2001 Internships

Alternative Fuel Vehicles

Alternative Fuel Vehicles 2001 Presentation Cover

Sponsor

Ford Motor Company

Intern Manager

Leith Sharp, Director, HGCI

Interns

Dave M. Thompson
John Y. Hsu
Kelly Seary

Overview of Tasks

  • Conduct detailed review of current vehicle fleet characteristics, fleet activities, environmental impacts, client interests, current fleet purchasing decision-making process.
  • Review AFV options (including electric bicycles, neighborhood vehicles etc), assess potential applications to University and the associated environmental, social and economic benefits.
  • Design education strategies and incentive programs that will effectively drive client preferences towards AFVs.
  • Identify and establish partnerships with champions within University to support the introduction of AFVs in Stage II of the program.
  • Build links to AFV suppliers and explore opportunities for student interns to visit and assist suppliers in market development and product design activities.

Resources and Support

John Nolan, Director, Transportation Services
Dave Harris, Manager, Passenger Transport and Fleet Management Services

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Faculty of Arts & Sciences Computer Energy Management

Computer Energy Reduction Program Cover image and link to presentation

Sponsor

Faculty of Arts and Sciences

Intern Managers

Leith Sharp, Director, HGCI
Antje Danielson, Project Manager (HGCI)

Intern(s)

Sarah Cove
Jesse Eliso

General Purpose

To assist FAS in the identification, collection, analysis and presentation of information relevant to come specific energy conservation projects such as computer monitor sleep programming.

Overview of Tasks

  • A baseline assessment of computer use patterns and associated attitudes within FAS
  • Some more detailed projections on potential future savings associated with energy conservation strategies
  • A documented computer monitor case study in one building
  • Preparation work to implement computer energy conservation strategies within student dorms in fall

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High Performance Building Design

hpb internship presentation cover

Sponsor

Harvard Planning and Real Estate

Intern Manager

Leith Sharp, Director, HGCI

Intern

Amy Sheehan

General Purpose

To assist Harvard Planning and Real Estate to develop new approaches in environmental building design, construction and renovation.

Overview of tasks

  • Identify, describe and map all research and operational activities that relate to high performance (or environmental) building design currently happening at Harvard
  • Document historical efforts to incorporate environmental design into Harvard buildings
  • Develop interview protocol
    • Meet with all relevant stakeholders/participants in the building design and
    • Construction process
    • Document findings
    • Evaluate historical experience to help development of contract details and design criteria that will further high performance building design at Harvard
  • Research and list architects that have proven high performance building design experience/expertise
  • Assist in the development of an effective means of engaging clients in support of high performance building projects conducted through Harvard Planning and Real Estate (HPRE) and Faculty of Arts and Sciences
  • Assist in identifying and promoting training events to further dialogue around High Performance Building design within HPRE

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UOS Green Procurement

UOS Green Procurement Internship Cover

Sponsor

University Operations Services

Intern Manager

Leith Sharp, Director, HGCI

Intern

Molly McOwen, third year undergraduate at Harvard University, BS candidate in Environmental Science and Public Policy. Chairperson for the Harvard Greencampus student organization, Served as Research Assistant at the Kennedy School of Government, examining the role of governmental incentives in promoting alternative energy sources.

General Purpose

To assist University Operations Services in the identification, collection, analysis and presentation of information relevant to the effective design of environmental procurement practice energy conservation strategies.

Background

The UOS Environmental Procurement Project is designed to evaluate the environmental impacts of the products purchased through University Operations Services. Our evaluation is based on the productâ€Ts environmental impacts upstream, where it was manufactured; mid stream, where the workers often come into contact with toxic chemicals; and downstream, where the used product ends up when it is recycled, re-used, or discarded.

The Environmental Procurement Project commences this summer with a series of pilot projects. From the 67,000 items available through the UOS catalog, several test products will be selected and replaced with an environmentally preferable alternative.

Simultaneously, two or three campus buildings will be selected for a comprehensive energy audit. The experience of implementing and evaluating these changes will help establish partnerships between the service providers, the building clientele, and the UOS procurement department. The results of these trials will inform UOSâ€T continued use of low-impact, recycled, and recyclable products. Coupled with environmental education and conservation, environmental procurement stands to be a long-term priority at UOS and within the University at large.

