The Greening of Louisiana’s Economy: the Educational Services Sector
Louisiana Workforce Commission www.LMI.LaWorks.net/Green
September 2011 In 2009, Louisiana and Mississippi partnered to research economic development opportunities and workforce needs associated with the region’s green economy. Through a $2.3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor, a consortium of the Louisiana Workforce Commission, Louisiana State University, Mississippi Department of Employment Security, and Mississippi State University conducted an extensive study of economic activity that is beneficial to the environment. This and other research products were developed as part of that effort.
This workforce solution was funded by a grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Employment and Training Administration. The solution was created by the grantee and does not neces- sarily reflect the official position of the U.S. Department of Labor. The Department of Labor makes no guarantees, warranties, or assurances of any kind, express or implied, with respect to such information, including any information on linked sites and including, but not limited to, accuracy of the information or its completeness, timeliness, usefulness, adequacy, continued availability, or ownership. This solution is copyrighted by the institution that created it. Internal use by an organization and/or personal use by an individual for non-commercial purposes is permissible. All other uses require the prior authorization of the copyright owner. The Educational Services Sector
Description of Sector...... ii Introduction to the Green Component of the Educational Services Sector...... 1 Green Goods and Services...... 2 Renewable Energy...... 2 Energy Efficiency...... 4 Greenhouse Gas Reduction...... 5 Pollution Prevention and Cleanup...... 6 Recycling and Waste Reduction...... 6 Sustainable Agriculture, Natural Resource Conservation and Coastal Restoration...... 7 Education, Compliance, Public Awareness and Training...... 8 Green Business Practices...... 9 Renewable Energy...... 10 Contents Energy Efficiency...... 10 Greenhouse Gas Reduction...... 11 Pollution Prevention and Cleanup...... 11 Recycling and Waste Reduction...... 11 Sustainable Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation and Coastal Restoration...... 11 Education, Compliance, Public Awareness and Training...... 11 Economic Factors...... 12 Public Policy...... 12 Technology...... 13 Job Growth and Workforce Development...... 13 Key Players...... 14 Notes...... 16 On the cover: aerial view of Louisiana State University’s memorial tower and parade ground. Photo © Jim Zietz/LSU Office of Communications & University Relations
i The Greening of Louisiana’s Economy
The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) describes the Educational Services sector, NAICS 61, as providing instruction and training in an array of different areas. This sector includes both publically and privately owned, for profit and not-for profit schools, colleges, universities, vocational schools and training centers. This sector is organized around services provided by teachers through diverse media in a variety of settings.1 In Louisiana, this sector employs 174,935 people representing 9.5 percent of total nonfarm employment.2
The Louisiana Green Jobs Survey was conducted during the fourth quarter of 2010 as part of a comprehensive research effort Description of Sector to assess the greening of the Louisiana economy. Providing a baseline measure of green employment, the survey results show an estimated 30,205 primary green jobsa in Louisiana across all sectors, which represent 1.6 percent of Louisiana’s nonfarm employment. An estimated 67,591 support green jobsb raises the total number of jobs involved in green activity categories to 97,796 jobs or 5.3 percent of nonfarm employment. The survey found that Louisiana’s Educational Services Sector accounted for 323 primary green jobs and 7,294 support green jobs. These survey results reveal that 4.4 percent of jobs in the Educational Services sector are green with 0.2 percent primary green jobs and 4.2 percent support green jobs.
a A primary green job is defined as one where more than 50 percent of an employee’s time is devoted to one of the seven green activity categories: renewable energy; energy efficiency; greenhouse gas reduction; pollution reduction and clean-up; recycling and waste reduction; sustainable agriculture, natural resource conservation and coastal restoration; and education, compliance, public awareness and training supporting the other categories. b Support green jobs are defined as those essential to an organization’s involvement in one of the activity categories, but not requiring more than 50 percent of an employee’s effort.
ii The Educational Services Sector
Introduction to the Green Component of the Educational Services Sector
Beyond the primary activities of instruction and training provided by the Educational Services sector, institutions within this sector are also involved in the production of new knowledge, the development of new technology and the enhancement of human resources through student engagement and professional development. Together, these services provide the foundation for economic growth and innovation as well as personal accomplishment and healthy democracy. This sector is particularly important as societies and economies move in new directions. The burgeoning green economy is benefitting from this sector through the technological advances made at universities in renewable energy, energy efficiency, pollution reduction and cleanup, sustainable agriculture and natural resource conservation; the technical skills and training provided by community colleges and technical schools to install, operate or repair new technologies like solar panels or wind turbines; and the enrichment of the workforce and future workforce that emerges from these institutions with the environmental knowledge needed to comprehend, interact and pioneer in a business, social and political environment more and more conscious of sustainability. The institutions within the Educational Services sector are also going to great lengths to improve the environmental performance of their campuses and other operations. Both student and administrator- initiated, these sustainability programs are having large impacts on the environmental footprint of educational institutions.
