Practices of innovative technology and education for sustainability in Taiwan sustainable campus program

Abstract

Striving for sustainability has been adopted as a core value and guiding principle for development in the twenty-first century worldwide. Considering the learnings and changes of sustainability in society, especially the connection between software understanding and hardware construction was the key issue for the government. After the Earthquake 921 in 1999, the damages of school buildings started the rethinking of sustainable development in campus. Therefore, the Ministry of Education in Taiwan initiated a national project since 2002 to connect education and practice for sustainability, the Taiwan Sustainable Campus Program (TSCP), which adopt the practices integrated with environmental education and the sustainable renovation in school campuses to transform the sustainable sense from education to change the society. First of all, the Ministry of Education (MOE) organize a technical committee and a research project to set the program mechanism and processes of items with preliminary technical guidelines to guide the school review the problem of existing campus environment in 2002. An integrated process also by demonstration taken the pilot projects as tests to revise the items. In the year of 2003, the 16 items were set to start up the program. These 16 items were set as a step by step renovating processes to help the school working out their own sustainable campus by each unique living environment. Until 2017, more than 778 schools or colleges, about 15.4% of all institutes, have been subsidized by TSCP. At least one sustainable campus can be found in 68% of the smallest administrative units in Taiwan. Hundreds of teaching modules for various subjects, dissemination of sustainable concepts within neighboring communities, and extensive collaboration with grassroots resident for more sustainable societies have been generated and executed. Students learn about the sustainable concepts, ecological environment re-habilitation and green equipment from schools, and bring that home into community. In consideration of lacking the knowledge of adapting sustainable building technology, the Ministry setup the professional committee of sustainable campus to indicate the process of sustainable campus renovation, especially in technologies support and education. Upon the concepts of innovation and integration, ideas including campus rain water management, smart using energy, Bio-climatic control for thermal condition, and high endurance campus have been implemented. On the other hand, examples from higher institution, such as ‘The Green Campus Program of NTUT’ and ‘Magic School of Green Technologies in NCKU’, have also demonstrated the TSCP intention of sustainable development based on innovative technology and education. The success of TSCP for its implementation mechanisms and achievements is evident by the high involvements of number of institutions as well as voluntary and productive participation. This successful experience encourages all sectors involved who aims to construct sustainable living environment, and influences the industry changing attitude into sustainable product development. At the same time, the 15 years-long project make the new young generations can have the sense to change the society from now.