In June, UVA began its inaugural Summer Decarbonization Academy with 13 students who dove into projects addressing several aspects of decarbonization at the university.
UVA launched its first Summer Decarbonization Academy, and the first cohort of students are already deep into their projects. Students were assigned to a variety of projects focusing on different aspects of decarbonization at UVA, such as geothermal and geoexchange technologies, nature-based approaches to reducing carbon emissions, and carbon offsets. Each student is guided by a faculty mentor from a field related to the focus of their research, from engineering to economics and more.
Each week, DA students come together for “Lunch-n-Learn” sessions on Tuesdays and group learning activities on Thursdays, such as touring the UVA main heat plant and the Alderman Library renovation project. During the rest of the week, DA students work with their project mentors on their individual projects. By the end of the summer, students will produce a final written report and a research poster summarizing their work over the course of the program. They will also present their findings at the UVA Environmental Resilience Institute Symposium in August.
Maddie Davis and Holly Sims have teamed up with economics Professor Bill Shobe on a project looking at carbon accounting and the possibility of using rigorous offsets for emissions that are not possible to eliminate by 2030. Put simply, carbon offsets are purchases made by individuals or groups with the goal of decreasing their net carbon emissions by investing in activities off-site that reduce emissions. This typically looks like investing in a portfolio of carbon reduction operations, such as reforestation or direct air capture.
Maddie and Holly explained that their project thus far has taken the form of quite a bit of research. They have looked into historical modes of carbon accounting and how these have evolved into modern carbon offsets. After acquiring background information and understanding more about how offset portfolios are developed, Maddie and Holly shifted their focus to looking at carbon offset markets that UVA might consider if investing in offsets becomes necessary.
Maddie explained that carbon offsetting can be tricky and at times discouraging if done as a substitute for other actions. However, she also noted that looking more into this decarbonization tactic has been eye-opening in terms of the potential good that can be done. She also noted with a laugh how patient Holly and Professor Shobe have been with her during this process, since she did not previously have much experience studying climate change and decarbonization. This is part of the beauty of the program – students from a wide range of areas of study can come together and share what they have learned about decarbonization.
My own project, with help from my mentor Dana Schroeder in the Office for Sustainability, tackles occupant behavior change. Like Maddie and Holly, I have spent much of the past few weeks researching. My initial approach has been very open-ended, but recently I have narrowed down to just three areas of interest: plug loads, commuting, and air travel. From there, I will continue to develop ways to target behaviors within these categories, such as consolidating appliances, encouraging carpooling, or reducing unnecessary airplane trips.
The Decarbonization Academy is approaching the halfway mark, with projects set to wrap up in a little under a month. Keep an eye on UVA Sustainability’s social media accounts for more updates about this exciting program!
Krysten Kuhn is a 4th-year student at UVA studying English and Environmental Thought and Practice. She is a member of this summer’s Decarbonization Academy and is working alongside Dana Schroeder in the Office for Sustainability. She is passionate about sustainability education and hopes to further effective and accessible communication about climate change and what can be done to address it.