Did you know that globally, almost a third of greenhouse gas emissions come from the buildings we live and work in every day? It takes an incredible amount of energy to heat your home during winter or to keep a grocery store cool during summer. Building decarbonization is a critical part of any strategy to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions. The transition to renewable energy sources, like thermal energy networks, is essential for reducing emissions and mitigating climate change. These transitions, however, are not just technological but also have significant social, political, and environmental dimensions. In this class, you will learn about thermal energy networks and how they are one of the most efficient, cost-effective systems available to deliver climate-friendly heating and cooling equitably to entire neighborhoods and school campuses. Through lectures, hands-on activities, and discussions, you'll get valuable insights into the current decarbonization scene. Throughout the 6 weeks, we will work through some hypothetical scenarios where you’ll see what factors affect whether a thermal energy system is feasible and how to implement it. We will also discuss what roles youth can play in decarbonizing our communities now, and how that might translate to careers in the future. Let’s accelerate decarbonization together!

In Massachusetts and in the world, ~30% of greenhouse gas emissions come from buildings. The transition to renewable energy sources, like geothermal networks, is essential for reducing emissions and mitigating climate change. These transitions, however, are not just technological but also have significant social, political, and environmental dimensions. In this class, you will learn about thermal energy networks and how they are one of the most efficient systems available to deliver climate-friendly heating and cooling equitably to entire neighborhoods. These technologies are not well covered in education systems nor well understood by decision makers, but through lecture, activities, and discussion, you'll get valuable insights into the current decarbonization scene. We will also discuss what roles youth can play in decarbonizing our communities. Let’s accelerate decarbonization together!