This report will focus on the environmentally beneficial activities of the Educational Services sector in Louisiana in two major areas: the supply of goods and services and the adoption of business practices. Discussions of this sector’s involvement in environmentally beneficial activities will be provided where significant involvement by the sector is found. However, this report will only highlight a few of the research activities underway at Louisiana’s colleges and universities and will only briefly detail the training programs available. A more in-depth review of technologies developed at universities for commercialization is available in a separate report on research and development activities while an extensive list of training programs for green jobs is available in the training provider list. As with other components of this project, green was defined based on seven green activity categories:
1. Renewable Energy
2. Energy Efficiency
3. Greenhouse Gas Reduction
4. Pollution Reduction and Cleanup
5. Recycling and Waste Reduction
6. Sustainable Agriculture, Natural Resource Conservation and Coastal Restoration
7. Education, Compliance, Public Awareness and Training Supporting the Other Categories
1 The Greening of Louisiana’s Economy
Each activity category includes: the research, development, productio and distribution of a final good or service; the supply of unique parts or inputs to a final good or service; and production processes and business practices regardless of the final good or service produced. The table below indicates which environmentally beneficial categories will be featured in this profile.
Sustainable Agriculture, Education, Pollution Waste Natural Compliance, Renewable Energy Greenhouse Prevention & Reduction & Resources Public Energy Efficiency Gas Reduction Clean Up Recycling Conservation, Awareness & & Coastal Training Restoration
Goods & Services • • • • • • •
Business Practices • • • •
Green Goods and Services
The first, and most basic, service offered by the Educational Services sector is the transfer of knowledge through instruction and training: the how, why, when and where of a topic. This sector is developing new curricula where needed and modifying existing courses to fully prepare students for the greening of the economy and to remain up to date with emerging understandings of environmental systems. Educational institutions also produce goods when their students, professors and instructors develop new devices, vehicles, processes or equipment. For each of the seven green activity categories there will first be a description of the types of courses being offered by Louisiana’s educational services institutions followed by an overview of a few promising research projects or product developments.
Renewable Energy
The full range of renewable energy technologies is being improved and implemented through the research and training provided by educational services institutions. Biofuels, wind, hydro, solar and geothermal technology are all taught or advanced by Louisiana universities and technical and community colleges. Louisiana’s four-year institutions provide a variety of engineering programs offering the training needed to produce the next generation of scientists and engineers needed to work in these fields. Four-year colleges
2 The Educational Services Sector
The Louisiana Institute for Biofuels and Bioprocessing serves as a central researching and universities also train the biologists, chemists, physicists, botanists and agricultural center for gathering all of professionals who are vital for the development of renewable fuels as well as the geologists the university's research and development resources and other earth scientists who may assist in geothermal power applications. Continuing surrounding biofuels from crop education programs at universities also offer certificate programs as well as professional development processing. development courses for professionals seeking to refresh or improve their knowledge of Photo © LSU AgCenter. renewable energy systems.
The community and technical colleges of Louisiana are also providing valuable training to professionals working in the renewable energy field. Baton Rouge Community College (BRCC) offers courses in geothermal design and installation and a variety of solar programs, including a North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP) certification in solar panel installation. The Workforce Development and Continuing Education division of Bossier Parish Community College (BPCC) and the Eunice campus of Louisiana State University (LSUE) both offer courses in biofuel production operations, solar power and a wind energy apprenticeship. A variety of green building and architectural courses and training programs that address the design and implementation of renewable technologies in buildings are also available across Louisiana. Private training providers throughout the state are also stepping in to help prepare individuals to work in renewable energy fields.
3 The Greening of Louisiana’s Economy
Additionally, apprenticeship programs in traditional trades such as electricians have adjusted their curricula in order to provide their workers with the knowledge and skills needed to work with renewable energy systems.
