Description
Energy – where to get it from, how to use it efficiently, and how to reduce negative environmental impacts from its production, conversion, distribution and use – is arguably the most critical environmental and social challenge facing the globe today. MIT President Susan Hockfield has committed the Institute to embark on an ambitious research and education program aimed squarely at the pressing problem of improving energy management. An important component of MIT's Energy Initiative is aimed at "walking the talk" on the MIT campus: improving campus energy management to increase efficiency and reduce both costs and greenhouse gas emissions.
"Energy, Environment and Society" is an opportunity for first-year students to make direct contributions to energy management at MIT and in local communities. The class takes a project-based approach, bringing student teams together to conduct studies that will help MIT, Cambridge and Boston to make tangible improvements in their energy management systems. Students will develop a thorough understanding of energy systems and their major components through guest lectures by researchers from across MIT and will apply that knowledge in their projects. Students are involved in all aspects of project design, from the refinement of research questions to data collection and analysis, conclusion drawing and presentation of findings. Each student team will work closely with experts including local stakeholders as well as leading technology companies throughout the development and implementation of their projects.
Projects are centered on renewable energy, building efficiency, and transportation. Specific project options include:
- Assessment of MIT wind power options
- Study of MIT fleets to assess feasibility of increasing vehicle efficiency and switching to alternative, lower-carbon fuels
- Assessment of energy recovery options for the MIT nuclear reactor
- Investigation of green building technologies at MIT (i.e. solar thermal, ground source heat pump)
- Investigation of renewable energy options at Cambridge Rindge and Latin High School
- Assessment of green building technologies at the Bowdoin Community Center in Dorchester Bay
The real-world nature of projects in this class means that they are inherently multidisciplinary. The intensive teamwork is an ideal opportunity to build valuable skills in addressing real-world problems in a structured environment. Student teams will prepare a project proposal and management plan, a design notebook (in electronic format) a technical report, and a public presentation. Students will also submit four short papers, periodic written and oral progress reports, one peer critique, one presentation of reading highlights, and two homework assignments. Class participation is expected.
Grading
Grades for the subject will be based on a total of 900 points as follows:
Grading criteria.| ASSIGNMENTS | POINTS |
|---|
| Individual assignments | 400 points total |
| 8 Progress reports (15 points each) | 120 points |
| 10 Minute oral project briefing | 70 points |
| Participation (group 40 points, class 35 points) | 75 points |
| 3 Reflection papers (20 points each) | 60 points |
| Reading highlights | 50 points |
| Thermodynamics Practice Problems | 15 points |
| Personal Energy Calculator Homework | 10 points |
| Team assignments | 500 points total |
| Design notebook | 150 points |
| Project proposal and management plan | 100 points |
| Final report and oral presentation | 250 points |
| Total | 900 points |
Calendar
The course is organized into the following four units:
- Energy basics
- Energy sources, uses, and infrastructure
- Community energy project
- Presentation and reporting
Project work (Unit 3) was completed throughout the term.
Course calendar.| WEEK # | SES # | UNIT | TOPICS | KEY DATES |
|---|
| 1 | 1 | 1.1 | Introductions/energy basics | |
| 2 | 1.2 | Energy basics (cont.) | |
| 2 | 3 | 1.3 | Energy basics (cont.) | Personal energy calculator due |
| 4 | 1.4 | Energy basics (cont.) | |
| 5 | 3.1 | Project work | Draft of team code of conduct due |
| 3 | 6 | 1.5 | Climate | Progress report #1 due |
| 7 | 1.6 | Energy economics | |
| 8 | 3.2 | Project work | Revised team code of conduct due Rough outline of team project proposal and management plan due Thermodynamics practice problems due |
| 4 | 9 | 1.7 | Project work | Progress report #2 due |
| 10 | 2.1 | Alternative/renewable energy | |
| 11 | 2.2 | Building energy | |
| 5 | 12 | 2.3 | Mobility | Progress report #3 due Draft of team project proposal and management plan due |
| 13 | 2.4 | Energy conversion | |
| 14 | 2.5 | Energy storage/distribution | Reflection paper #1 due |
| 6 | 15 | 2.6 | A systems perspective | Progress report #4 due Final team project proposal and management plan due |
| 16 | 4.1 | Practicum on public speaking | Informal TA check-in on design notebooks |
| 17 | 2.7 | Local energy systems - MIT | |
| 7 | 18 | 2.8 | Local energy systems - Cambridge | Progress report #5 due |
| 19 | 3.3 | Project work | Informal TA check-in on design notebooks |
| 20 | 3.4 | Project work | |
| 8 | 21 | 3.5 | Project work | Progress report #6 due |
| 22 | 3.6 | Social dimensions | |
| 23 | 3.7 | Oral briefing; Project work | Reflection paper #2 due |
| 9 | 24 | 4.2 | Practicum on writing for the public | Progress report #7 due |
| 25 | 3.8 | Project work | Formal review of design notebooks |
| 26 | 3.9 | Oral briefing; Project work | |
| 10 | 27 | 3.10 | Project work | Progress report #8 due |
| 28 | 3.11 | Oral briefing; Project work | Reflection paper #3 due |
| 11 | 29 | 3.12 | Project work | Progress report #9 due |
| 30 | 3.13 | Project work | |
| 31 | 3.14 | Oral briefing; Project work | |
| 12 | 32 | 3.15 | Project work | |
| 33 | 3.16 | LAST project work day | |
| 34 | 4.3 | Presentation "dry-run" | Draft of final report due |
| 13 | 35 | 4.4 | Refine presentations | |
| 36 | 4.5 | Presentation dress rehearsal | |
| 37 | 4.6 | Public presentations | |
| 14 | 38 | 4.7 | Teams finalize reports | |
| 39 | 4.8 | Evaluation and wrap-up | Final report due |