On June 15th 2012, two students from the University of Pennsylvania presented a Rio+20 pre-conference session at the United States Department Pavilion. Their presentation “Sustainability Knows No Boundaries” gave insight into higher education’s role in sustainability, both in curriculum and facilities. They discussed the many interdisciplinary initiatives that Penn incorporates to its curriculum, such as the Master of Environmental Studies program and the Architecture school’s concentrations in land use management and urban sustainable development. Additionally, many Penn faculties are incorporating sustainability as part of the overall institution’s commitment. As part of Penn’s Climate Action Plan and internal commitments to sustainability, David Schreiber outlined Penn’s refurbishing many of its historical buildings with more efficient, energy saving lighting.
