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Energy efficiency policy in Arizona: public participation and expert consultation in the policy implementation process

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Many different levels of government, organizations, and programs actively shape the future of energy in Arizona, a state that lacks a comprehensive energy plan. Disparate actions by multiple actors may slow the energy policy process rather than expedite it. The absence of a state energy policy or plan raises questions…

Many different levels of government, organizations, and programs actively shape the future of energy in Arizona, a state that lacks a comprehensive energy plan. Disparate actions by multiple actors may slow the energy policy process rather than expedite it. The absence of a state energy policy or plan raises questions about how multiple actors and ideas engage with state energy policy development and whether the absence of a comprehensive state plan can be understood. Improving how policy development is conceptualized and giving more focused attention to the mechanisms by which interested parties become involved in shaping Arizona energy policy. To explore these questions, I examine the future energy efficiency. Initially, public engagement mechanisms were examined for their role in policy creation from a theoretical perspective. Next a prominent public engagement forum that was dedicated to the topic of the Arizona's energy future was examined, mapping its process and conclusions onto a policy process model. The first part of this thesis involves an experimental expert consultation panel which was convened to amplify and refine the results of a public forum. The second part utilizes an online follow up survey to complete unfinished ideas from the focus group. The experiment flowed from a hypothesis that formal expert discussion on energy efficiency policies, guided by the recommendations put forth by the public engagement forum on energy in Arizona, would result in an increase in relevance while providing a forum for interdisciplinary collaboration that is atypical in today's energy discussions. This experiment was designed and evaluated utilizing a public engagement framework that incorporated theoretical and empirical elements. Specifically, I adapted elements of three methods of public and expert engagement used in policy development to create a consultation process that was contextualized to energy efficiency stakeholders in Arizona and their unique constraints. The goal of the consultation process was to refine preferences about policy options by expert stakeholders into actionable goals that could achieve advancement on policy implementation. As a corollary goal, the research set out to define implementation barriers, refine policy ideas, and operationalize Arizona-centric goals for the future of energy efficiency.
ContributorsBryck, Drew (Author) / Graffy, Elisabeth A. (Thesis advisor) / Dalrymple, Michael (Committee member) / Miller, Clark (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2013
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Sustainability Disclosures as a Financial Asset and Tool for Brand Management

Description
Sustainability disclosures have existed and been in use for over 20 years. Over the last century, corporate social responsibility ideals changed drastically from both the perspectives of consumers, investors, and corporations. Shifting from a start as an innovative initiative to now a crucial instrument in maintaining a public image and…

Sustainability disclosures have existed and been in use for over 20 years. Over the last century, corporate social responsibility ideals changed drastically from both the perspectives of consumers, investors, and corporations. Shifting from a start as an innovative initiative to now a crucial instrument in maintaining a public image and keeping up with competitors, sustainability can now be used to an economic benefit. The benefits of sustainability disclosure exist now as major factors of key performance indicators and major impactors of the bottom line.
ContributorsLe, Sarah Nguyen (Author) / Cheng, Chingwen (Thesis director) / Dalrymple, Michael (Committee member) / School of Earth and Space Exploration (Contributor) / Department of Finance (Contributor) / School of Art (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
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The Process of an Energy Retrofit at ASU

Description
This study aims to teach the reader about the process of making a building more energy efficient at ASU. In this study the importance of energy efficiency in buildings will be discussed as well as how building efficiency is important for the three tiers of sustainability. The case of energy…

This study aims to teach the reader about the process of making a building more energy efficient at ASU. In this study the importance of energy efficiency in buildings will be discussed as well as how building efficiency is important for the three tiers of sustainability. The case of energy efficiency in the environment, economy, and society will be outlined with the intent of creating urgency for the implementation of energy efficiency. Environment, economy, and society, the three tiers of sustainability fit the model of energy efficiency because efficient energy is a principle of sustainability. Efficient energy can fill the gap between our energy system at present and the energy system of the future. This document outlines the steps that ASU goes through when there is an energy upgrade to a building on campus. It also includes a mock audit of the Psychology North building at ASU. This mock audit serves as an example to justify how the steps outlined in this document can be used to initiate an energy retrofit. A person who reads this document will be able to understand the energy retrofit process. The main argument is that there is room for student inclusion in this process, by giving students the knowledge on how to initiate an energy retrofit they have the tools to be included. Practicing building efficiency on campus will help ASU to succeed in accomplishing numbers two and four of their sustainability goals: "1) Carbon Neutrality, 2) Zero Solid/Water Waste, 3) Active Engagement, and 4) Principled Practice" (ASU, 2011).
ContributorsCladianos, Bradley Pete (Author) / Kelman, Jonathan (Thesis director) / Richter, Jennifer (Committee member) / School of Sustainability (Contributor, Contributor) / School of Earth and Space Exploration (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-05
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Cosmetic Industry Sustainability Analysis: Case Study Comparison of The Body Shop and Bath & Body Works

Description

The cosmetic industry has a significant lack of data on sustainability practices. The global market for cosmetics is expected to grow from $288 billion in 2021 to $415 billion in 2028 as more people populate the globe (Cosmetics Market Size, Share, & COVID-19 Impact Analysis, 2022). This research paper analyzes…

The cosmetic industry has a significant lack of data on sustainability practices. The global market for cosmetics is expected to grow from $288 billion in 2021 to $415 billion in 2028 as more people populate the globe (Cosmetics Market Size, Share, & COVID-19 Impact Analysis, 2022). This research paper analyzes sustainability within the cosmetic industry. Specifically, comparing the practices between The Body Shop and Bath & Body Works. To test the hypothesis that The Body Shop is more sustainable than Bath & Body Works, a case study analysis was conducted to measure the companies’ performance in the environmental, economic, and social sectors. Comparable metrics were selected, and a pairwise comparison was completed to weigh the different metrics. To analyze the results, the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) was used to ensure consistency in metric weights, and a Mann-Whitney U test was used to analyze the sector's final weights. The results verified the hypothesis that The Body Shop was more sustainable than Bath & Body Works. In all, the results support the idea that the cosmetic industry needs stronger regulations and oversight of cosmetic companies’ sustainability impact. One of the most prevalent limitations of this study is the lack of transparency and information from cosmetic companies. Moving forward, it is recommended to use data from multiple years with key performance indicators (KPIs) to assess sustainability performance more accurately.
ContributorsAbraham, Bridget (Author) / Koster, Auriane (Thesis director) / Alcantara, Christiane (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor) / Watts College of Public Service & Community Solut (Contributor) / Dean, W.P. Carey School of Business (Contributor)
Created2022-05