Party Walls

In a new and exciting opportunity, we’re partnering with Energize CT, the Connecticut Technical High School System, The Connecticut Light and Power Company dba Eversource, The United Illuminating Company, and The Connecticut Business & Industry Association (CBIA) Education and Workforce Partnership to help implement Green STEP (Sustainability Technical Education Program). This program will train CT technical high school students in a construction career track in energy, water, and resource efficiency.

SWA will be part of the team leading sustainable building tours and guiding curriculum of sophomore year students. The career students will:

• Develop a foundation for sustainable building;
• Complete certification programs (BPI, NABCEP);
• Gain awareness of career options in the green industry;
• Be positioned for employment or higher education.

From our list of sustainable projects throughout CT, we’ll choose projects to visit during spring 2017, and will continue working annually with each sophomore class. There are nine technical high schools with approximately 40-50 students in each high school who will be participating. That’s potentially 400 students each year who will graduate with the knowledge and skills to include sustainable practices in their fields. We’re very excited to be a part of this process.

Here at SWA, we are always pleased to support students meet sustainability goals. One of our favorite collaborations is from 2015, when Middlebury College attained LEED for Homes Platinum Certification on their Solar Decathlon home, InSite. SWA volunteered to provide rating services for their competition home. More recently, SWA began collaborating with the University of New Haven’s design team for Race to Zero, a student design competition focused on zero energy ready homes. It’s great to work with students who bring a fresh energy and perspective to a project.

Middlebury College Solar Decathlon Home, InSite

Written by Karla Butterfield, Senior Sustainability Consultant