Deerfield runs an on-campus competition during the Green Cup Challenge. Through the month-long challenge, our students follow the success of their dormitory on our energy dashboard and compare their achievements to their on-campus peers and to other schools. The dorm that reduces its energy the most from an established baseline wins a significant prize—an on-campus activity for themselves and another dorm of their choosing, AND a cash prize proportional to dorm size. Because the Green Cup Challenge is a month-long event, we believe that the changed energy consumption practices are more likely to become a learned behavior.

Learning About Architecture and Finding Ways to Improve Outdated Infrastructures in Rural China
Along the way, I have learned about the workings and the real-world application of architecture. The architecture I encountered is in sharp contrast with what I have learned in Deerfield, and it has reshaped the way I look at the field. Although the result was not something I had planned, I have discovered the flaws in my idealistic point of view from before. The biggest takeaway from this experience is just beginning to unveil, as I have evolved this summer grant project into a grander plan that I will be tackling throughout next year.