Community Programs

We work beyond the campus to encourage sustainable practices across our community. 

Coming Soon: The SPARC Home for Sustainable Living

Opening Fall 2025

At WSU, our commitment to sustainability extends beyond the campus—we’re working hand-in-hand with our community to build a cleaner, more resilient future.

This fall, we’re excited to open the SPARC Home for Sustainable Living—a hands-on demonstration space where visitors can discover practical, real-world solutions for sustainable living. Whether you're a homeowner, renter, or simply curious, the SPARC Home is your go-to place for learning how to make impactful changes at home, where to find fiancing and incentives, and what programs are availble to make your upgrades cost-effect and simple. 

Explore innovative features such as:

• Energy Efficiency strategies for reducing consumption 
• Full Electrification of household systems
• Solar Power and clean energy solutions
• Water Conservation techniques and technologies

WSU staff and students will lead free community tours, interactive workshops, and offer personalized, one-on-one energy consultations to help you explore ways to improve your home’s sustainability—no matter where you’re starting from.

Stay Connected

Sign up for updates, so you can be the first to know about the launch and upcoming events!

Our Past Programs 

• From 2019 to 2024 the Empower Northern Utah energy efficiency community program served over 750 households providing thousands of LED light bulbs and hundreds of smart thermostats to residents at reduced cost, and in some instances for free. 
• Cut Pollution - Mow Electric and the State Mower Exchange helped over 1,250 families exchange their old gas-powered mowers for clean running electric mowers in the spring of 2018 and 2019. Weber Morgan and Davis County Health Departments and the State of Utah partnered with WSU's sustainability offices to launch the programs, which had the same environmental impact as reducing over 6 million vehicle miles traveled. 
• Weber State University and Utah State University teamed up with Utah Clean Energy to offer the Drive Electric Northern Utah program in late 2016. The program helped 28 community members make the switch to electric vehicles in just seven weeks.
• Susie Hulet Community Solar helped over 140 households, and one nonprofit (Ogden Nature Center) go solar in 2015. At the time many were surprised to learn they could install, what was at the time, the state-of-the-art 10-panel system for $5,300. Over 2,000 panels were installed throughout the program. 

What You Can Do

• Upgrade from gas to electric yard maintenance equipment. From mowers to trimmers to chainsaws, people are increasingly making the switch. Battery powered equipment makes yard work cleaner (for you and your neighbors), quieter, and hassle-free. Check your local hardware store for electric options. 

• Check out electric vehicle options with your local dealer. Utah is a leader in electric vehicle charging station infrastructure. Many businesses, homes and "gas" stations offer electric charging, at a lower cost than fossil fuels. Numerous electric vehicles now offer hundreds of miles per a single charge.  

• Consider sourcing your energy from renewable resources through a program, such as Blue Sky, through the installation of solar panels on your home, or get involved in securing 100% net-renewable energy for your community through the Utah 100 Communities initiative.  

Resources

• Cut Pollution - Mow Electric program website 
• Drive Electric Northern Utah program website 
• Susie Hulet Community Solar program website 
• CarbonCounter.com, an EV cost comparison report from MIT
• Solar Simplified, a one-stop shop place Utah solar consumer resources, and incentives information