A publication for employees and friends of Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College
Vol. 15 Issue 4April 2009
 
"By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest."
Confucius

Headlines

Sustainability Efforts Grow at A-B Tech

Residential Electrical Wiring students

Members of Frank Miceli's Residential Electrical Wiring class, from left James Dorsey, Phillip Crenshaw, Stephen Spears, proudly display the wattage produced by a photovoltaic array on the A-B Tech campus.

Carpentry I students

A-B Tech Carpentry I students build a roof for a cob structure at Vance Elementary.

Classes at A-B Tech are putting sustainability into the curriculum and the community through various projects and classroom exercises on and off campus.

The Carpentry program teaches students a variety of sustainable building methods, from advanced framing techniques, which use less wood and more insulation for more energy efficient structures, to natural building techniques which utilize local, low-energy embodied materials such as straw, mud, and even waste products like used tires to construct buildings with less environmental impact.

The program uses field trips, multi-media, lecture, and hands-on experience to give students the ability to use modern building science and cutting-edge construction tools and materials to learn a variety of methods, which allows them to compete in the evolving world of construction in a conscience way, according to Instructor Heath Moody.

Students in Construction Management Technology oversaw the construction of a NC Healthy-Built modular home by Carpentry, Electrical Technology, Welding and CAD Technology students.

"This home utilizes super insulated box beam headers, closed-cell foam insulation, natural clay plaster, spacing for more room for insulation, as well as a flex design to fit different needs for occupants," Moody said.

Carpentry I students have worked with Vance Elementary on a cob structure in a community garden. Cob is a building material consisting of clay, sand, straw, water, and earth, similar to adobe. Cob is fireproof, resistant to seismic activity, and inexpensive. "In this project, students get a crash course in the ancient art of cob construction from local natural builder Tony Beurskins," Moody said. "Students not only get to stomp in the mud making cob, but get vital framing experience by building the roofs for the cob lion bench, cob concession stand, and a cob turtle-monster. Tony and I have been working together on projects for a few semesters now. It's been a great symbiotic relationship."

Students also framed a shed roof on a round structure, which was then planted to become a living roof. "The bottom of the roof panels were painted by Vance Elementary students, which have become a mural on the ceiling and creates collaboration, giving everyone ownership in the project," Moody said.

At Issac Dickson Elementary School, the Carpentry I students again got some good framing experience by building a hexagon roof over a cob pizza oven. The roof protects the cob oven from the elements and provides a little shade for parent volunteers who use the oven to sell pizza. More than $600 was raised for a student outing at one of the last pizza sales.

Ken Czarnomski's Carpentry II class built a mock roof structure to train photovoltaic installers and inspectors taking Frank Miceli's Residential Electrical Wiring class.

"This roof was constructed at a site on the Asheville campus, which will be our sustainable playground in which a variety of classes will be able to explore everything from appropriate energy alternatives, green building, sustainable landscape design and more," Moody said.

Miceli's students installed a photovoltaic array in the back of the Maple Annex, which produced more than 500 watts of energy for the house. "It's co-generating electricity for the building. If the building is not using any electricity, the power is available to be sold back to the power grid," Miceli said.

"This semester, we plan to expand and install our wind turbine and add more panels to the array. It shows tangible progress, real progress. The College is proactive at attaining sustainable energy," Miceli said. "There are many plans for many other things on our campus, this is just a small beginning." Biology instructor Scott Jackson worked with the NC Arboretum to get a $64,000 grant to build a series of rain gardens on campus to address water runoff issues.

"There are a lot of instructors and students who are doing a lot to address sustainability at A-B Tech, and hopefully administration will be able to find money to support more efforts," Moody said. "Community colleges play an important role in the changing economy by training for new jobs for appropriate solutions to energy, construction, ecological, and agricultural issues facing a world that must embrace the future of sustainability."

"Myself, Heath and others have drafted the President's Climate Commitment," said Ken Czarnomski, Construction Management Technology chair. "It is an active commitment throughout the US to reduce carbon footprint and reduce the use of energy on campus."

Czarnomski, Moody and Miceli also serve on the Global Institute for Sustainability Technologies (GIST) advisory board, and Construction Management faculty are members of the Western North Carolina Green Building Council.

"This is what we live everyday. It is a passion to interact with the environment, community and our economic structure," Czarnomski said.

Carpentry  Construction Management Technology  Electrical/Electronics Technology  Welding Technology  Computer-Aided Drafting Technology  Global Institute for Sustainability Technologies

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Students for a Sustainable Campus Active at A-B Tech

This past year Heath Moody, Carpentry and Construction Management instructor, began mentoring a group of students who are focused on implementing sustainable-based projects on A-B Tech campuses.

The projects include environmental education, renewable energy systems and energy efficiency, water conservation, sustainable landscape design, recycling and more organic and local food options on campus.

