College - Author 1
College of Architecture and Environmental Design
Department - Author 1
Construction Management Department
Degree Name - Author 1
BS in Construction Management
Date
6-2023
Primary Advisor/Subject Matter Expert (SME)
Joseph Cleary, College of Architecture and Environmental Design, Construction Management Department
Abstract/Summary
Skip the Grid is an interdisciplinary service project through California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly) where students and faculty partnered with sponsors including SOLV Energy and Goal Zero, and facilitation by Heart of America, an educational equity non-profit, to bring solar power to 27 families of school aged children in the Navajo Nation. The Navajo Nation is a historically disadvantaged community which lacks the infrastructure and financial capacity to provide electrical service to about a third of the families living on the reservation. Families in the Red Mesa and Chinle School Districts were the focus for this initiative in addressing their needs for light and electricity to support their educational needs. With plans for installing environmentally and socially equitable solar energy systems, all stakeholders involved were able to incorporate lessons learned based on prior implementations of this project from previous years. Although faced with several logistical challenges, the coordination of these interdisciplinary groups of students delivered the successful installation of solar panels to these 27 families in the reservation. These families’ lives have seen the tremendous positive impact in having access to clean, affordable off-grid electricity. This paper documents how pre-task planning and means and methods were developed, assessed, improved, and incorporated into the 2023 implementation of the Skip the Grid project, as well as recording lessons learned for future groups to reference.
URL: https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/cmsp/685
Poster Board