Educational services institutions also produce new knowledge and new products through the research of their students and staff. Some universities also operate unique research centers specifically tailored to the development of new techniques and technology. The Louisiana State University Agricultural Center (LSU AgCenter), for example, operates two research institutes related to renewable energy: the Louisiana Institute for Biofuels and Bioprocessing and the Audubon Sugar Institute. The Biofuels Institute gathers all of the university’s research and development resources surrounding biofuels from crop development to processing in one research center.3 The Audubon Sugar Institute also has a biofuel component and is working with the local sugar industry, Verenium, British Petroleum and Dow Chemical to enhance the value of the sugar crop by transforming the squeezed and smashed sugarcane stalks, known as bagasse, into biofuels and the cane juice itself into ethanol. This process of using bagasse for the production of energy products would create additional value from what is now considered waste or merely burned as well as extend the production cycle of sugar refineries.4 A second research entity working in renewable energy at Louisiana’s four-year colleges and universities is the RiverSphere project. RiverSphere is a joint venture between Tulane and Xavier Universities that hopes to engage academics, industries, public agencies and nonprofits in the growth and development of Louisiana’s river resources as a source of renewable energy and economic development. The facility will provide an industry-neutral testing, development, research, demonstration and business incubation site on the Mississippi River in New Orleans for the continued development of power generated from the natural flow of moving water (hydrokinetic power).5
Professors working independently of a research center have also contributed new products. At Louisiana Tech, Dr. Long Que in the electrical engineering department was recognized in 2010 for what was named one of Ecofriend.org’s Top Ten renewable technology breakthroughs. Dr. Que and his research team developed a technology that permits very small electronic devices to recoup and reuse their own wasted energy. This breakthrough will allow for the collection of solar and thermal energy on a single chip and will greatly improve the efficiency of micro- or nano-scale electronic devices.6
Energy Efficiency
Improvements to energy efficiency can result in valuable process improvements and economic benefits as a result of reductions in energy use. These energy savings also contribute to cuts in greenhouse gas emissions and resource conservation that benefit the environment. Because the benefits of energy efficiency are so universal, all industries have some degree of interest in developing more energy efficient systems. Once again, engineering programs at four-year colleges can provide the background necessary to implement and design many types of energy-saving systems for a variety of industries. Architectural and construction management programs are also instrumental in providing training to students and professionals in building design and construction so that homes, offices and industrial facilities use energy more efficiently.
Louisiana’s community colleges and technical schools primarily provide training in energy efficiency as it applies to the construction and design of buildings. BRCC, BPCC, and
4 The Educational Services Sector
LSUE all offer courses in green building, with some specifically suited to those pursuing professional credentials from the United States Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system. Delgado Community College also offers courses on computer software used for energy audits. In Louisiana, a number of private groups, nonprofits and professional organizations also offer training programs for environmentally beneficial services. The Louisiana Green Corps is a nonprofit group that provides green job training to unemployed, underemployed, court-involved or otherwise disadvantaged persons. Energy efficiency services (and training areas) offered by the LA Green Corps include home weatherization, insulation, utilities upgrades and energy efficiency assessments.7
A unique hands-on learning model in energy efficiency can be found at the University of Louisiana Lafayette (ULL), which operates an Industrial Assessment Center with funding from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Undergraduates, graduate students and faculty form teams to conduct site visits and provide free confidential energy, productivity and waste assessments to small and mid-sized manufacturers. Teams later complete a report identifying opportunities to improve energy efficiency, reduce waste and enhance productivity. According to the webpage of the Industrial Assessment Center, the average annual savings after team recommendations have been implemented is $55,000.8
Southern University in Baton Rouge also maintains a specialized Center for Energy and Environmental Studies designed to promote interdisciplinary collaboration around topics of energy and the environment. Interests of the center include public policy, technology transfer and a variety of research projects. The staff of the center is made up of engineering professors, biologists and other scientists, as well as faculty and students from every college at the university.9
An important research partnership between the federal government and LSU was formed in 2009. Louisiana State University’s Center for Advanced Microstructures and Devices (CAMD) was awarded a $12.5 million grant to establish an Energy Frontier Research Center through the DOE.10 The Energy Frontier Research Center will investigate more environmentally sound and more efficient substitutes for fossil fuels. This research effort aims to accelerate transformative discoveries in the field of energy.11 The research at CAMD will focus on the development of new tools to accurately model catalytic reactions, knowledge that will provide the basis for the design of new catalysts that could impact solar fuels, transportation fuels, the conversion of carbon dioxide, hydrogen fuel and other advances.12
Greenhouse Gas Reduction
