Sustainability Capstone Proposal FormConsulting with Clients for Sustainability Solutions (ENVR 599a)After completing all other course work as well as degree requirements, you are eligible (if pursuing the capstone track) to enroll in ENVR 599 or ENVR 599a. In ENVR 599, you’ll work on an individual research project. In ENVR 599a you’ll complete a consulting project for a real-world organization of at least 50 employees. This proposal form is only for ENVR 599a.

Prior to enrolling in ENVR 599a, you are required to have your topic approved by the instructor, Mr. William O’Brien, by submitting this form via email to WObrien@clarku.edu. It is important to plan this process accordingly, and have your project approved well in advance of registration for this course. Multiple revisions may be needed and approval is not guaranteed for all projects. We recommend that you begin this process the semester before your capstone registration and not to make travel arrangements until the topic is approved.

The fi nal write-up is the Sustainability Action Plan, which entails:

• Chapter I.~ Background & Client Requirements~

• Chapter II. Recommended Initiatives (vary by client organization)

• Chapter III. Fostering Sustainable Behavior (how to modify behavior of leadership, staff and other stakeholders in support of the Sustainability initiatives)

• Chapter IV. Performance Metrics & Reporting (to measure and report results of initiatives)

• Chapter V. Recommendations: Future initiatives including business justifi cation, as appropriate

• Chapter VI. Cost – Benefi t Analysis for longer-term investments, as appropriate

• Chapter VII. Roadmap – Recommended initiatives organized chronologically

STUDENT INFORMATIONL ast/Family/Sur name(s) First/given name(s) Middle name(s)

DCE ID number

OR

Harvard ID number Telephone

@Current address State/Province ZIP/Postal code

E-mail

Current job title

Employer

Prior degrees

Offi ce of Degree Candidate Advising and Program Administration, 51 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA 02138

Sustainability Capstone Proposal FormConsulting with Clients for Sustainability Solutions (ENVR 599a) - Continued Page 2Answer the following questions:

1. Describe the ares of interest that you would like to focus on as you work with a client to develop a Sustainability Action Plan.

2. Do you have a prospective client or clients in mind for the project? If so, please list the client or clients.

3. What do you hope the project will accomplish?

4. How has your Sustainability coursework prepared you for this undertaking?

-Please include references showing the applicability of the topic and research method.

5. Would you prefer to work with another student on this project?

-If yes, please list the student you have in mind.

Two weeks after you submit this document, please schedule a phone or in-person meeting with Mr. Will

O’Brien to discuss the details of the project.

Please note: When you register for this course, you will receive a registration status of Waiting for Placement (WP). The program offi ce must review your academic record to ensure you meet the published prerequisites. Once your proposal is approved and all other prerequisites have been satisfi ed, you will receive a registered (RE) status. If you are enrolled in courses in the prior term, you will not be registered (RE) until your grades are available.

Professional Programs Offi ce Use

Approved capstone topic: ____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Approved by ________________________________________________ Date ____________ Will O’Brien

Offi ce of Degree Candidate Advising and Program Administration, 51 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA 02138

We are excited you are entering the fi nal phase of your Master of Liberal Arts, fi eld of sustainability, degree program. Here are a few quotes from students and clients involved in the Fall 2014 ENVR E-599a capstone.

Student quotes“ENVR E-599a was one of the most tangible and real-world-

related classes I have taken at HES. The team format, the case

studies, the guest speakers and the Instructor’s expertise made

this an informative and, more importantly, eff ective course. I

would recommend this course to all interested in getting theoret-

ical information with practical access.”

“ENVR E-599a represents an excellent opportunity to apply the

knowledge and skills acquired over the course of earning the

ALM degree. Using this knowledge and these skills, students are

able to see what it is like to do sustainability consulting in a con-

trolled setting. By the end of the course, students have real life

consulting experience, preparing them for their future careers

as sustainability consultants. The weekly class sessions of the

course help to make sure that each students’ project is on track

to success; the professor is an expert at facilitating this process.”

“I couldn’t imagine a better class to fi nish the SEM program. Pro-

fessor O’Brien’s course, ENVR E-599a, was a great opportunity

to apply everything I had learned over the past two years at Har-

vard. Being able to utilize all of my course work in a manner that

can be used in the real world is the pinnacle of what an education

should be about.”

“ENVE E-599a was the best capstone option for me. Working with

a client and solving real world sustainability problems was an

awesome experience. I highly recommend this course.”

