Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Stevens Point. / Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements of the degree Master of Science in Natural Resources (Environmental Education), College of Natural Resources. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 73-76).

The installation of solar photovoltaic (solar PV) technology on elementary and secondary schools has been undertaken around the world in an attempt to tie together positive environmental action, innovative environmental education, and potential economic gains. In Ontario, the advent of the Renewable Energy Standard Offer Program and the increased focus on environmental education by the Ontario Ministry of Education has resulted in preliminary interest from some Ontario school boards in installing solar PV technology on schools. However, simply installing the technology on school roof-tops does not guarantee that the potential benefits of a school-based solar PV project will be realized. Drawing from the literatures describing the social acceptance of innovation and technology, the social acceptance of renewable energy innovation and technology, and the social acceptance of educational innovation and technology in schools, this thesis attempts to identify non-technical factors that may impede school-based solar PV project development, and ultimately, attempts to identify factors that help maximize potential benefits. The research was conducted in two distinct phases, with the results from Phase 1 informing the focus and design of Phase 2. Phase 1 consisted of nine key-informant interviews with individuals directly involved in school-based solar PV projects in Canada and the United States, and Phase 2 consisted of a case study in the Halton District School Board (HDSB) and the Halton Catholic District School Board (HCDSB) (Ontario, Canada). Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected in Phase 2 through 30 stakeholder interviews and 50 stakeholder surveys. Respondents in the HDSB and HCDSB generally have a positive perception of solar PV technology, but are concerned to some extent about the cost and economic viability of implementing this kind of project. Five funding models for school-based solar PV projects were evaluated by respondents to determine the effect of project funding models on overall project social acceptance. The results show that the project funding model does affect social acceptance, with 78.1% of respondents reporting that at least one of the five models would cause their support for the project to either increase or decrease. Respondents indicated a strong preference for the government/utility model, while the corporate funding model was shown to be the most controversial. This thesis recommends that a broad-based, inclusive, stakeholder-oriented approach to project development could improve trust and communication between project stakeholders, and thus improve the social acceptance for any of the five funding models. Additionally, with any funding model, teacher and administrative support and social acceptance is particularly important to help maximize the educational component of the project.

The installation of solar photovoltaic (solar PV) technology on elementary and secondary schools has been undertaken around the world in an attempt to tie together positive environmental action, innovative environmental education, and potential economic gains. In Ontario, the advent of the Renewable Energy Standard Offer Program and the increased focus on environmental education by the Ontario Ministry of Education has resulted in preliminary interest from some Ontario school boards in installing solar PV technology on schools. However, simply installing the technology on school roof-tops does not guarantee that the potential benefits of a school-based solar PV project will be realized. Drawing from the literatures describing the social acceptance of innovation and technology, the social acceptance of renewable energy innovation and technology, and the social acceptance of educational innovation and technology in schools, this thesis attempts to identify non-technical factors that may impede school-based solar PV project development, and ultimately, attempts to identify factors that help maximize potential benefits. The research was conducted in two distinct phases, with the results from Phase 1 informing the focus and design of Phase 2. Phase 1 consisted of nine key-informant interviews with individuals directly involved in school-based solar PV projects in Canada and the United States, and Phase 2 consisted of a case study in the Halton District School Board (HDSB) and the Halton Catholic District School Board (HCDSB) (Ontario, Canada). Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected in Phase 2 through 30 stakeholder interviews and 50 stakeholder surveys. Respondents in the HDSB and HCDSB generally have a positive perception of solar PV technology, but are concerned to some extent about the cost and economic viability of implementing this kind of project. Five funding models for school-based solar PV projects were evaluated by respondents to determine the effect of project funding models on overall project social acceptance. The results show that the project funding model does affect social acceptance, with 78.1% of respondents reporting that at least one of the five models would cause their support for the project to either increase or decrease. Respondents indicated a strong preference for the government/utility model, while the corporate funding model was shown to be the most controversial. This thesis recommends that a broad-based, inclusive, stakeholder-oriented approach to project development could improve trust and communication between project stakeholders, and thus improve the social acceptance for any of the five funding models. Additionally, with any funding model, teacher and administrative support and social acceptance is particularly important to help maximize the educational component of the project.

