Millersville University leveraged the success of a newly constructed zero energy building to establish a program that funds local, student-led community projects centered on advancing the Global Goals for Sustainable Development. The program, entitled the Positive Energy Fund, provides micro-grants to students to complete projects on campus or in the local community (City of Lancaster) to advance the Global Goals. Funding for the program came from utility rebates associated with the University’s new zero energy Lombardo Welcome Center as well as other campus energy efficiency and demand response projects. The zero energy building produced nearly twice as much energy as it used during its first year, making it a positive energy building. The Positive Energy Fund uses the dollars saved through the building’s performance to empower students to have a positive impact on the community.
The program concept came from an interest in raising awareness of the Global Goals among faculty, staff and students by implementing projects that beneficially impact the local community. Millersville chose the Global Goals as an organizing framework because of their comprehensiveness, both across and within goals, and the emphasis on goal interconnectivity and the ability to work locally on global challenges. Reports by the Sustainable Development Solutions Network, such as Leaving No U.S. City Behind. The U.S. Cities Sustainable Development Goals Index, helped Millersville develop the program by identifying evaluation metrics and opportunities to improve local performance. Millersville University structured the program based on recommendations in the SDSN report, Supporting Youth-led Innovation to Achieve the SDGs, such as encouraging mentorship, networks and visibility.
Additionally, Millersville University created an interface on the touchscreen dashboards located in the zero energy Lombardo Welcome Center that organizes our majors according to the Global Goals. Prospective students are asked the question, “What Global Problem Will You Solve?”. As they explore the question via the dashboard, they are presented with images of the Global Goal icons and presented with majors that lead to careers where they’ll address the problem.