My primary duty as the Office of Sustainability’s Energy Intern was utilizing building energy-use data to create energy reduction initiatives. I collected and analyzed utility bills to track each building’s energy use; then subsequently, used data trends as a guide for deciding the location of the office’s next project. Another large component of this position was outreach. My co-workers and I designed creative outreach approaches to spread the word on our work and establishing a more sustainable lifestyle. Lastly, I was tasked with helping write Tulane University’s 2019 Greenhouse Gas Inventory report. The university will publish this report in adherence to its climate goals as outlined in the university’s 2014 Climate Action Plan.

The Energy and Green Labs Assistant position at the Office of Sustainability was one of Tulane’s Center for Public Service (CPS) internships offered during the Spring 2018 semester. My overarching goal for the semester was to enhance and aid the New Orleans community in some way. I accomplished this by administering energy reduction initiatives that targeted Tulane’s downtown buildings, and uptown laboratory areas. By the end of the semester, I was able to help my community—and Tulane University—by lowering the amount of emissions being released into the atmosphere.