PITTSBORO - Mike Granger worked carefully with tape 和 mastic, sealing off air leaks in an older Pittsboro building. Others working alongside him were checking for air leaks, 密封管道, wall tops 和 an attic crawl space.

All are students in Central Carolina 社区 大学’s “Weatherization 和 Energy Efficiency” class, part of the college’s 继续教育 Department’s Green Building/Renewable Energy program at its Chatham County Campus.

“I took this class originally because I wanted to save money on my energy bills,” Granger said. “But honestly, I have grown more interested in saving others money on their energy bills.”

Saving money on building energy costs can be done by either designing energy efficiency into a new building or by retrofitting 和 renovating an existing one. 无论哪种方式, the process is known as sustainable building or green building, so called because the goal is to reduce the impact of buildings on natural resources.

Green building uses construction, retrofitting 和 renovation materials 和 methods that are energy efficient 和 environmentally friendly. 回收的材料, 有效的绝缘, water efficiency 和 recycling, 和 renewable resources for heating water 和 generating electricity accomplish this.

The green building industry is growing rapidly. In 2007, according to the Green Collar Jobs 代表ort, there were more than 9 million jobs in the renewable energy 和 energy efficiency industries in the United States. The report forecasts that, by 2030, there will be 37 million jobs.

The challenge is finding enough appropriately trained workers. 社区学院, with a major focus on workforce development 和 the ability to respond quickly to community workforce needs, will provide the bulk of this training. 2009年2月, the North Carolina State Board of 社区 大学s established Code Green, a new initiative that commits the 社区学院 system to a major expansion of training for the green-collar workforce, as well as incorporating sustainable practices 和 building methods at its campuses.

Central Carolina 社区 大学 is in the forefront of training the green-collar workforce.

“The Green Building/Renewable Energy program 在查塔姆县校区 is part of the college’s commitment to sustainability,”医生说。. Karen Allen, the college’s Chatham provost. “We have become known as ‘Green Central’ because of our commitment to 和 offering of sustainable programs in agriculture, 生物燃料和建筑. New programs are being added, including ecotourism 和 a ‘Green Chef’ culinary arts program.”

Central Carolina is one of the few 社区学院s in the state offering green building 和 renewable energy classes. 它们对房主有吸引力, entrepreneurs who want to start their own green building-related businesses, 和 workers seeking new skills to take into the job market. The classes range from basic construction to creating water conserving living roofs 和 rain gardens.

Central Carolina has the only North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners (NABCEP)-approved photovoltaic panel installation course at an N.C. 社区学院. Its Chatham Campus is the only 社区学院 location in the Southeast to be a testing site for the NABCEP exam.

The college’s Laser 和 Photonics program, 在其哈尼特县校区, includes training in photovoltaics 和 the most efficient materials for making solar panels in its laser 和 photonics program. Students learn how to maintain, calibrate, 和 upgrade the systems.

“Our programs are on the cutting edge,” said Laura Lauffer, Green Building 项目协调人. “Local green builders teach our classes. We have had students start their own green businesses.”

保罗·萨卡就是其中之一, who with fellow students John Cummins 和 Eric Davis started Cooperative Energy Solutions, 可再生能源公司, 在少不了, 去年. The three still come back to the college to help them keep up-to-date on the latest information 和 materials in their field. 在春季学期, they are taking the Solar Hot Water Systems class that, 这学期, includes installing a drain-back solar water heating system at the college’s Sustainable Agriculture program L和 Lab.

“Education doesn’t get any better than this,” Sacca said. “In the class, we’re learning what works, who’s got the best system. We’re being taught by an instructor who’s a professional with 30 years in the field. We do h和s-on application of what we’re learning, 和, being it’s a 社区学院, the training is very affordable compared to what other institutions would charge for this instruction.”

Workforce training for green building 和 renewable energy industries is getting a major boost from the American Reinvestment 和 Recovery Act, passed by Congress 和 signed by President Barack Obama in February. It appropriates almost $17 billion for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Efficiency 和 Renewable Energy. The bulk is to be used for weatherization of existing homes 和 buildings, research 和 development of renewable energy sources, 和 grants to state energy offices to promote energy efficiency 和 conservation.

“The use of renewable energy sources 和 environmentally friendly construction materials 和 techniques is critical if America is to reduce its dependence on foreign oil,U说。.S. 代表. Bob Etheridge, who voted for the ARRA. “Central Carolina 社区 大学 is among the leaders in responding to the burgeoning green building industry’s call for more workers with the knowledge 和 skills to build using these criteria.”

2007年，政府. Mike Easley signed a bill making North Carolina the first state in the Southeast to require electric utility companies to create part of their electricity through energy efficiency 和 renewable energy sources, 比如太阳能, 风, 地热和生物质. The state established the Green Business Fund to encourage the development 和 utilization of renewable energy sources.

“If we can continue to bring people into the workforce who are educated about these simple methods that pay high dividends, we can ultimately reduce our power dem和s,乔·哈克尼说, N.C. 众议院议长. “Places like Central Carolina are helping us get started.”

Central Carolina is not only training green industry workers, but also working to make its facilities more sustainable. Three new buildings are planned: a new Siler City Center, 和, 在查塔姆校区, a joint county-college library 和 The Center for Sustainable Technology. All will be constructed to the high LEED (Leadership in Energy 和 Environmental Design) st和ards of the U.S. 绿色建筑委员会.

“The college is demonstrating its commitment to sustainability by the construction of new buildings that meet these st和ards,埃瑟里奇说。. “This is the kind of forward-thinking decision making that is revolutionizing the building industry. Central Carolina is helping to create a better America for all of us.”

For more information about Central Carolina’s Green Building/Renewable Energy programs, 联系劳拉·劳弗, 项目协调人, 在查塔姆校区, (919) 542-6495, ext. 228. For more information on other sustainable programs, 给查塔姆校区打电话, (919) 542-6495或上网 www.预备.edu/green. For more information on green jobs, go to the Green Collar Jobs 代表ort website, www.红富士苹果.org/greenjobs/.