Vermont Technical College - Sustainable Design and Technology BS, Green Energy Track

http://www.vtc.edu/section_academic_programs/sustainable_design/

Randolph Center, VT
Joan Richmond-Hall, Ph.D.
Program Coordinator
(802) 728-1717
jrichmond@vtc.edu

Sustainable Design & Technology is a cross-disciplinary program grounded in the belief that students who understand the fundamentals of technology, business, and the regulations that govern both can be effective agents for sustainable change. The program seeks to create graduates committed to using technology to grow a sustainable economy, act as stewards of our environment and resources, and to educate others about the benefits of a more sustainable college and community. SDT graduates will provide businesses with highly valued employees with a blend of technical skills, project management and communication skills.

The SDT +2 curriculum emphasizes application of technology in service of sustainable goals, and an understanding of the fundamentals of business, regulation, and permitting. Students will enter on one of three tracks: Green Energy; Green Buildings; or Green Sites. The Green Energy track focuses on traditional and alternative means of producing, using and conserving energy. Green Buildings involves the creation and renovation of residential and commercial buildings that conserve energy without sacrificing function and design, and are built with sustainable materials, with a goal of LEED certification. Green Sites focuses on responsible design, engineering and
creation of building sites (residential and commercial), roads, farms, and water systems in order to minimize environmental impact, improve quality of life, and promote an ethic of stewardship of the land and our natural resources.

The program’s first year uses a team approach to problems solving, bringing together teams of students from different technical backgrounds to emphasize that success always requires the cooperation and communication with people of diverse viewpoints. The curriculum balances technical skills with a sustainable perspective, and interpersonal skills. Summer internships pair students with companies and institutions using or considering green technologies. In senior projects (Design Studios) students will solicit problems from the college and larger community and work in cross-disciplinary teams to find and apply solutions. Students will learn to use critical thinking skills and cost-benefit analysis to determine whether, when, where and how green or sustainable technologies can be applied.

Retrieved from Vermont Technical College website on 12/29/2009.