CPS - ENERGY JUSTICE - PA 510: Energy Justice

Course Description

The utility sector is undergoing profound changes due to climate change, vehicle electrification, building decarbonization policies, declining renewable energy prices, smart devices and other trends. 

This course explores the multi-faceted concept of social sustainability of the energy system, focusing on the linkages between the social and built environments.

One theme of the course is environmental justice which focuses on unwanted land uses such as power plants and highways that have been built in low-income and communities of color.

The other theme is on the customer side that considers the share of household income spent on energy bills, indoor air quality and healthy homes initiatives, gentrification and weatherization programs, utility service disconnects in under-resourced households from COVID, workforce development, and energy resilience to climate change.

The course includes networking and learning opportunities from guest speakers active in these areas.

How You Benefit

Under-resourced households and businesses will be affected by all of the trends listed at the left. Yet, equity considerations have historically not been a priority for decision makers in the energy sector. In this class, we will meet some of the amazing individuals who are integrating equity into energy decisions.

This course gives students, professionals, and community members knowledge, ideas, and tools to understand, analyze, and advocate for equity and empowerment of affected stakeholders.