Giulio Rocca Contributing Writer | Posted: Thursday, January 19, 2012 6:30 pm

In her latest action to save energy, Sustainable UH Director Shanah Trevenna reached a key milestonelast week for the Hawai‘i Student Energy Ambassador Development Program: raising enough money toplace two copies of her energy handbook, "Surfing Tsunamis of Change," in every public high schoollibrary in Hawai‘i.

"We can actually make a really big impact," said Trevenna in a presentation delivered at a fundraiserlast week. "We want these students to be ambassadors of knowledge."

A HUGE OPPORTUNITY

After the United States military and the University of Hawai‘i, the Department of Education - whichincludes its vast public school system - is the state's third-largest consumer of energy. "I would like toplace an energy handbook and an energy audit kit in every single high school in Hawai‘i and haveenergy training days with energy ambassadors at every school," said Trevenna.

Trevenna brings a wealth of experience to the challenge, having previously led a student initiative thatreduced Saunders Hall's energy bill by 24 percent, or nearly $150,000, in one year by removing lightbulbs and implementing air conditioning shutdowns. Impressed by the results, the Department ofEducation Office of Schools & Facilities Support Services hired student interns to perform sustainabilityassessments in public schools such as Keone‘ula Elementary School in ‘Ewa Beach.

PARTNERSHIPS

The SEAD Program was formed as a partnership among various organizations. "There's synergy withmany programs that exist in the state, and we're pursuing many collaborations," said Trevenna. Currentpartners include the Hawai‘i Department of Education, the United States Green Building Council,Sustainable UH and the UH community colleges' RISE-UH program.

The partnerships coalesced from a shared sense of purpose. "We wanted to help bring together whatshe was trying to put together and make it into a reality," said Christopher Parker, chair of the GreenSchools Committee of the US GBC's Hawai‘i chapter. "Some people in the public think thatsustainability and being green is just cleaning beaches, but the reality is that it's more than that."

The United States GBC's Hawai‘i chapter matched funding on 30 books in the fundraiser and will hostthe first energy ambassador workshop, where SEAD staff will train high school students to performenergy audits. "There's an immediate need and interest among high school students" for this type ofeducation, according to Parker.

BOOKS, KITS, TRAINING

Reducing Hawai‘i’s third-largest energy bill - Ka Leo (University of Hawa... http://www.kaleo.org/news/reducing-hawai-i-s-third-largest-energy-bill/a...

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To accomplish its three-pronged vision, the SEAD Program plans to raise additional funding fromindividuals and nonprofit organizations. "We have the expertise, we have the curriculum, we have anumber of trainings under our belt, we have the students ready to go do the training," said Trevenna."We just need funding."

Trevenna's energy handbook has nearly 1,000 copies in print, predominantly as a "niche publication foruse in academia," said Ernest Rose, director of sales and marketing at publisher Island Moonlight. But,according to Rose, the SEAD Program hopes to use promotional and marketing activity such as lastweek's fundraiser to disseminate the energy handbook more widely and invigorate the sustainabilitymovement in Hawai‘i.

Trevenna's approach to sustainability is grounded in her philosophy that saving energy doesn't have tobe painful: "Sustainability is not a sacrifice; using energy efficiently brings lighting and air conditioningto healthy levels so people are comfortable, don't get sick, and are more productive."

The group's next objectives are to provide all high schools with energy audit kits and train students onenergy efficiency.

Reducing Hawai‘i’s third-largest energy bill - Ka Leo (University of Hawa... http://www.kaleo.org/news/reducing-hawai-i-s-third-largest-energy-bill/a...

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