A-B Tech Elevates Green Building Education

BY SUSANNA SHETLEY

With many public school curriculums moving away from skilled trades, it can be a challenge to find individuals with construction and building-related skills. Additionally, as climate change continues, those entering the construction field need more knowledge on sustainable building and utilizing natural, energy-efficient resources and materials.

Luckily, there appears to be somewhat of a pendulum swing with more community colleges and universities offering degrees, diplomas, and certificates in construction and sustainable building. Asheville-Buncombe Community College offers an array of options for sustainable building education.

Sustainable Programming at the Community College Level

“We run a constant theme of sustainability throughout all of our courses and programs,” said Heath Moody, department chair for construction and sustainability curriculum programs at A-B Tech. “That’s the direction the industry is moving, so all of our classes touch on it but several of our courses are specific to sustainable building.”

The community college offers an associate of applied science (A.A.S) degree in construction management technologies, which prepares individuals to supervise, manage, and inspect construction sites, buildings, and other facilities. Student coursework includes sustainable building and design, print reading, building codes, estimating, construction materials and methods, and other topics related to design and construction occupations.

Not only are these students eligible for entry-level management positions in traditional commercial and residential construction, they are also eligible for non-traditional construction projects such as large wind turbines and photovoltaic (PV) solar projects.

A second A.A.S. degree is available in the field of sustainability technologies. This is a two-year program centered around sustainability within the energy and construction fields. Students learn and acquire skills associated with renewable energy, energy auditing and green building. A one-year diploma in building construction science is also available. Some of these students transfer into twoyear programs in Construction Management and/or Sustainability Technologies. Some AAS students transfer to a university and attain four-year degrees.

Along with the diploma and associate’s degrees, A-B Tech offers several certificate options related to construction. These include a construction and millwork certificate, a construction management certificate, and a solar photovoltaic certificate.

“Many of our students interested in renewable energy and green building are wanting careers that present solutions to some of society’s biggest challenges. They don’t want careers that contribute to outdated infrastructure which compound existing problems,” said Moody.

Hands-on Learning and Collaborations

In addition to gaining skills and knowledge in a classroom setting, Asheville-Buncombe Community College offers a number of handson/lab-intensive programs that provide students training with tools, equipment, and materials used in the industry. Three of their carpentry classes (CST-111, CST-112, and CST-113) cover residential construction and advanced framing. These courses use traditional lectures and presentations in class then take that knowledge to the shop where students build small 8-foot-by-8-foot nano structures.

“We build small structures mainly because of time and space,” said Moody. “The small buildings give the students enough hands-on experience to grasp the concepts and hone their skills with materials and methods for each phase of construction without being too overwhelming. We hope to one day have a building on campus that we can use for these labs.”

A-B Tech PV solar labs are taught alongside a licensed electrician and training modules, using the same brand components and processes as local solar installers. Students learn to read schematics and install the various components as well as mounting systems and other elements. The school recently received a grant to build more solar trainers. The PV certificate enables students to obtain micro-credentials such as a North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners ( NAB CEP) certification.

Other classes offer shadowing opportunities to introduce students to local businesses in construction and sustainability. Some students volunteer with Habitat for Humanity.

“The Asheville Habitat group has agreed to showcase some of our nano-pods at the Habitat Restore, which will be a great exposure for our programs,” said Moody. “The Builders Association of the Blue Ridge Mountains (formerly known as Asheville Home Builders Association) recently raffled two of the nano-structures. Proceeds went to scholarships in trade programs to train for the skilled trades. Our programs have a rich history of these types of collaborations, which truly emphasizes the ‘community’ in community college.”

Looking Ahead

The North Carolina education system is facing post-COVID financial challenges, which typically means austerity and budget cuts for educators and other North Carolina public services. Educators have not received a significant raise since the last recession, which makes it hard to attract teachers into the system. Further, there’s a shortage of skilled trade workers which is problematic in a number of ways.

“Many don’t seem to understand how important these skilled-trade jobs are to keep society moving,” said Moody. “Our curriculum programs in the skilled trades are some of the oldest on campus and helped create the successful community college AB Tech is today.”

After their time in the program, some students carry their skills directly into employment while others put sweat equity into building their own home or working on renovation projects. Other students become contractors, solar installers, and construction managers.

Many A-B Tech courses transfer to universities such as Western Carolina and Appalachian State. Entering larger institutions as transfer students helps save money and time for those wanting to earn a bachelor’s degree.

“The great thing about community college is the diversity of the student population. We have students of all ages, genders, races and backgrounds,” said Moody. “This adds a lot of value and cross pollination as younger students may be better with newer technologies and older students have a wealth of experience to share. During their time at A-B Tech, students will certainly gain skills but they also gain a valuable network with other students and the industry advocate groups such as Green Built Alliance and the Builders Association of the Blue Ridge Mountains.”

Susanna Shetley is a full-time writer living in Waynesville. She is an award-winning columnist for The Smoky Mountain News and writes for a number of other publications. In 2 019, she published a children's book called “The Jolt Felt Around the World” which encourages children to care for Mother Earth.