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The way an energy system is designed and operated has a direct impact on the environment (during normal operation) and the society (mostly during major disturbances and blackouts). Electrical engineering students in general learn about the environmental concerns associated with various power generation technologies as well as the importance of the availability of power for the society. However, these topics are typically not discussed in sufficient detail to teach the students about the delicate interrelation between energy, environment and the society. Most assignments, class activities or course projects focus on engineering excellence and cost efficiency. What seems to be missing is having the students exposed to realistic operation and design scenarios that present one or more ethical dilemmas. It is only then that the students learn to make environmentally and socially aware decisions and view the problem beyond engineering principles alone. This paper presents a pedagogical perspective on developing educational modules and active learning exercises centered on social and environmental ethics, suitable for graduate and undergraduate courses that focus on the design and operation of energy systems.

Alcohol use and sexual assault (SA) are common on college campuses. The purpose of this study is to examine if the association between alcohol use and SA differs by gender identity, sexual orientation, race, or ethnicity.A total of 3,243 college students aged 18-25 at two large, minority-serving, public universities in the southwest and southeast United States completed an online survey about alcohol and sexual behaviors. Two negative binomial regressions were conducted to examine main effects and interaction effects.Almost half of the sample reported a SA victimization history. The main effects negative binomial regression indicated that more drinks per week, older age, identifying as a cisgender woman (vs. cisgender man), identifying as a gender minority (vs. cisgender man), and identifying as a sexual minority (vs. heterosexual) were associated with more severe SA victimization. Participants who identified as Latine (vs. non-Latine White) reported less severe SA. The negative binomial regression assessing interactions indicated that the association between alcohol use and SA severity was stronger among cisgender women and gender minority identities than cisgender men, and Black identities than non-Latine White identities.Findings suggests that alcohol use is an important factor for SA severity among all students, but that the association is stronger among some with marginalized identities. Given that perpetrators target people who hold some marginalized identities, prevention programming could address cisnormative, heteronormative, and White normative ideas about alcohol and sex to attain social justice and health equity.

Abstract One hundred and fifty-seven classrooms for fourth form pupils were inspected at 81 randomly selected schools in Oslo, Norway. Primary school classrooms in Oslo have on average 22 occupants present, while the maximum capacity is 30. Classrooms are typically used 4 h daily for normal school activities. The corresponding ventilating air volume and energy use has been analysed for three ventilation strategies: (a) constant air volume [CAV], (b) CO2 sensor based demand-controlled ventilation [DCV-CO2], and (c) infrared occupancy sensor based demand-controlled ventilation [DCV-IR]. DCV-CO2 and DCV-IR reduce the energy use due to ventilation in the average classroom to 38% and 51%, respectively, compared to the corresponding energy use for a CAV system operating with full airflow from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm.

Background:  Previous studies of family history of alcoholism (FHA) in college students have typically relied on dichotomous indices of paternal drinking. This study examined the prevalence of FHA and its effects on alcohol use and problems using a density measure in a sample (n = 408) of college students.Methods:  Undergraduate students completed an anonymous survey in exchange for course credit. Data was collected between 2005 and 2006.Results:  Using a density measure of FHA, we observed an overall prevalence rate of 65.9% and a rate of 29.1% for FHA in both first and second‐degree relatives. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to investigate relations among FHA, alcohol use/problems and previously identified etiological risk factors for alcohol use disorders (AUD). Results indicated a significant positive association between FHA and alcohol‐related problems and this relationship was mediated by age of onset of drinking, behavioral undercontrol and current cigarette use. Behavioral undercontrol also mediated the relationship between gender and alcohol problems. Additionally, FHA was associated with an earlier age of onset of drinking and this was related to greater alcohol use.Conclusions:  Assessing density of FHA in future trajectory research may capture a greater number of students at risk for acute alcohol‐related problems and/or future development of AUDs. Future preventive interventions with this population, which should begin well before the college years, may benefit from considering personality factors and incorporating smoking cessation to help identify at‐risk students and assist those who wish to cut down on their alcohol use but find that smoking acts as a trigger for increased drinking.

Rapid declination of fossil fuel and environmental pollution is a matter of concern for modern society. A substantial part of these fuels is used for generation of power. Thus, conservation of electricity can slow down the decaying of these fuels, expenditure of money and environmental pollution. Educational institutes are one of the leading consumers of power. There are a lot of opportunities by which electricity in institutes can be preserved. This study explores and analyzes building-wise and equipment-wise energy consumption during the summer season in a typical institute located in the north-eastern part of India. The possibilities of curbing electricity, money, fossil fuel and the emission of greenhouse gas have also been investigated in the paper. It has emerged from the result that electric fans and lighting arrangements draw maximum electricity in summer. They devour 72.99% of the total energy used in the institute. Adoption of some simple methods for energy conservation can save 13,779.60 kWh of electricity and 35.39% of its bill per month. Thus, 3030.91 kg of natural gas can be retained and consequently, 15,114.88 kg of greenhouse gas can be prevented from emission.