Reductions in greenhouse gas emissions can be achieved through different methods depending on the industry. In some cases, adjustments to a firm’s production processes can result in lowered emissions and in other cases greenhouse gas reductions result primarily from improvements to energy efficiency. Engineers and technicians graduating from Louisiana’s four-year colleges will be best prepared to make those process adjustments and establish new methodologies or materials that contribute to lower greenhouse gas emissions. Emissions of excess carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere have also created new fields for earth and environmental scientists who may play a role in progressing carbon capture and storage technology. Understanding the impacts of a changing climate related to greenhouse gases will also require the services of
5 The Greening of Louisiana’s Economy
trained biologists, chemists, oceanographers, climatologists and coastal scientists. Other disciplines at four-year colleges are also contributing to a workforce capable of contributing to greenhouse gas reductions. Climate awareness is now a component of international relations, domestic policy and economics. Finance, economics and political science departments are now playing a role in preparing students to participate in policy making and carbon markets. A private firm, Global Project Management, primarily serving utilities and construction professionals in south Louisiana, offers courses on climate change, carbon foot printing, carbon and energy markets, and greenhouse gas accounting and reporting.
Pollution Prevention and Cleanup
Training programs for the proper collection, handling, transport, treatment and remediation of pollutants and environmental wastes are widely available from Louisiana’s Educational Services sector. Bachelor’s and master’s degrees in environmental science have been available for a number of years to prepare students to work in the field of pollution prevention and cleanup. The cleanup of environmental and health hazards takes a variety of forms across industries, requiring a number of different skills. Louisiana’s technical and community colleges play an important role in preparing workers to perform those tasks. Common training programs offered by technical and community colleges include hazardous waste operations, hazardous material safety, lead abatement and asbestos removal. Bossier Parish Community College also offers a course in spill protection and countermeasures for accidental releases and, Baton Rouge Community College offers an additional class on wastewater treatment and collection.
Research by professors at Louisiana’s four-year institutions is also contributing vital services to pollution prevention and cleanup efforts, which were particularly evident during the BP Oil Spill. Dr. Ed Overton and colleagues at LSU were recognized with the Superior Accomplishment Award by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for their “extraordinary sustained support and contributions to the ongoing efforts to mitigate the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill.” LSU’s environmental chemistry team assisted the cleanup effort with analytical chemistry and data analysis to determine the toxicity and other features of the spilled oil.13 Another LSU professor, Dr. Chandra Theegala in the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, developed a prototype oil skimmer to assist with the cleanup effort.14 And Dr. Ralph Portier, also of LSU, offered to provide bioremediation services to affected areas of the spill.15
The work of professors also contributes to the understanding and elimination of everyday sources of pollution. Dr. Barry Dellinger of LSU has isolated a new type of pollutant known as an environmentally persistent free radical that is released during flame-producing chemical reactions. These emissions can come from any type of combustion and can potentially lead to a number of serious health conditions.16
Recycling and Waste Reduction
The Educational Services Sector in Louisiana is providing waste reduction and recycling services largely through the innovations of the professors at its four-year institutions. At Louisiana Tech in Ruston, Dr. Henry Cardenas is working to perfect a system of concrete rehabilitation that will channel nanoparticles and an electric current through existing concrete structures that will strengthen and reshape the internal pores of the concrete and add
6 The Educational Services Sector
years to the structure’s life. Techniques such as this one that could extend the life of the country’s concrete infrastructure could produce drastic reductions in the amount of concrete that is demolished and removed each year during construction, repair and rehabilitation projects. Similar projects from Louisiana Tech that will help reduce waste are Dr. Erez Allouche’s production of concrete from the fly ash that results from the combustion of coal at power plants and the development of trenchless technology that allows for the servicing and rehabilitation of underground pipes and utilities with minimal surface disruption and destruction.17
Sustainable Agriculture, Natural Resource Conservation and Coastal Restoration
The development and propagation of new techniques in sustainable agriculture is primarily supported in Louisiana through its two agricultural and mechanical institutions, Louisiana State University and Southern University. In addition to providing training for next generation agricultural specialists, both universities also offer extension programs to reach out to farmers and other citizens across the state to develop skills and knowledge related to agriculture and natural resources.18
Natural resources management and conservation is also a field of study offered through Louisiana’s four-year educational institutions. Majors are available from McNeese State in wildlife management, from Northwestern State in natural resource management, and in forestry and GIS for natural resources from Louisiana Tech. LSU’s School of Renewable Natural Resources offers majors in forestry, natural resource ecology and management, and master’s programs in forestry, wildlife and fisheries. University of Louisiana at Lafayette’s Renewable Resources Department also specializes in sustainable agriculture and natural resource conservation with majors such as environmental and sustainable resources and sustainable agriculture.
