Welcome to the 2023 MEC 4722 Renewable Energy Capstone Project!
|
View the April 26, 2023 Capstone Project Webinar CLICK HERE FOR VIEWING OPTIONS |
|
About the Capstone Project:
The Vermont State University (VSU) at Vermont Technical College (VTC) and the Renewable Nations Institute (RNI) are collaborating on the 2023 MEC 4722 Renewable Energy Capstone Project (MEC 4722). The MEC 4722 Capstone Project offers graduating seniors in the VTC Renewable Energy Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Degree Program the opportunity for real-world experience in the design and engineering of energy efficiency and renewable energy (EERE) systems in the context of Vermont Act 172 of 2022 — the Municipal Building Energy Resilience Program (Act 172).
The Capstone Project will engage students in EERE systems engineering and design, energy modeling and simulation, and preliminary cost analysis for the Johnson Village Garage. The Village Garage is the municipal maintenance facility of the Johnson Water & Light Department of the Village and Town of Johnson (V&ToJ).
The Vermont Energy Burden Report (Sears and Lucci, 2019) identified the V&ToJ as the 3rd highest energy burdened town in the State of Vermont; and the Village Garage is rated among the highest level of Energy Use Intensity (EUI) for town maintenance facilities in the State at more than double the EUI national average for municipal buildings of its type.
The Projected Outcomes of the Capstone project are, as follows:
The Capstone Project will engage students in EERE systems engineering and design, energy modeling and simulation, and preliminary cost analysis for the Johnson Village Garage. The Village Garage is the municipal maintenance facility of the Johnson Water & Light Department of the Village and Town of Johnson (V&ToJ).
The Vermont Energy Burden Report (Sears and Lucci, 2019) identified the V&ToJ as the 3rd highest energy burdened town in the State of Vermont; and the Village Garage is rated among the highest level of Energy Use Intensity (EUI) for town maintenance facilities in the State at more than double the EUI national average for municipal buildings of its type.
The Projected Outcomes of the Capstone project are, as follows:
|
For the Capstone students:
|
|
Provide Capstone students with complex, real-world project experience that demonstrates their ability to apply specific engineering skills acquired and developed over the four-year Renewable Energy degree program at VTC.
|
|
For the Village and Town of Johnson (and Vermont Municipalities):
|
|
Provide the V&ToJ with technical assistance and decision support services (at minimum an ASHRAE Level 1 Energy Audit) pursuant to the submittal of an application for EERE project funding under the provisions of Vermont Act 172.
|
|
For the State of Vermont:
|
|
Demonstrate the capacity of a student workforce to deliver vital community services under a variety of experiential learning pedagogies --- Work-Study, Service-Learning, and Work-Learning-Service --- to meet the objectives of the 2022 Vermont Comprehensive Energy Plan (Vermont Department of Public Service, 2022).
|
|
For the Vermont State University:
|
|
Expand existing and new academic and workforce development programs in EERE disciplines across VSU campuses with the aim to increase enrollment of graduating high school senior, dual-enrollment high school students, and adult students seeking STEM education and careers.
|
|
For the Renewable Nations Institute:
|
|
Validate the Productivity-Centered Service-Learning and Work-Learning-Service pedagogies of the Renewable Nations Institute to develop, manage, and replicate an "Energy Education Workforce," and to position the VSU as a Technical Support Unit (TSU) for ACT 172, and to serve multi-sector stakeholders in the State of Vermont as they seek to achieve the goal of the 2022 Vermont Comprehensive Energy Plan (VCEP).
|
Subsequent to the April 26, 2023, the Vermont State University and the Renewable Nations Institute will schedule a series of meetings with multi-sector stakeholders across the State of Vermont to advance the development of a proposed TSU leveraging the education workforce across the four campuses of VSU system to support the stated goals of the VCEP to meet:
|
25% of Vermont's energy needs from renewable sources by 2025,
45% by 2035, and 90% by 2050, |
as set forth in the 2022 Vermont Comprehensive Energy Plan (Executive Summary, Vermont Department of Public Service, 2022).
Specifically, the meetings, among other objectives, will explore the feasibility of the Renewable Nations Institute (in collaboration with multi-sector stakeholders, including the VSU) to provide technical assistance services and decision support pursuant to Act 172 goals and objectives.
