WASHINGTON, PA (July 2, 2019) – About 20 local high school students visited Washington & Jefferson College (W&J) June 28 to tour the Clark Family Library as part of the W&J Center for Energy Policy and Management’s (CEPM) Living Energy Laboratory, supported by the West Penn Power Sustainable Energy Fund.
The students are part of a summer life skills class in the Upper St. Clair School District. During their visit, they took part in an interactive discussion about where energy comes from. They also did a scavenger hunt to find electronic appliances in the building, and talk about how to conserve energy. In addition, students learned how to use a thermal imaging camera to identify hot and cold spots in buildings and interacted with a solar panel to understand how panels generate electricity.
“The CEPM was thrilled to have students and faculty from Upper St. Clair School District visit our campus to learn about energy efficiency and conservation,” said Corey Young, CEPM Director. “This important program wouldn't have been possible without the funding and support of the West Penn Power Sustainable Energy Fund.”
Michael DaVia, an Emotional Support and Resource Language Arts teacher in the Upper St. Clair School District, said the experience was invaluable for his students.
“The educational experience provided by the W&J Living Energy Lab served as a dynamic hands-on learning experience for our students. Energy usage and conservation is an essential functional skill for all students in the 21st century,” DaVia said.
Events of the W&J Living Energy Laboratory are offered free of charge to W&J students, faculty and staff, and the public, with a focus on serving local school students, residents, business owners, elected officials, and others interested in learning about residential and commercial energy efficiency and sustainability.
It includes interactive tours of W&J’s campus and discussions that highlight the College’s continual work to reduce its benchmark 16,945 metric tons of carbon produced per year. Tours include, but are not limited to, the College’s solar array, its LEED Silver Certified Swanson Science Center, and an explanation of the College’s other energy-saving programs.
Tours will be scheduled throughout the 2019-2020 academic year, and will be advertised to the public as they become available. For more information see the Center for Energy Policy and Management website: https://www.wjenergy.org/
About the West Penn Power Sustainable Energy Fund (WPPSEF)
The West Penn Power Sustainable Energy Fund (WPPSEF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that invests in the deployment of sustainable energy technologies that benefit West Penn Power ratepayers in Pennsylvania. WPPSEF investments are focused in three broad categories:
- Deployment of sustainable and clean energy technologies;
- Deployment of energy efficiency and conservation technologies; and
- Facilitating economic development, environmental betterment, and public education as they relate to sustainable energy deployment in the WPP service region.
Visit http://www.wppsef.org for further information. YouTube – Listen to what out project partners have to say about us.
About Washington & Jefferson College
Washington & Jefferson College, located in Washington, Pa., is a selective liberal arts college founded in 1781. Committed to providing each of its students with the highest-quality undergraduate education available, W&J offers a traditional arts and sciences curriculum emphasizing interdisciplinary study and independent study work. For more information about W&J, visit washjeff.dev, or call 888-W-AND-JAY.
