Project Sharing

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Izabella Smolnicka-Dos Santos
Journal Entry For
Case Study Analysis

3 things that worked:

  • Choose an example of a case where a change, intervention, or innovation was made to improve the sustainable behavior of a group of people.
    • Example: Batesville School District’s Solar Initiative
  • Apply a Design Thinking mindset to analyze this case:
    • Who were the people? Staff and administration of a Arkansas School District
    • What was their need / POV? About 5 years ago the district started looking into ways to cut costs, specifically on their energy bills. They started by installing energy-efficient light bulbs and improving the insulation in their schools to keep the heat in. And while those steps helped out a little, their next decision is where the money really started rolling in.
    • Ideating - How Might We?
      • What is the underlying strategy that was used to change people’s behavior? Utility system redesign that transcended beyond it’s main function (energy supply) to environmental education via field trips and new curriculum. Other strategies that came out of it were community outreach to build support of a new system/technology
      • What other strategies could have been used?
      • How might we make better use of an excess resource (i.e. solar power)?
      • How might we collaborate between different public services in our community (i.e. energy providers + school district administration)?
      • How might we design for circularity?
  1. Multi-purpose/flexible design that makes for a better ROI:
    1. They don’t just have solar panels: they have solar panels that generate electricity for the school, serve as shade coverage for people and plants (which are also supported by beehives that students manage near solar panels), educate students as part of the experiential learning curriculum and community members who visit on field trips
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  2. An example of sustainability as win-win-win situation:
    1. cost-effectiveness of a system (the school district), despite maybe some initial large costs and investments - “We’re able to lower our monthly bill from around $17,000 a month to around $4,000” - Megan Renihan of the Batesville School District
    2. improved wellbeing of people (the teachers who got a raise);
    3. and the environment for carbon-free energy
  3. Started with a concept that was very technical and operational (i.e. installing new energy infrastructure), but they made it into something very public facing by placing it, physically and metaphorically, in a public sphere (i.e. a school’s empty lot). This allowed the technology to more easily become a part of the community’s fabric because it was visible and proximal to a lot of activity.

3 things to be improved/weren’t successful:

  1. Better long term plan for solar panel replacement/recycling/integration with new technologies
  2. Energy storage for excess production?
  3. Losing momentum: headline from 4 days ago reads “The Batesville School District has decided to decline a $365,000 federal grant intended for purchasing a new electric-powered school bus.”
    1. BSD Superintendent Dr. Ken James said that while the district was honored to have been considered for the opportunity, the associated costs of operating and maintaining an electric bus and charging station are “substantial.”

Imagining a New Strategy:

  1. Instead of placing solar panels on open lot, they could have constructed more with the solar panels on that additional lots for even more mixed-uses (i.e. canopy for parking, garden area, outdoor fitness area)
  2. Create direct work/internship opportunities for older students to maintain and learn about energy development
  3. Used the

MVP of each new strategy:

  1. Mixed-Uses of Construction:
    1. Canopy for parking, garden area, outdoor fitness spot
  2. Job Connections for Student: