Episode 25: Losing Steam - Carleton College’s Energy Transition

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Martha Larson, Manager of Campus Energy and Sustainability at Carleton College

Martha Larson, Manager of Campus Energy and Sustainability at Carleton College

Guests:

Martha Larson
Campus Energy and Sustainability Manager, Carleton College

Host: Dave Karlsgodt
Principal, Fovea, LLC

Carleton College has been getting into hot water — but in the best way possible. 

Listen to this episode to hear Martha Larson, Carleton’s manager of campus energy and sustainability, discuss the college’s process for replacing its 20th century steam system with a geothermal-based district energy system. The new system will allow the campus to use heat pumps and the earth’s consistent 50 degree Fahrenheit temperature to help regulate heating and cooling on campus more efficiently. Larson dives into the physics that make the system work, the planning and approval process for the project, and how the new system will help Carleton meet its future sustainability goals in a discussion with host Dave Karlsgodt.

Resources:

  • Carleton College’s Utility Master Plan: go.carleton.edu/geothermal

    • Go here for more charts and graphs, photos, FAQs, project updates and more

Production Team:

Episode Transcript:

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Episode 25: Losing Steam: Carleton College's Energy Transition - Transcript

Episode 20: Streamlining Sustainability Reporting with AASHE STARS

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Julian Dautremont

Julian Dautremont

Guest: Julian Dautremont
Director of Programs, AASHE

Host: Dave Karlsgodt
Principal, Fovea, LLC

Production Assistant: Sarah Barr

From energy use to purchasing decisions, waste management to community engagement, it’s no secret that sustainability is a notoriously broad and difficult to measure concept.

Creating a comprehensive sustainability rating system was exactly the challenge guest Julian Dautremont and colleagues from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) were tackling when the STARS program was born. STARS is short for the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment, and Rating System and is the most widely used sustainability reporting system among colleges and universities in the United States. (It’s also the primary metric used to determine the Sierra Club’s “Cool Schools” ranking each year, in case you were wondering).

If STARS still stumps you or if you’re simply curious about how a broad concept like sustainability can possibly be quantified and compared, join us this episode as Julian guides us through STARS’ creation, current function and challenges, and goals for the future.

Resources:

Episode Transcript:

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Episode 20: Streamlining Sustainability Reporting with AASHE STARS - Transcript

Episode 18: University of Virginia's Delta Force Program

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Andrea Trimble (left), Jesse Warren (right)

Andrea Trimble (left), Jesse Warren (right)

Guests:
Andrea Trimble, CEM, LEED AP BD+C, O+M
Office for Sustainability Director
University of Virginia

Jesse Warren PE, CEM, LEED AP BD+C, O+M
Sustainability Program Manager for Buildings & Operations
University of Virginia

Host: Dave Karlsgodt
Principal, Fovea, LLC

The focus of this episode is the University of Virginia’s Delta Force, a self-funded building energy efficiency and sustainability program. You’ll hear how UVA has taken a $400,000 seed fund to yield $42M dollars in energy related cost savings to the University. We get into the nuts and bolts of the program but also zoom back to talk more generally about their sustainability programs and collaboration with their city and regional governments.

Resources:

Episode Transcript:

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Episode 18: University of Virginia’s Delta Force Program - Transcript

Episode 15: Landfill-gas flaring project at Central College of Pella, Iowa

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Brian Campbell (left) Rob McKenna (right)

Brian Campbell (left)
Rob McKenna (right)

Guest: Brian Campbell
Director of Sustainability Education
Central College of Pella, Iowa

Special Guest and Co-host: Rob McKenna
Principal, Fovea, LLC

Host: Dave Karlsgodt
Principal, Fovea, LLC

In this episode you’ll hear an interview with Brian Campbell, Director of Sustainability Education at Central College in Pella Iowa. We discuss Central College’s recent climate action plan with a focus on a unique landfill-gas flaring project that came out of that planning effort. Rob McKenna, a principal at Fovea and the consultant who lead this climate action planning effort, joins both as guest and co-host.

Fovea would like to give a special shout out to Energy Strategies and MEP Associates who were our partners and collaborators on this project.

Resources:

Second Nature Carbon Commitment Signatory Distribution

During this podcast, Rob McKenna discusses how Central College with roughly 10,000 MTCO2e / year has a typical emissions profile among signatories to the Second Nature Carbon Commitment.

Episode Transcript:

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Episode 15: Landfill-gas flaring project at Central College of Pella, Iowa - Transcript

Episode 14: Solar Carport and Energy Transition at Michigan State University

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Wolfgang Bauer (left); Gary Farha (right); Solar Carport Installation at MSU (bottom)

Wolfgang Bauer (left); Gary Farha (right);
Solar Carport Installation at MSU (bottom)

Guests:
Wolfgang Bauer
University Distinguished Professor and Associate Vice President for Administrative Services
Michigan State University

Gary Farha
Founder, President and CEO
CustomerFirst Renewables

Host: Dave Karlsgodt

The focus of this episode is a large, on-site solar carport installation that recently came online on MSU’s campus. At the time it came online, this was the largest carport solar installation in the United States.  As background, Wolfgang shares the rich history of the MSU energy system dating back to the 19th century. We discuss the role of MSU’s Energy Transition Plan as a catalyst for this project. This plan lays out aggressive goals for the use of renewable energy and the reduction of GHG emissions.  We talk through the decision-making process that led up to this project and end by discussing possible next steps in MSU’s energy transition.

Resources:

Episode Transcript:

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Episode 14: Solar Carport and Energy Transition at Michigan State University - Transcript