Students are first introduced to the concept of mental models and how they affect everything we design from technologies to our mindsets. A handful of discussion topics include the tragedy of the commons, limits to growth, change resistance, and lifecycle cost analysis. Various campus tours and hands-on experience opportunities accompanied lectures on these topics, such as of the 107KW photovoltaic solar generation facility, combined heat and power facility, thermal energy storage facility, campus recycling operations, food waste operations, and active construction sites. In addition, community professionals were invited into the classroom to speak on their subject of expertise such as Dr. Jacques on his book, Limits to Growth, Dr. Reinhart on waste lifecycle assessments, and Mr. David Norvell on university initiatives to reach climate neutrality.

At the semester’s conclusion, the students are tasked with a term project on conceptualizing the university’s inherent limiting mental models and causal loop diagrams to devise holistic approaches to enhance campus sustainability. Follow the inaugural group of students from this course on their UCF Living Laboratory experience in the video above.