Additionally, there are specialized centers in Louisiana established to address coastal erosion through wetland protection and restoration. Louisiana State University maintains a School of the Coast and Environment to foster knowledge, technology and human resources around the environmental and natural resources issues of Louisiana’s coast, the Gulf of Mexico and similar areas around the world.19 The school works to restore barrier islands, improve hydrology in all types of marshes, protect fish and other sea life and provide warning capabilities against storms. The school maintains faculty from the departments of environmental sciences and oceanography and coastal sciences. At Tulane University, Louisiana’s critical coastal issues are being addressed through the Law School’s Institute on Water Resources Law and Policy. The institute takes a more policy- and law-oriented approach to Louisiana’s environmental challenges including coastal erosion, storm recovery and sustainability.20 The Tulane Institute on Water offers program areas in the stewardship of water resources; living with water and redefining Louisiana’s relationship with water; managing the state’s water wealth; coastal restoration, protection and conservation; and outreach and education.21 LSU, Nicholls State and the University of Louisiana at Lafayette have also established a group research and educational facility for the study of marine sciences. The Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium, or LUMCON, was formed in 1979 to establish and coordinate a centralized site for in-house research and educational programs in marine sciences. The main facility is located at the DeFelice Marine Center in Cocodrie in the wetlands between the Atchafalaya and Mississippi Rivers and a second field station is at
7 The Greening of Louisiana’s Economy
The Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium, or LUMCON, was formed in 1979 to establish and coordinate a centralized site for in-house research and educational programs in marine sciences. Above is a researcher aboard the LUMCON Research Vessel “Pelican”. Photo © LUMCON.
Port Fourchon. LUMCON oversees the Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary Program and the Coastal Restoration and Enhancement through Science and Technology program.22
A third educational institution is planned for Louisiana to also tackle the multitude of interrelated issues that come together to threaten the coastline. Louisiana’s Office of Coastal Restoration and Protection along with the Baton Rouge Area Foundation are working to develop what is tentatively known as the Water Institute of the Gulf’s Delta. The Water Institute would aim to create a world-class research institution to develop the science and policy needed to support statewide coastal restoration efforts. The Water Institute is envisioned to include federal and state agencies, private companies and leading academic researchers; it will be somewhat modeled on the Deltares semi-private science center in the Netherlands that also develops expertise for water management projects.23
Education, Compliance, Public Awareness and Training
Education and training are the key services provided by this sector. It is active in providing these types of services across every environmentally beneficial activity category. Even fields not traditionally considered “green” are contributing to environmental goals by serving as industry regulators and by keeping up with technological changes that can assist any business in becoming a better steward of environmental resources. Additionally, institutions in this sector also provide specific training and learning opportunities relating to communicating about environmental issues and experiencing how other countries understand and cope with their own environmental struggles.
A unique service provided by Tulane University in New Orleans is the Environmental Law Clinic. Since 1989, the Environmental Law Clinic has offered students real world experience while representing victims of environmental injustice who would not otherwise be able to afford legal action. The suits undertaken by the Environmental Law Clinic involve industrial
8 The Educational Services Sector
pollution, wetland destruction and challenges that aim to ensure the proper enforcement of environmental regulations.24
The Loyola University Center for Environmental Communication (LUCEC) is a specialized communications program geared toward the dissemination of information about environmental issues for students in both the School of Mass Communication and the environmental studies minor. The center also hosts the Institute for Environmental Communication, which holds discussion sessions about environmental issues important regionally and nationally.25
The Center for Energy and Environmental Studies at Southern University in Baton Rouge also offers educational programming for Louisiana youth. For six years, the center has run a math, science and reading summer enrichment camp with an emphasis on the environment. The camp is open to first through fourth graders.26 Green Business Practices
The colleges and universities around Louisiana in the Educational Services sector are pursuing wholesale changes to their operations and business practices in order to be better stewards of environmental resources. In many cases the schools have established specialized offices on campus to coordinate and implement environmental improvements.
