Engineering Sustainability at Penn

Catalog description

This is a project-based course in which students will work together to use their engineering knowledge and skills to work on an authentic sustainability project in collaboration with local partners, such as Penn’s Office of Sustainability. On the first day of class, a representative from the partner organization, who will serve as the client on the project, will present students with background and goals of a large-scale ongoing area of work. With guidance from the instructor and check-ins with the client, students will assess stakeholder needs, conduct data collection and analysis, and uncover and fill knowledge and skill gaps needed to achieve the project objectives. The class will culminate in the presentation of a comprehensive, actionable technical report to the client. Project topics will change each term depending on partner needs; possible areas include fume hood and freezer usage and upgrades in research and teaching labs, building energy sources and usage, lab chemical and equipment supply and disposal, waste and recycling, storm and wastewater management, and campus transit.