Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 62.57
Liaison Kylee Singh
Submission Date Feb. 16, 2017
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

California Polytechnic State University
IN-25: Innovation B

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.00 / 1.00 Kylee Singh
Sustainability Coordinator
Energy Utilities and Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Name or title of the innovative policy, practice, program, or outcome:
Project Solar

A brief description of the innovative policy, practice, program, or outcome that outlines how credit criteria are met and any positive measurable outcomes associated with the innovation:

The Cal Poly Bioresource Agriculture Engineering (BRAE) 470 course is a Solar System Design class that empowers students to design and then install solar PV systems on campus buildings using solar panels donated by the SunPower Corporation. The first pilot project, a 5 kilowatt array on the BRAE building completed in 2016. As part of the class, students receive solar training and then participate in an installation of an actual solar system with Grid Alternatives, a nonprofit that installs free solar systems on homes in disadvantaged communities. When all 435 kW of donated panels are installed under this program, Facilities will pay out $300K in grants and realize a $1.3M energy cost savings over 20 years. In order to sustain the program, a group of students pursued support for this program as an Instructionally Related Activity to bridge departmental budget gaps and received funding to continue the program for the academic year with potential to continue the effort indefinitely. This project is innovative in its partnership with GRID Alternatives, the programs ability to provide training to students and free laborers for low-income community improvements.


Which of the following impact areas does the innovation most closely relate to? (select up to three):
Curriculum
Energy
Diversity & Affordability

A letter of affirmation from an individual with relevant expertise or a press release or publication featuring the innovation :
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The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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