Energy Policy Action Plan Facebook Discussion page and tell us how you are taking on your policy challenges.

Don't Miss... 

 Find a comprehensive list of events and announcements on theseedcenter.org.

Resources:

Landmark Building Codes Finalized  

The updates from the International Codes Council (ICC) represent the largest single-step efficiency increase in the history of the national energy code. It requires homes and buildings to achieve energy savings 30% higher than the 2006 code.  

USGBC offers Free Guide on Financing Campus Building Retrofits 

A free copy of The Paid-from-Savings Guide to Green Existing Buildings, normally valued at $50, is available to community colleges and minority-serving institutions.
E-mail to request a copy.  

Conferences:  

See AACC & SEED featured at these upcoming partner conferences:

League for Innovation STEMtech 

Indianapolis, In. 

10/2-5/11

 USGBC's GREENBUILD

Toronto, Canada

Oct 4-7, 2011

AASHE Conference & Expo

Pittsburg, Pa.

10/9-12/11

NCCET/NCWE Conference

St. Louis, Mo. 

  10/22-25/11 

ACEEE National Conference on Energy Efficiency as a Resource 

 Denver, Co.

Webinars:

SEED's Building Quality Workforce Development Programs for Real Energy Efficiency Jobs 

1 PM EDT, 9/23/11 

Monthly Community College Sustainability Webinar 

1 PM CST, 9/28/11 

DOE Energy Webinar Series 

Through the next month, the the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) presents a series of webinars about the Guidelines for Quality Work-Standard Work Specifications for Multifamily Homes currently under development.   

Bard Center for Environmental Policy National Climate (Call-in) Seminars
12 PM EST, Multiple dates: 9/7/11-12/7/11

Conference:  

Green California Community College Summit

Pasadena, Ca.
10/17-18/11

California's community colleges - the nation's largest system of higher education - are essential to California's push to develop green jobs and businesses. Learn about innovation, technology, and practice to advance and support this system.  

Welcome 17 New  Members, August

Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College, Nc. 

Blue Ridge Community College

Weyers Cave, Va.  

Bowling Green Technical College, Ky. 

Cisco College, Tx. 

Eastern West Virginia Community & Technical College

Moorefield, Wv.

Georgia Perimeter College

Decatur, Ga.

Germanna Community College

Locust Grove, Va.

Iowa Central Community College

Fort Dodge, Ia.

Jefferson Davis Community College

Brewton, Al.

Lake Michigan College

Benton Harbor, Mi.

Manchester Community College, Nh. 

Morgan Community College

Fort Morgan, Co.

North Shore Community College

Danvers, Ma.

Olympia College

Bremerton, Wa.

Pellissippi State Community College

Knoxville, Tn.

Technical College of the Lowcountry

Beaufort, Sc.

Western Dakota Tech

Rapid City, Sd.

Issue 8, September 15, 2011

Community Colleges  

Shaping State and Local Energy Policies

AACC's SEED Initiative Releases First in Green Action Plan Series

Policy and Jobs in Energy Efficiency

Steven Nadel

Executive Director

American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy  

Investments in energy efficiency are growing steadilyand as a result thousands of jobs are being created to design and implement programs and to specify, install, and maintain energy-saving projects.  Some of the recent growth has been driven by about $25 billion in energy efficiency funding included in 2009 federal economic stimulus legislation.  The last of these funds will be spent in 2012.  More importantly for the future, electric and natural gas utilities are investing in programs to help their customers use energy more efficiently.  Utility investments in turn are driven by state policy, including state legislation as well as guidance from state public utility commissions (find more information on state energy efficiency policies, state-by-state.)

So, what types of jobs are being generated?  Read more. 

Prospects for Clean Energy Training Legislation

Laurie Quarles

Legislative Associate

American Association of Community Colleges 

As concerns about the nation's economy continue to dominate the news, President Obama and the Congressional leadership have introduced new jobs legislation early this month. In addition to supporting tax incentives for businesses to hire new employees, the Administration is pushing a national infrastructure project designed to repair bridges and highways, support for job training, and clean energy job growth.  

While it will continue to be an uphill battle to preserve funding for many of the current community college priority programs, including federal student aid and workforce training programs, there is some specific legislation worth monitoring that support the Administration's agenda. Read more. 

As more and more community colleges integrate energy efficiency training and education into new and existing programs, it is critical that a foundation for quality exists.    

Hear what newly developed U.S. Department of Energy standards for the home energy retrofit and weatherization workforce mean for your college's program and learn how to take advantage of a national assessment opportunity that provides evidence to students and employers that the skills you are teaching are the right ones. Lane Community College will be highlighted as a national model for its ability to prepare students for real jobs. 

Presenters:  

Benjamin Goldstein

Project Lead, U.S. DOE/Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

Pat Fox

Director of Operations, Interstate Renewable Energy Council (IREC)

Roger Ebbage

Director of Energy and Water Programs,

Northwest Energy Education Institute, Lane Community College

Date: Friday, September 23, 2011 

Time: 1:00pm EDT, 60 minutes  

Who should attend:

• Community college workforce development professionals, faculty, and staff
• Workforce system representatives  
• Public and private sector community leaders interested in growing a green workforce

In partnership with Bucks County Renewables, the Green Jobs Academy at Bucks Community College held an electric-vehicle conversion workshop at the Middle Bucks Institute of Technology in Jamison, Pa. The hands-on course attracted nation-wide participation.

Learn more about Bucks County Community College SEED's College's in Action Success Story, "Bucks County Community College Fuels Green Training Through Continuing Education". 

Kennebec Valley Community College (Maine)  

has opened a new solar heating and cooling lab 

to become home to a solar technology training program that  prepares participants from other community colleges to be solar technology trainers. The U.S. Department of Energy chose the college as one of nine regional resource and training sites across the nation. Read more. 

North Iowa Area Commuity College (NIACC) 

leads the North Iowa Energy Serctor Team, a green job-training program for individuals in the area designed to stimulate the regional economy and upgrade workers' job skills to meet the needs of the flourishing green economy. Read more. 

Northern Maine Community College's

additions to it's wind technology curriculum garner local media attention as national inspiration. See video.   

The state of California is encouraging more green power by implementing a unique new financing technique to stimulate the immediate development of small-scale renewable energy projects, Renewable Auction Mechanism.  California is one of few governments world-wide using this kind of financing, and the first in the United States. Read more.