University Of Vermont And State Agricultural College issued the following announcement.
In honor of Earth Day 2022, the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources highlights the long legacy of its Greening of Rubenstein Interns course and student contributions to sustainability at the University of Vermont. Each spring, for 21 years, undergraduates have worked with faculty and staff in the Rubenstein School to advance the energy efficiency and greening of the School, its buildings, and the campus.
“Our goal is to make the Rubenstein School’s four buildings as sustainable as possible by producing as much renewable energy as we use,” said Gary Hawley, a longtime faculty member who teaches the Greening of Rubenstein course. “Our continued pursuit of net zero operations and spaces is an important part of the university’s sustainability efforts.”
Hawley traditionally invites local experts and consultants to share their expertise with undergraduate student interns. Senior Bryce Carleton ’22 took the course his sophomore year and has since served as a teaching assistant and mentor to the interns for two years.
"This course gives students the unique and beneficial opportunity to gain professional experience and insight into the professional world awaiting them after graduating,” said Carleton, who has already begun his career with a past project partner and returning guest speaker this spring. “I saw myself and the many other students over the years grow from the work involved, and I will always be thankful for Gary Hawley and his Greening of Rubenstein course.”
This year, 26 student interns completed six projects. They assessed the readiness and energy efficiency of Rubenstein School buildings for net zero energy, the use of stormwater to flush toilets, the need for Rubenstein School electric vehicles, and the proper way to maintain the Aiken Center’s solarium.
Three teams identified areas of improvement and potential energy savings within the Aiken Center, Bittersweet House, Aiken Forestry Sciences Laboratory, and Rubenstein Ecosystem Science Laboratory. They quantified energy used by the buildings and determined how much of the Rubenstein School’s energy usage can be covered with renewable energy by the School’s solar panel array.
A fourth group of interns researched the efficacy of replacing the School’s vehicle fleet with electric vehicles. A fifth team focused on water usage in the Aiken Center and investigated how stormwater from UVM grounds could be used as grey water to flush toilets. The sixth group maintained and improved the plantings and ambience of the Aiken Center solarium and updated a guidebook for future caretakers to continue keeping the area a green and inviting space for students and visitors.
Interns will give their final project presentations May 5 at 6:00pm in Room 311 Aiken Center. Everyone is encouraged to attend.
Follow the links below to read the mid-semester reports for each group project.
2022 Greening of Rubenstein Interns Project Reports
- Aiken Solarium and Green Roof (PDF)
Interns: Georgia Burrichter, May Lopopolo, Gabby Rizzo, Julia Tanier, Grace Weckesser
- The Fleet of Rubenstein (PDF)
Interns: Emma Conti, Addy Davis, Eoin Kelly
- Power Moves: Harnessing Solar for RSENR (PDF)
Interns: Natalie Bingham, Reid Corliss, Lauren Cresanti, Adrian Pierce, Laura O’Brien
- Retro-Commissioning (PDF)
Interns: Benjamin Boggio, Kennedy McCarthy, Luke Schaefer, Eric Slater
- Stormwater for Greywater (PDF)
Interns: Beyla Munach, Peyton Stevers, Tyler Sullivan, Ella Weigel, Max Willette
- Time to Use Renewables to Produce Net Zero Energy Buildings at UVM (PDF)
Interns: Sky Gale, Jack Goodman, Jack Locker, Cat Mawn
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