Reducing Hawai‘i’s third-largest energy bill - Ka Leo (University of Hawa... http://www.kaleo.org/news/reducing-hawai-i-s-third-largest-energy-bill/a...
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Giulio Rocca Contributing Writer | Posted: Thursday, January 19, 2012 6:30 pm In her latest action to save energy, Sustainable UH Director Shanah Trevenna reached a key milestone last week for the Hawai‘i Student Energy Ambassador Development Program: raising enough money to place two copies of her energy handbook, "Surfing Tsunamis of Change," in every public high school library in Hawai‘i. "We can actually make a really big impact," said Trevenna in a presentation delivered at a fundraiser last week. "We want these students to be ambassadors of knowledge." A HUGE OPPORTUNITY After the United States military and the University of Hawai‘i, the Department of Education - which includes its vast public school system - is the state's third-largest consumer of energy. "I would like to place an energy handbook and an energy audit kit in every single high school in Hawai‘i and have energy training days with energy ambassadors at every school," said Trevenna. Trevenna brings a wealth of experience to the challenge, having previously led a student initiative that reduced Saunders Hall's energy bill by 24 percent, or nearly $150,000, in one year by removing light bulbs and implementing air conditioning shutdowns. Impressed by the results, the Department of Education Office of Schools & Facilities Support Services hired student interns to perform sustainability assessments in public schools such as Keone‘ula Elementary School in ‘Ewa Beach. PARTNERSHIPS The SEAD Program was formed as a partnership among various organizations. "There's synergy with many programs that exist in the state, and we're pursuing many collaborations," said Trevenna. Current partners include the Hawai‘i Department of Education, the United States Green Building Council, Sustainable UH and the UH community colleges' RISE-UH program. The partnerships coalesced from a shared sense of purpose. "We wanted to help bring together what she was trying to put together and make it into a reality," said Christopher Parker, chair of the Green Schools Committee of the US GBC's Hawai‘i chapter. "Some people in the public think that sustainability and being green is just cleaning beaches, but the reality is that it's more than that." The United States GBC's Hawai‘i chapter matched funding on 30 books in the fundraiser and will host the first energy ambassador workshop, where SEAD staff will train high school students to perform energy audits. "There's an immediate need and interest among high school students" for this type of education, according to Parker. BOOKS, KITS, TRAINING
02/01/2012 6:02 PM
Reducing Hawai‘i’s third-largest energy bill - Ka Leo (University of Hawa... http://www.kaleo.org/news/reducing-hawai-i-s-third-largest-energy-bill/a...
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To accomplish its three-pronged vision, the SEAD Program plans to raise additional funding from individuals and nonprofit organizations. "We have the expertise, we have the curriculum, we have a number of trainings under our belt, we have the students ready to go do the training," said Trevenna. "We just need funding." Trevenna's energy handbook has nearly 1,000 copies in print, predominantly as a "niche publication for use in academia," said Ernest Rose, director of sales and marketing at publisher Island Moonlight. But, according to Rose, the SEAD Program hopes to use promotional and marketing activity such as last week's fundraiser to disseminate the energy handbook more widely and invigorate the sustainability movement in Hawai‘i. Trevenna's approach to sustainability is grounded in her philosophy that saving energy doesn't have to be painful: "Sustainability is not a sacrifice; using energy efficiently brings lighting and air conditioning to healthy levels so people are comfortable, don't get sick, and are more productive." The group's next objectives are to provide all high schools with energy audit kits and train students on energy efficiency.
02/01/2012 6:02 PM