Resumo: A sociedade necessita de energia para o seu desenvolvimento econômico e social, mas o consumo de energia desenfreado que se acelerou nas últimas décadas, traz conflitos na relação entre o homem e o meio ambiente. Mudar este panorama requer uma melhoria contínua nos processos de transformação e mudanças nos hábitos de consumo. As possíveis formas de atuar junto à população concentram-se no desenvolvimento de programas sociais e principalmente na educação, o que requer mudanças de postura tanto do aluno como do professor. Buscando contribuir na questão do uso racional de energia elétrica na classe residencial foi realizada com a participação de alunos e professores de sete escolas da Região do Vale do Paraíba esta pesquisa que teve como objetivo conceber, desenvolver e avaliar uma proposta de intervenção em escolas de ensino médio utilizando a metodologia de Aprendizagem por Projetos. Foram realizados atividades de capacitação com os professores e programadas ações de interferência na realidade do aluno que, mediante a orientação destes professores, desenvolveram atividades voltadas para a economia de energia em suas residências. Para a constatação da eficiência da pesquisa foram utilizadas ferramentas de avaliação, tais como questionários, entrevistas, acompanhamento in loco e o monitoramento do consumo de energia elétrica das residências dos alunos envolvidos. Acredita-se que com esta pesquisa foi possível contribuir na questão do uso racional de energia, principalmente no entendimento de como trabalhar com alunos e professores de ensino médio com esta temática. / Abstract: The society needs energy for its economic and social development, but the consumption of energy in the last decades is increasing very fast, and conflicts in the relation between the man and the environment is appear. To change this scene it is required a continuous improvement in the transformation processes and changes in the consumption habits. The probable forms to act with the population are mainly in the development of social programs and in the education, what in such a way requires changes of atittude of the students as of the teachers. Looking in the question of the rational use of electric energy in the residential class, this research was carried through with the participation of students and teachers of seven schools of the Vale do Paraíba Region, which target was to conceive, to develop and to evaluate a proposal of intervention in high schools using the methodology of Project Based Learnig. Activities of qualification with the teachers had been carried through and actions of interference in the reality of the students was programmed, being guided through these teachers, and activities directed toward the economy of energy in its residences was developed. For the efficiency of the research it was used evaluation tools, such as questionnaires, interviews, making follow up in the field and the monitoring of the consumption of electric energy of the students residences. It is a fact that with this research it was possible to contribute in the question of the rational use of energy, mainly in the agreement of how to work with students and teachers of High School with this matter. / Orientador: Jânio Itiro Akamatsu / Coorientador: Galeno José de Sena / Banca: Silvio Henrique Fiscarelli / Banca: José Aquiles Baesso Grimoni / Mestre

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:29:53Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2006-08-23Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:39:45Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 silva_fe_me_guara.pdf: 1066466 bytes, checksum: c6e8b6ac9dc2da3361315669abfe1b5c (MD5) / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) / A sociedade necessita de energia para o seu desenvolvimento econômico e social, mas o consumo de energia desenfreado que se acelerou nas últimas décadas, traz conflitos na relação entre o homem e o meio ambiente. Mudar este panorama requer uma melhoria contínua nos processos de transformação e mudanças nos hábitos de consumo. As possíveis formas de atuar junto à população concentram-se no desenvolvimento de programas sociais e principalmente na educação, o que requer mudanças de postura tanto do aluno como do professor. Buscando contribuir na questão do uso racional de energia elétrica na classe residencial foi realizada com a participação de alunos e professores de sete escolas da Região do Vale do Paraíba esta pesquisa que teve como objetivo conceber, desenvolver e avaliar uma proposta de intervenção em escolas de ensino médio utilizando a metodologia de Aprendizagem por Projetos. Foram realizados atividades de capacitação com os professores e programadas ações de interferência na realidade do aluno que, mediante a orientação destes professores, desenvolveram atividades voltadas para a economia de energia em suas residências. Para a constatação da eficiência da pesquisa foram utilizadas ferramentas de avaliação, tais como questionários, entrevistas, acompanhamento in loco e o monitoramento do consumo de energia elétrica das residências dos alunos envolvidos. Acredita-se que com esta pesquisa foi possível contribuir na questão do uso racional de energia, principalmente no entendimento de como trabalhar com alunos e professores de ensino médio com esta temática. / The society needs energy for its economic and social development, but the consumption of energy in the last decades is increasing very fast, and conflicts in the relation between the man and the environment is appear. To change this scene it is required a continuous improvement in the transformation processes and changes in the consumption habits. The probable forms to act with the population are mainly in the development of social programs and in the education, what in such a way requires changes of atittude of the students as of the teachers. Looking in the question of the rational use of electric energy in the residential class, this research was carried through with the participation of students and teachers of seven schools of the Vale do Paraíba Region, which target was to conceive, to develop and to evaluate a proposal of intervention in high schools using the methodology of Project Based Learnig. Activities of qualification with the teachers had been carried through and actions of interference in the reality of the students was programmed, being guided through these teachers, and activities directed toward the economy of energy in its residences was developed. For the efficiency of the research it was used evaluation tools, such as questionnaires, interviews, making follow up in the field and the monitoring of the consumption of electric energy of the students residences. It is a fact that with this research it was possible to contribute in the question of the rational use of energy, mainly in the agreement of how to work with students and teachers of High School with this matter.