Environmental performance is a growing point of comparison between colleges and universities. U.S. News and World Report now lists colleges with green dorms, and there is an entire rating system from the Sustainable Endowment Institute that evaluates schools according to environmental programs and financial sustainability. The Sustainable Endowment Institute examines the 300 colleges and universities with the largest endowments across the United States and Canada and a small number of other schools that apply for inclusion each year for their “College Sustainability Report Card.” Full reports on the sustainability efforts of LSU, Tulane and Loyola University can be found on their website: http://www.greenreportcard.org/report-card-2011/schools.
LSU’s effort to reduce its environmental impact is being led by the Campus Committee for Sustainability (CCS). The CCS advises the chancellor and seeks new ways for the university to continuously increase its environmental stewardship. The committee conducts an inventory of LSU’s greenhouse gas emissions, documents existing sustainability efforts, completes an action plan to improve environmental efforts at LSU and promotes public awareness of LSU’s environmentally beneficial activities. The plans to improve LSU include a teaching and research component, purchasing, waste reduction and recycling, energy conservation and procurement, water, hazardous waste, transportation, food and food services, campus grounds, construction, planning and design, and disaster management.27 LSU received a “C+” on the 2011 College Sustainability Report Card.
At Tulane University, the Office of Environmental Affairs ties together academic programs, student clubs, university events and outreach efforts, research institutions and campus initiatives to provide support to the ongoing efforts to improve the sustainability of the campus and its community. Tulane was awarded an “A-” on the 2011 College Sustainability
9 The Greening of Louisiana’s Economy
Report Card, which earned it the status of “Overall College Sustainability Leader.”28 Tulane received this honor in part for its pursuit of LEED certification for all future building projects, HVAC upgrades, energy efficient lighting retrofits and improvements in transportation.29
Loyola University of New Orleans operates a Campus Sustainability Study Group that is responsible for the development and enhancement of the university’s environmental practices. Environmental programing at Loyola includes scrap metal recycling drives, local produce, campus garden, single-stream recycling, LEED Silver certification for new building, a campus-wide greenhouse gas inventory, green jobs advising in the career services center, and bike and car sharing programs.30 Loyola University received a “B-” on the 2011 College Sustainability Report Card.31
At Centenary College in Shreveport, environmental LSU’s current green initiatives, improvement efforts are championed by the Sustainability as seen August 2011. Task Force that recommends improvements for campus- Photo © LSU Campus Committee for Sustainability. wide environmental improvements. One major initiative of the Sustainability Task Force is the Campus Energy Challenge, an extended effort to enact a series of improvements to energy efficiency across the campus. Activities encouraged by the Campus Energy Challenge include turning off lights, switching to compact fluorescent bulbs and adjusting computer usage and settings.32 For every dollar saved through energy efficiency, the college designated 10 cents to promote other sustainability efforts.33
At Dillard University in New Orleans, efforts to make the campus more sustainable came out of the necessity of rebuilding after Hurricane Katrina. The campus now features two LEED- certified buildings: the Professional Schools Building and the Student Center.34
Renewable Energy
The sustainability efforts of LSU and Centenary College both include renewable energy. LSU manufactures its own biodiesel from waste vegetable oil from campus dining services for use in Landscape Services equipment. And at Centenary, a 1.51 kilowatt solar system was installed on the roof of the library.35
Energy Efficiency
Many campuses have begun to closely monitor energy use in order to identify cost-effective energy savings that would both benefit the environment and save money. LSU has insulated utility tunnels and installed exterior LED lighting for savings of $1.2 million per year. It also uses software to power down computers after periods of inactivity, instituted heating and cooling shutdowns for buildings during holidays and conducted a student competition for energy savings in residence halls.36 LSU has also operated a highly efficient combined heat and power plant since 2005 that runs 24 hours a day producing a large percentage of the
10 The Educational Services Sector
cooling and heating requirements of the Baton Rouge campus.37 A new educational facility planned for the Hilltop Arboretum at LSU is being designed to apply for a LEED Silver rating based on its energy efficiency and other environmental performance measures. It is the first structure at LSU to be registered for a LEED rating and one of the first new buildings in Baton Rouge to apply for certification.38 Tulane has also made adjustments to computer and heating and cooling systems and provides resources to students on how to have an ENERGY Star dorm room.39
Greenhouse Gas Reduction
All schools included in the 2011 College Sustainability Report Card have either completed or are completing greenhouse gas inventories. LSU has also decided to install two charging stations for electric vehicles on campus, and a partnership with Entergy will provide free power to those stations for their first five years of operation.40
Pollution Prevention and Cleanup
No evidence of significant involvement for this activity category was found in the Educational Services sector.
