Environmental Science 583- Junior Seminar in Environmental Solutions
The Green
Carr Project
What are the most important green features for the Carr
renovation?
Fall 2008, Doane Chemistry C103Tues 1:30-2:45; Thurs 1:30- 4:20
Instructor: Eric Pallant, Department of Environmental Science
Click hand to go to Pallant
home page 
Office: Doane Hall of Chemistry C.202
Office Hours: M, 1:30-2:30; Th 3:00-5:00; F 2:00 - 5:00
E-mail: epallant@allegheny.edu or click on mailbox 
Every Junior Seminar in the Department of Environmental Science has as its main focus a project whose completion is important to some stakeholder outside the college. Sometimes the party waiting for the report being prepared by students enrolled in the seminar is mildly interested in the outcome, prepared to take into consideration the research and ideas of Allegheny's juniors. Other times--and this is one of those unusual occasions--the outside participant is anxiously awaiting the class' findings.
Your task, at least on the face of it, is rather simple. If your research and reports are professionally sound and of high enough quality you are likely to see the fruits of your labor around the time you graduate from Allegheny College.
Allegheny College wants Carr Hall to be green, but I'm not sure they are fully aware of what benefits a green building could bring the campus beyond the feel-good nature of what it can do for the ES department. That's what your job is. WHY build green? What does it mean for the ES Department? The Physics Department? The student body? Administration? Fund Raisers? Prospective students? Funders? Graduates? Visitors? Future buildings, maintenance and operations?
Criteria for a Good Report
(generated by students listed above.)
Visual aids
Virtual tour of green building features
Good layout, professional presentation
Economic cost-benefit analysis
Be sensitive to everyone’s needs
Be sure to consider the priorities of the audience – admissions, energy conservation, Allegheny’s ratings
Personal enthusiasm and experience as students
Logical flow – no tangents
RESEARCH
CASE STUDIES – green buildings and their relationship to performance, attendance, etc.
Shorter presentation with a longer accompanying document
Shouldn’t impact other departments negatively
MULTIPLE DRAFTS!
Upfront Costs as something to consider versus lifecycle costs
| Week | Topic | Assignment |
| August 28 (R) | Introduction to Class | Site visit to North Village. |
| September 2 (T) | Introduction to Green Design at Allegheny College | Read Junior Seminar 2004, Final Report, and Final Power Point. Visit Oberlin College Energy Resource Monitoring System. Assignment 1: Bring to class examples of four signs that should be installed in North Village. Signs should be typed or designed artistically. You should also explain where your sign should be placed. Here is a not very high quality link to signage at the Wellfleet Audubon Society LEED Platinum visitor center, Green Building Blog. |
| September 4 (R) |
|
Read LEED Guidelines Visit by Brian Gillette with drawings for the buildings September 4. Here are links to some proposals for North Village Signage.
|
| September 9 (T) |
|
Assignment 2: Bring to class 5 LEED points you think college can gain during renovation of Carr Hall and explain why. One page total. Due September 9.
|
| September 11 (R) | Visit JS Wilson and Asbury Woods in Erie | Assignment 3: Read eight articles of your choosing on Green Design. At least three of the articles must be from a source outside the class list. Write a two page paper justifying 3 LEED points you think college can gain and explain why. The paper must cite at least 8 references. |
| September 16 (T) |
|
Here are links to some proposals for the second drafts of North Village Signage. |
| September 18 (R) | Visit by Geraces - Ann Areson tentative | Assignment 4: < or = 3 comp questions and reviews of two comps. Comp questions must be 12 words or fewer and end in a question mark. Due September 26. |
| September 23 (T) | Create a plan for the Green Carr Project. | |
| September 25 (R) | Green Carr Plan continued. | Field Trip to Pittsburgh green buildings if necessary.
|
| October 16 (R) | Assignment 5: First Draft of Green Carr Reports due |
|
| October 24 (F) | Assignment 6: First draft of senior project proposals due. | |
| November 13 (R) | Assignment 7: Second draft of Green Carr Reports due. | |
| November 18 (T) | Plan Public Presentation | |
| November 20 (R) | Pallant at Fulbright | Prepare Public Presentation |
| November 25 (T) | Public Presentation Dry Run | |
| December 4 (R) | Public Presentation to Allegheny Community | |
| December 5 | Assignment 8: Second draft of senior project proposal due AND Final draft of proposals to Cannon Design due December 5. |
All reports to be prepared as both written and graphical (or PowerPoint) format. You will also present your data for feedback and critique to the rest of the group. Deadlines may be adjusted as the semester proceeds.
Deadlines for Senior Project Proposals
- Begin by reviewing the Department Guidelines on the ES Web page.
- Choose less than or equal to three comp questions AND review two comps done by ES students by September 19
- Comp Proposal, First
Draft of Introduction and Methods completed by October
30 . This includes:
- Introduction and literature review of at least 15 references
- Methods
- Timetable
- Expected results
- Review of two earlier comps
- Comp proposal, Second Draft completed by December 5.
- Presentation of Comps will take place in November and December.
Due Dates subject to change.
Grades will be based on class participation, i.e., the quality and intensity of your critique of other's presentations (20%), your written reports (50%), your oral reports (10%), Comp first draft, Comp second draft (10% each).
Eric Pallant, Department of Environmental Science, Allegheny College/updated 25 August 2008