Overview of Tasks

  • Quantify current procurement and energy consumption practice within UOS
  • Evaluation of past energy conservation and environmental procurement trials (eg computer monitors, toner cartridges)
  • Exploration and documentation of case-studies, programs, products and services that could assist UOS in energy conservation and environmental procurement
  • Identification of a range of potential EC and EP practices that may be feasible for UOS

Resources and Support

Susan Jones, Manager of Procurement Services, UOS
Mary Maloley, Director of Administration and Finance, UOS

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Greenhouse Gas Inventory

ghg final presentation cover image

Sponsor

Environmental Health and Safety

Intern Manager

Leith Sharp, Director, HGCI

Intern

Karl Peet, Harvard Graduate School of Design

General Purpose

A student was recruited from the Harvard Graduate School of Design to do the primary data collection and resource investigation in preparation for the University's Greenhouse Gas Inventory. 

Resources and Support

Joe Griffin, Director, Environmental Health and Safety

Deliverables

At the end of the internship, licenses for GHG Inventory Calculators were purchased from the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI, www.iclei.org)

Institutional Impact

Complete Greenhouse Gas Inventory later completed by staff members of HGCI and Environmental Health and Safety and is being made public through a series of events during September 2004. A full presentation of the reportâ€Ts conclusions can be found at GHG Inventory.

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Organic and Non-GMO Foods

organic foods internship presentation cover

Sponsor

Harvard University Dining Services

Intern Manager

Alix McKnitt, Director for Communications and Marketing, Harvard University Dining Services

Intern

Paul Jones, BA in Theology from Oxford University 1995, Mdiv from the Harvard University Divinity School, 1999, Ph.D. Candidate at the Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, the Committee on the Study of Religion. Former experience as a counselor at a homeless shelter, office manager, research, theater background, proofreading and copying.

General Purpose

To assist Harvard University Dining Services in the identification, collection, analysis and presentation of information relevant to the decision-making around organic and non-GMO food supply.

The internship had several particular aims:

  • To carry out basic research into genetically modified foods in the USA, paying special attention to ecological concerns that surround these foods, as well as worries about human health.
  • To carry out basic research into organic foods in the USA, looking chiefly at the ecological and health advantages associated with these foods.
  • To identify the current state of Harvard's food intake with regard to groceries and produce, identifying which foods contain genetically modified ingredients, and which foods have been organically grown.
  • To outline more ecologically responsible purchasing options for Harvard University Dining Services. This involves the identification of and contact with possible organic suppliers, as well as an examination of the economic impact of a shift towards organic foodstuffs. 

Overview of Tasks

  • Exploration and documentation of case studies, programs, products and services that could assist HUDS in evaluating future opportunities for organic and non GMO food supply
  • Evaluation of cost, benefits, and implications associated with organic and non GMO food supply
  • Identification of a range of potential products that may be feasible for HUDS

Resources and Support

Alix McNitt, Director for Communications and Marketing
Susan Burgess, Assistant Director for Procurement

Deliverables

Final report that supports recommendation for an implementation plan; final report includes 1.) SWOT analysis (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats), 2.) Timetable, 3.) Targeted products/commodities, 4.) Detailed explanation

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UOS and Energy Efficiency Services

uos energy efficiency internship presentation cover

Sponsor

University Operations Services (Tom Vautin)

Project Management

Doug Garron, Director of Engineering and Utilities

Intern

Daniel Olson

Advisory Committee

General Purpose

To assess the benefits of UOSâ€T involvement with programs like the EPA Energy Star program as part of a larger review of the degree to which energy-efficiency awareness is integrated with UOS operations.

Overview of Tasks

The internship identified tasks to undertake within two areas: Internal Operations and The Harvard Energy Environment. For Internal Operations, the tasks were: determination of UOS competencies; EPA Energy Star program definition and UOS-relevant resource identification; assessment of Energy Star/UOS compatibility and the value of such a relationship; programmatic review of UOS operations evaluated on the basis of attention to energy-efficiency improvement opportunities throughout Harvard's campuses; and creation of UOS energy vision: how can UOS departments best function to increase the value-added services it provides to Harvard University in the area of energy-efficiency? For the Harvard Energy Environment, the identified task was to secure interdepartmental upper management and facilities maintenance support for energy-efficiency initiatives.

Following the internship, Dan Olson was brought on to coordinate the Green Campus Loan Fund, through which Dan would build on much of the knowledge and contact base of this internship.

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