Abstract Indoor thermal comfort and air quality in school classrooms are of interest worldwide, primarily because of their potential impacts on students’ health, learning performance and productivity. Further, increasing concerns with changing climate and building energy efficiency highlight the importance of ventilation and comfort in educational settings. The existing literature on indoor air quality (IAQ), ventilation, and thermal comfort in classrooms in subtropical regions of Australia is sparse. Here, we present the results of a field study conducted in secondary school classrooms in Sydney during the school year in 2018 and 2019. We collected data with subjective surveys through questionnaires and with field measurements related to IAQ the thermal comfort in two adjacent similar classrooms. The infiltration and ventilation rates were measured during the non-occupied period using the concentration decay method. We analysed the performance of a cloud-connected demand-controlled mechanical extract ventilation system (DCV), which was installed in one of the two surveyed classrooms during mid-season. Before application of the DCV, CO2 levels were similar in both classrooms with a maximum concentration of approximately 2418 ppm during cold season. The DCV reduced the peak CO2 concentration to 1335 ppm, while CO2 raised to 2981 ppm in the classrooms without DCV during mid-season. Further, Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) analysed from air samples show improved air quality in the classroom with DCV. Our results highlight the impact of both indoor temperature and CO2 concentration on students’ feeling of fatigue. Students showed adaptability to indoor temperature change. A period of one week is needed for students’ adaptation to a step change in the mean outdoor temperature. Understanding classroom indoor air quality and thermal environment, as well as students’ perceived comfort, is vital to develop child-based design guidelines for schools.

This study examined relations between personal strivings and alcohol use among college students. Personal strivings are ongoing goals that individuals are characteristically trying to achieve through their behavior. Participants generated lists of personal strivings following standard instructions and then completed an assessment of alcohol use and related problems. Participants returned to complete a follow-up assessment of drinking behavior after 30 days. Personal strivings were coded into content categories by trained raters using a coding manual. Four content categories were examined for this study: achievement, affiliation, health, and self-presentation. A series of t tests revealed that participants endorsing achievement strivings reported less alcohol-related problems and marginally fewer instances of binge drinking during the 30-day follow-up period. In contrast, participants endorsing self-presentation strivings reported more alcohol-related problems during the follow-up period.

Purpose The purpose of the paper is to develop a perspective mechanism of the investment and innovative activities of university in the conditions of industry 4.0, which allows supporting its high investment attractiveness and high effectiveness of usage of venture investments in digital education. Design/methodology/approach The research is performed by the example of modern Russia with application of the methods of trend analysis and regression analysis in two consecutive stages. The authors determine regression dependence of the efficiency of digital modernization of universities (on the basis of the indicator of fixed assets implementation) on the volume of investments into fixed assets. Dependence of the indicator of digital competitiveness of education (“training and education”), calculated within the part “knowledge” of the IMD rating “world digital competitiveness ranking,” on commissioning of fixed assets by universities is determined. For the purpose of representativeness of the selection of statistical data, which initial period is 2012, not only factual data for 2012-2018 are used but also forecast data for 2019-2024 (as the national program “digital economy of the Russian Federation” is due until 2024). Findings Low effectiveness of usage of venture investments in digital education in Russia is substantiated. As investments are provided in the form of target state financing, universities cannot independently determine the directions of their usage and have to use them for purchasing digital equipment and technologies. Other necessary measures for digital modernization of education, namely, training of digital personnel for university, access to digital infrastructure, development of new educational programs, conduct of research and development and marketing, are not implemented. Originality/value It is determined that attraction of private venture investments faces the problem of their large volume and high risk. Both problems could be solved by the developed mechanism of investment and innovative activities of a university in the conditions of industry 4.0. It shifts the initiative from university to digital business, which independently initiates the process of venture investing.

It is well known that environmental problems have become worldwide, which have great influences not only on economy, but also on human health. China’s environment situation has become a topic both domestically and internationally, especially during last decades of economic growth and rapid development. The environmental situation in China is described by the Chinese Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP 2012) in its “2012 Report on the State of the Environment in China” as “severe.” Urban air pollution and water pollution are environmental issues with big problems in large parts of China; according to MEP’s report “the quality of national water environment allows no optimism,” only 23.9 % of Chinese cities meet the national air quality standard. Besides these examples of local environmental issues that affect people and their daily lives, China’s emission of green house gases and their contribution to global warming have got considerable international media attention. As a part of the environment, people’s behavior and environmental awareness will influence the surroundings in return. Although China is a socialist country, the general public has relativelymuch less direct influence on policy and the political developments of the state in this era (The Constitution of the People’s Republic of China 1982). Social scientists have done research on environmental governance in China (Carter and Mol 2007; Xue et al. 2007) that the general public elected their delegates of the People’s Congress to participate in the administration and discussion of the state affairs in China. In this way, the general public’s views on different policies and political matters could therefore possible have an indirect effect on the policies of the state. However, it is still important to learn about how the Chinese general public thinks about environmental issues as well as their opinions and views on different environmental problems and environmental-related concerns. Students, as a group, together with their views and opinions about environmental concerns and issues, are especially significant because students represent the future educated workforce, future developers of technology, energy systems, and probably policy. In addition, college students (carry the responsibility of sustainable development) can be the backbone of sustainable development strategy in the future, as they will be the policy makers, managers, and executives in economy, technology, and social aspects. Besides, after the enrollment of different jobs, their environmental awareness and behavior can influence more people. Obviously, college students’ environmental awareness is an important factor in environment protection. This report looks into the opinions and priorities of the students concerning environmental issues. Through a surveybased approach, this report will investigate and analyze the influences of various factors in correlation with the respondents’ environmental views, which may lead to a deeper understanding of these results. Only one report similar to this subject about the environmental awareness in China is found during the literature study: a survey from universities in Beijing from 1998 (Wong 2003). Considering the importance of environmental questions, the significance of students as a group in today’s society, and especially the significance role of college student in the future Chinese society, it is important to get a deeper understanding of their views and opinions on environmental issues and environmental concerns. Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues