New student group shares information on building sustainable structures
Kirkwood Community College Construction Management and Architectural Technology students are taking their classroom lessons and giving them real-world applications. Kirkwood is the first college in Iowa to have a United States Green Building Council (USGBC) student organization.
The USGBC student group will meet at least once a month, coordinating sustainability events and working on innovative design and construction projects. In the spring, many of the students will design and build a net-zero, off-the-grid single family home. It will use solar and wind power, combined with efficient HVAC and lighting technologies. The home’s efficient footprint makes for easy transportability and could be sent to areas of the country that need emergency housing.
“Having students run an organization on campus about sustainability will help them once they get into the workforce,” said Construction Management Assistant Professor Joe Greathouse. “As more structures are built or remodeled, people are looking for ways to cut back the carbon-footprint. Our students our studying the latest trends in the industry.”
Students in the group research environmentally sustainable buildings and their operations. They look for ways to improve sustainability during the construction or remodeling process.
“We anticipate our students will present new cost-saving ideas that the college may be able to implement in future building needs,” added Greathouse. “Anytime you can find ways to save money in the long-term it’s a win-win for the whole community, for now and the future.”
The USGBC student group is just one more way Kirkwood students are learning about energy sustainability. The new Energy Production & Distribution program started in Fall 2011. This program teaches wind, solar and steam energy. The college will also construct a wind-turbine on its campus in Spring 2012, serving as a learning tool and generating electricity.