The meetings will examine the development, management, and operation of a "tiered" or "layered" state-wide education workforce to include the following components: a Vermont Youth Employment Training Program (V-YETP) for Vermont youth ages 14-24; a a federally subsidized undergraduate Work-Study Program across the VSU system; and a dedicated, hybrid (on-line and in-person) Work-Learning-Service Program for undergraduate, graduate, and adult students seeking careers in the energy services contract (ESCO) industry.
This proposed energy education workforce will provide a labor pool for a state-wide, community-based Technical Support Unit (TSU) operating from five primary locations --- Castleton, Johnson, Lyndon, Randolph, and Williston --- and additional VSU learning sites across the State of Vermont, including: Bennington, Berlin, Brattleboro, Killington, Middlebury, Newport, St. Albans, Rutland, and White River Junction.
The immediate task of the proposed TSU will be to establish a Vermont Municipal Buildings EUI (Energy Use Intensity) Index utilizing industry standard building energy audit tools: (a) the Fast Site Survey by EMPEQ (Empowering Equity, Inc.); (b) the ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers) Building EQ (Energy Quotient) Portal, and U.S. EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) Energy Star Portfolio Manager on-line toolkits.
Utilizing the best-practices and lessons learned from the 2023 MEC 4722 Renewable Energy Capstone Project, our goal is to put in place a Vermont Municipal Buildings EUI Index by mid-August of 2023 to support Vermont municipalities and Act 172 multi-sector stakeholders to develop a municipal energy services retrofit portfolio compliant with the goals and objectives of Act 172 and the 2022 Vermont Comprehensive Energy Plan (VCEP).
Specifically, the meetings, among other objectives, will explore the feasibility of the Renewable Nations Institute (in collaboration with multi-sector stakeholders, including the VSU) to provide technical assistance services and decision support pursuant to Act 172 goals and objectives.
The meetings will examine the development, management, and operation of a "tiered" or "layered" state-wide education workforce to include the following components: a Vermont Youth Employment Training Program (V-YETP) for Vermont youth ages 14-24; a a federally subsidized undergraduate Work-Study Program across the VSU system; and a dedicated, hybrid (on-line and in-person) Work-Learning-Service Program for undergraduate, graduate, and adult students seeking careers in the energy services contract (ESCO) industry.
This proposed energy education workforce will provide a labor pool for a state-wide, community-based Technical Support Unit (TSU) operating from five primary locations --- Castleton, Johnson, Lyndon, Randolph, and Williston --- and additional VSU learning sites across the State of Vermont, including: Bennington, Berlin, Brattleboro, Killington, Middlebury, Newport, St. Albans, Rutland, and White River Junction.
The immediate task of the proposed TSU will be to establish a Vermont Municipal Buildings EUI (Energy Use Intensity) Index utilizing industry standard building energy audit tools: (a) the Fast Site Survey by EMPEQ (Empowering Equity, Inc.); (b) the ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers) Building EQ (Energy Quotient) Portal, and U.S. EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) Energy Star Portfolio Manager on-line toolkits.
Utilizing the best-practices and lessons learned from the 2023 MEC 4722 Renewable Energy Capstone Project, our goal is to put in place a Vermont Municipal Buildings EUI Index by mid-August of 2023 to support Vermont municipalities and Act 172 multi-sector stakeholders to develop a municipal energy services retrofit portfolio compliant with the goals and objectives of Act 172 and the 2022 Vermont Comprehensive Energy Plan (VCEP).
Please join us for the final 2023 MEC 4722 Renewable Energy Capstone Project Presentation from 2:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. on April 26, 2023. The Capstone presentation will be conducted in the 100-seat Conant Hall Auditorium and on-line. Reserve you seat today if you plan to attend in-person.
Respectfully,
The Capstone Project Leadership Team
Respectfully,
The Capstone Project Leadership Team
|
For the Vermont State University:
John N. Kidder, Jr., Ph.D.
Interim Dean, School of STEM Professor, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Engineering Technology (802) 728-1783 [email protected] |
For the Renewable Nations Institute:
|
For the Capstone Project Students:
|