Recycling and Waste Reduction
Recycling efforts are popular on college campuses in Louisiana. LSU placed first in the Southeastern Conference in the EPA’s Gameday Challenge waste reduction campaign for recycling levels at the Tennessee football game.41 And, according to the Campus Committee for Sustainability, approximately 45 percent of LSU’s waste stream is recycled.42
Sustainable Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation and Coastal Restoration
One element of a school’s appeal is the beauty of its campus. LSU has begun a program to “endow” the more than 1,200 live oak trees that shade its grounds. Through donations to the “Endow an Oak” program, funding is provided to cover the costs of the ongoing maintenance of the trees and to ensure the long-term financing of tree maintenance into the future. Endowments to campus trees at LSU range from $4,000 to $50,000 per tree.43
Education, Compliance, Public Awareness and Training
The sustainability efforts of Louisiana’s colleges and universities are often highly visible and can be seen as public demonstrations of the feasibility of environmentally friendly technologies. Schools are also establishing offices to oversee environmental compliance. Xavier University in New Orleans maintains an Office of Environmental Health and Safety that oversees environmental protections, health and safety programs, and compliance activities. It helps to develop programing for students, faculty and staff to learn about protecting themselves in an environmental disaster and also promotes the university’s sustainability efforts.44 Economic Factors
Educational institutions that choose to adopt new programs or reconfigure existing programs in order to prepare students for careers in environmentally beneficial fields often do so as
11 The Greening of Louisiana’s Economy
the indirect result of economic pressures. The greening of the economy is just one example of how schools must evolve to meet student and workforce needs. Adding new programs or courses is one way that colleges and community colleges seek to remain relevant to their students and maintain enrollment levels each year. Relevance, particularly for technical and community colleges, is largely determined by how successful students are in the job market once they graduate. As demand grows for workers with knowledge of environmentally beneficial activities, colleges and universities will adapt their programs to produce the most competitive graduates possible. Should training programs become too detached from workforce needs and students fail to find work after school, educational institutions could see reductions in enrollment as students flock to other schools in order to obtain the training they need.
University budgets provide a direct influence on environmentally beneficial activities undertaken by colleges and universities. As the budgetary outlook for many universities has worsened due to recent economic conditions, many institutions will be more interested in undertaking green initiatives if they also provide cost savings. However, those budgetary pressures may also have a negative effect on efforts to create new course offerings in response to demand for green-related curricula. Public Policy
One of the overarching public policies in Louisiana that guides educational institutions was instituted by Louisiana’s 2008 reform legislation. The legislation created the Louisiana Workforce Commission (LWC) out of the state’s Department of Labor with the mission of leading the development of a demand-driven workforce development system for the state. The 2008 legislation included a realignment of the Governor’s Workforce Investment Council (WIC), emphasizing its authority to set a vision to meet the needs of the state’s employers and workforce. The legislation made the LWC the leader of statewide workforce development efforts with the legal authority to integrate the delivery of education, training and apprenticeship programs throughout the state. The overarching principle of a demand- driven workforce will guide education and training providers to prepare workers to fill jobs needed by Louisiana businesses. With the greening of Louisiana’s economy, this system will help ensure that educational institutions are responsive to the changing needs of those employers.