The purpose of Students For A Sustainable Campus (SSC) is to educate students, staff and faculty on the importance of sustainability and to be the voice to implement sustainable programs and technologies on campus

"That student organization is growing and has become inclusive to include everyone on campus," said Ken Czarnomski, Construction Management Technology chair. "The organization is pro-active."

"We would love for more people to get involved. Not just students, but faculty and staff," said Grace Harrison, who serves as the organization's honorary acting president. SSC meets at 1:30 p.m. the 2nd and 4th Friday of each month in Elm 211B.

Megan Pistolese, SSC's resource officer, is pursuing a grant through the National Wildlife Federation for the Clean Green Project to purchase environmentally-friendly cleaners and lawn maintenance materials.

The club has events planned for Earth Week and the Earth Day Festival. The Mobile Environmental Learning Center will be on campus during the week of April 20-24. The center shares environmental information, but is focused on recycling. "We're hoping instructors will take their classes to it and we're going to have volunteers to try and have it open all week," Harrison said.

Upcoming events include the films "FLOW (For the Love of Water)" and "The Story of Stuff" and a booth at the College's Earth Day celebration. A lunch and learn presentation on anti-drought solutions will be April 20. SSC also collaborates with the Global Institute for Sustainability Technologies.

"We are also putting electricity and paper conservation stickers throughout campus and on toilet paper and paper towel dispensers," Harrison said.

The College will celebrate Earth Day from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 24 with music food, environmental education displays and clean cars on display. The plastic utensils will be corn-based biodegradable, the plates will be recyclable, and the uneaten food will be composted. Faculty and staff members should bring their name badge for faster service in the food line.

The club will also be involved in SGA-sponsored events such as Grow the Campus Green, a day of beautification for the campus April 23. Each building will have a person for volunteers to contact. Individuals wishing to help may contact Michele Hathcock, Director of Recruitment, Student Activities and A-B Tech at the Mall, at Ext. 203.

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Call for Entries: A-B Tech Recycling Program Logo Competition


The Competition

A-B Tech's Sustainability Committee announces a competition to design a logo for the College's new and improved recycling program. Details of the program will be unveiled at Earth Day April 24.

Any A-B Tech student or employee may submit an entry in the competition. The Sustainability Committee will select five finalists, whose entries will be on display at Earth Day.

Earth Day attendees will cast their votes for the winner by depositing recyclable cans and bottles in bins placed in front of each finalist during the event. The finalist with the highest number of votes will be the winner.

Finalists will be chosen based on criteria that include:

The Prizes

The Global Institute for Sustainability Technologies (GIST) will award the creator of the winning entry $200, and the remaining four finalists, $50 each. Winners will be notified by email or telephone after the voting is complete.

How to Enter

Entries should be submitted by one of the following methods to Director of Communications Mona Cornwell by 4:30 p.m. April 17, 2009.

E-mail

Entries may be emailed to mcornwell@abtech.edu. The subject line of the email should read: "A-B Tech Recycling Logo - Name of Entrant."

Hard Copy or Disk

Entries via hard copy or disk should be delivered to Mona Cornwell on the second floor of the Simpson Administration Building or mailed to:

Mona Cornwell
A-B Tech
340 Victoria Road
Asheville, NC 28801

All entrants must provide their complete contact details (name, address, phone number and email) with their submission.

The winner and four runners-up will be notified by email or telephone after the voting is completed.

The Fine Print

Designs submitted to A-B Tech for entry in the competition will be considered the exclusive property of A-B Tech. A-B Tech shall be entitled to use its ownership rights in any manner and for any purpose that A-B Tech in its sole discretion deems appropriate, including use of the images for advertising purposes.

By submitting a logo for entry, the designer acknowledges that he/she is the person who made the logo and its rightful owner. The designer also certifies that the logo does not infringe upon the rights of any third party and that it does not violate any copyright.

The contest winner must agree to allow any changes or modifications to be made to the winning design as deemed necessary by A-B Tech to prepare it for use as the College's recycling program logo. The winner also may be asked to submit the final logo in additional formats, sizes, or colors.

Contest entries will not be returned to the designers. No responsibility can be accepted for entries that are lost, delayed or damaged. A-B Tech will not be liable for reimbursement of any costs involved in the preparation or submission of entries. The College also will not be liable for any damage or loss suffered by any person taking part or not being able to take part in the competition.

Global Institute for Sustainability Technologies

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Sustainability Classes Through GIST Having Great Success »

 

Tech Talk is published by the Communications Office for employees and friends of Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College.
Editor: Mona Cornwell, Writer: Martha Ball, Designers: Justin Page, April Sides
Send submissions to: Mona Cornwell, Director of Communications, at mcornwell@abtech.edu
Publication of the next issue is scheduled for May 1. Deadline for submissions is April 17.