“ENVR E-599a was outstanding! It combined the best compo-

nents of theory and practice to support graduate students

working in a professional environment. The materials and

speakers supported ongoing conversations in a real consulting

assignment, so the students and the client were both enriched by

the process, and saw fi rsthand the real impact of sustainability

planning for the enterprise. I highly recommend it for students

that are looking for ways to bridge the gap between the class-

room and the boardroom.”

“I enrolled in ENVR E-599A) because this Capstone Project aligns

with my post-graduate career aspirations. This has been the

most rewarding course I have taken in the Sustainability and

Environmental Management (SEM) Program, because of the

real-world client experience gained throughout the semester. It

was necessary to apply strategies and skills learned through past

Harvard Extension School classes, as well as integrate project

management, problem solving and team building skills in order

to develop a practical Sustainability Action Plan for my client,

Sparkling Pointe Vineyard & Winery. Throughout the semester

Professor O’Brien emerged as a mentor and instilled confi dence

in me and my project. The end result was a work product that

detailed how Sparkling Pointe could reduce greenhouse gas

emissions and save over $330,000 in operating expenses over

a 20-year time frame. I plan on referring back to this project in

future job interviews, which I believe will be much more valuable

in a business setting than a thesis.”

Client quotes“The project and fi ndings were outstanding. We will be imple-

menting several of the proposed initiatives. We were impressed

at the delivery of the presentation/project as it was a conversa-

tion as opposed to a power point presentation. We feel that both

of the participants really listened to our needs/goals and pro-

vided clear solutions. Furthermore, we loved that the focus was

not on agricultural aspects and was towards our everyday busi-

ness practices.

It would have been nice if the project was extended over a

longer period of time so that the students could immerse them-

selves in our business environment. We were so impressed with

the initiatives that they brought forth that we know if given more

time (maybe over the course of a year) that they would have been

able to provide more.

We would love to be considered for projects in the future.

Please put us on the list of participants.” —a winery

“Our church was undergoing a Capital Campaign project that

included addition of an elevator, transitioning heating capabil-

ities from oil to gas, installation of new bathrooms and a new

kitchen, restructuring of the sanctuary and other cosmetic fi xes.

They came to consult at a time when many decisions had already

been made. They had to work with people who were trustees of

the church (volunteers) who were not always easily available and

who often lagged in getting information to the team. Despite that

they were conscientious, thorough, thoughtful and resourceful.

They were a team that projected confi dence and a grasp of our

community’s goals and limitations.” — a church

“Professor O’Brien, please extend my appreciation to the stu-

dents and of course, to you. I worked for Gartner for 10 years (in

fact, Harvard was one of my clients back in time), and I would be

proud of the product that these two produced.

It was incredibly insightful and both were avid learners but

also great listeners. They overwhelmed me with their knowledge

and professionalism.

It is a proud testament to HES’ program and it was a plea-

sure working with them.” —a large city department of public

works

Offi ce of Degree Candidate Advising and Program Administration, 51 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA 02138

c: d: g: MAi: Project Engineer/ Validation Engineerj: Commissioning Agents Inc.k: BS Electrical Engineeringl: 02129m: Energy consumption is an actual concerned of most manufacturing facilities. I would like to focus my project in the area of energy efficiency to develop a Sustainability Action Plan since it is a great opportunity for my prospective client, a pharmaceutical site, to reduce production costs without negatively affecting the product quality as well as reducing the greenhouse gas emissions due to its operations.n: My prospective client is the GxP Operations/ Facilities Department at the Vertex Annex facility. This facility is part of Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc., located at 1 Harbor Street - South Boston, MA. I currently work for my prospective client as Facilities Planner and Validation Engineer. I will have flexibility to work during off-production hours and weekends since I already have training and access to all critical and non-critical utilities and documentation.o: My project goals are to reduce energy consumption and costs while maintaining or enhancing productivity; create changes in staff behavior and attitude to ensure the company's commitment to sustainable practices and social responsibility; and align building operations and documentation with minimum requirements for either LEED or BREEAM existing building certifications.p: ENVR-E-119, B, C: Courses prepared me to understand Mechanical & electrical systems and building envelope, elements for building design, indoor environmental quality and thermal comfort; perform ASHRAE Level II energy audits and utilities bill analysis, ECM, building certifications; and generate reports. ENVR-E-137, E-116, E-210: Courses prepared for Life-cycle costs analysis, GHG inventory, sustainable manufacturing including VSM, layout design, continuous improvement. E-135, E-101 & 102, E-157: provides tools for CSR report, sustainability metrics & practices, stakeholder engagement, social behavioral change, business plan and models.q: I would prefer to work alone since Vertex is a regulated site that required multiple trainings to obtain access in the different areas, and for reasons explained in item #2.