Some funding for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 went to support school reform efforts, state education systems and higher education.45 Louisiana received more than $2 billion in funding for education from ARRA and other stimulus grants.46
Another piece of state legislation that will affect Louisiana’s Educational Services sector is the LA GRAD Act. The Granting Resources and Autonomy for Diplomas Act will give colleges and universities added independence when setting tuition levels if they commit to improved performance goals such as higher graduation rates. Louisiana is the only state that requires a two-thirds vote of the Legislature to adjust tuition levels. With the passage of the LA GRAD Act, more power will be given to the leadership of Louisiana’s educational institutions.47
12 The Educational Services Sector
Schools meeting annual performance goals for enrollment and graduation rates will be allowed to raise tuition by 10 percent each year that targets are reached.48 Technology
New technology can often be both developed and implemented at educational services institutions. Researchers and professionals associated with schools devise new tools, processes and materials that can be tested and brought to market. Schools are also where emerging technologies begin to achieve greater market penetration: as more students or technicians are trained or certified in a technology, it can be applied in more settings. An overview of many of the environmentally beneficial technologies under development at Louisiana educational institutions can be found in the Louisiana Technology Report. Job Growth and Workforce Development
Considering primary and support jobs, green employment in the Educational Services sector is projected to increase by 10.8 percent over the 10-year period from 2010 to 2020. The growth in this sector is expected to be consistent throughout the projection horizon. In the first year, green employment is expected to increase from 7,617 in 2010 to 7,702 in 2011. The uniform increase will continue in 2012, bringing the total to 7,788. In 2015, the projection’s halfway point, green employment is expected to reach 8,050 and will continue to rise until 2020, increasing to a total of 8,442.
This growth in green employment is slightly faster than anticipated growth in total employment in the Educational Services sector. The most recent industry projections for Louisiana estimate that total employment will increase by 8.9 percent over the 10-year period from 2008 to 2018. Those 2018 projections were revised in 2011 to reflect new information available since the initial projections release, including new developments identified through the Green Jobs Consortium research effort.
Workforce needs in the Educational Services sector can be difficult to determine, especially for more specialized programs, because individual disciplines often operate under different labor market demands. Traditionally, openings for professors at large educational institutions are few in each department and highly competitive. Institutions with a large amount of research activity, however, also require the services of researchers and other technical and support personnel—positions that are more plentiful and require fewer credentials. Educational staff working in fields or at institutions more directly connected to technical trades can typically move between the classroom and industry employment more readily. Instructors in these types of programs are expected to remain more intimately aware of workforce training needs in order to improve the educational services of the institution and the preparedness of its graduates.
Finally, it should be noted that the anticipated employment growth of green jobs in the Educational Services sector will comprise a combination of the creation of new green jobs
13 The Greening of Louisiana’s Economy
and the gradual greening of existing jobs. While the contribution of each factor has yet to be determined, training providers should consider the unique training needs brought on by each of these changes. For some green occupations, existing workers will need additional training or education to enhance their skills or credentials. For other occupations, curricula may be needed to provide a more comprehensive training for new workers or those entering a new occupation.
Key Players
Louisiana Board of Regents: www.regents.louisiana.gov Statewide agency responsible for coordinating all public higher education in Louisiana. Members are appointed by the governor for six-year terms and the board sets standards and represents the higher education community before all branches of Louisiana government and the public.
Louisiana Community and Technical College System: www.lctcs.edu Management agency for all public two-year institutions across Louisiana. Works to improve educational programing and the workforce success of all participants.
Louisiana State University System: www.lsusystem.edu
Louisiana Workforce Commission: www.laworks.net State workforce agency operating training programs for incumbent workers, veterans’ services and apprenticeships.
Other Large Private Institutions
Southern University System: www.sus.edu
University of Louisiana System: www.ulsystem.net
14 The Educational Services Sector
This page intentionally left blank.
15 The Greening of Louisiana’s Economy
1 “Sector 61—Educational Services.” North American Industry Classification System. U.S. Census Bureau. Web. 11 Apr. 2011.
22 “LUMCON - About LUMCON.” Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium--Home. Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium. Web. 24 May 2011.
16 The Educational Services Sector
23 Wold, Amy. “La. Coastal Center Plan under Way.” 2theadvocate.com. Louisiana Broadcasting LLC and Capital City Press LLC, 25 Mar. 2011. Web. 12 Apr. 2011.
40 Campus Committee for Sustainability. Facility Development/Planning Sustainability August 19, 2010. Meeting Minutes. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State University, 2010. Web. 24 May 2011.
17 The Greening of Louisiana’s Economy
44 “Mission Statement.” Xavier University’s Office of Environmental Health and Safety. Xavier University of Louisiana. Web. 12 Apr. 2011.
18
1001 North 23rd Street P. O. Box 94094 Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9094 www.laworks.net