional credential that students can include in their resume. Carbone says, “For students to get out into the real world and do this hands-on work, and then be able to take this exam is incredibly unique and beneficial not just to them, but to our communities.”
