The U.S. Department of Energy has recognized Western’s bachelor’s degree in Energy Science and Technology as a world leader in teaching zero-energy design.
Western was one of 12 institutions, and the only one west of the Rockies, included in the DoE’s first cohort of Zero Energy Design Designation (ZEDD) colleges and universities.
This new DOE designation distinguishes post-secondary academic programs that teach students the best practices of zero-energy design and require them to apply those building science concepts in actual projects.
“Students who complete the Net Zero Energy Design Track in our bachelor’s degree program gain an understanding, in theory and in practice, of how to design clean and efficient buildings,” said Assistant Professor Imran Sheikh of the Institute for Energy Studies.
The interdisciplinary Institute for Energy Studies is a multi-college collaboration that offers undergraduate degrees addressing the science, technology, policy, business and economic aspects of energy systems. The innovative program is designed to train the next generation of leaders in the state’s emerging clean energy economy.
