Environment, Energy & Compute · Capstone brief
ENV-09 · Policy instrument comparison
Compare disclosure, efficiency standards, and pricing tools for data-center impact — with tradeoffs.
The question
Compare disclosure, efficiency standards, and pricing tools for data-center impact — with tradeoffs.
Sources / materials
Public statutes, ordinances, or agency proposals the teacher approves — enacted vs proposed labeled. Same facility/context for all three instrument types. Tradeoff matrix template.
Expected failure modes
Cheerleading one instrument. Ignoring enforcement. Mixing bills with law without labels.
Done looks like
Comparison matrix; tradeoff memo; enforcement gaps; recommendation with conditions.
Five C's
CT: instrument literacy. CR: same context all three. CO: peer checks enacted vs proposed. CM: matrix. CZ: communities under each instrument.
Mentor role
Gov/env teacher reviews fairness of contrast. School-supervised.
Rubric calibration
R1: one context, three instruments. R2: sources labeled. R3: status quo named. R4: enforcement gaps. R5: matrix usable. R6: refuses aesthetic winner.
Two ways this goes wrong
(a) Manifesto for one tool. (b) Incomparable contexts.
Credit lane fit
Lane A immediately. No verified credit claim.