Fayetteville Technical Community College will join Fayetteville State University and the Fayetteville Public Works Commission in a collaborative effort to create a foundation for new green-economy jobs with a $900,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Energy.
The $900,000 grant was awarded to Fayetteville State University (FSU) for the establishment of a Fayetteville-Cumberland Regional Building Training and Assessment Center (BTAC) and FSU will lead the collaborative effort, aimed at launching new services to reduce energy use in commercial and institutional buildings.
Data from the U.S. Department of Energy indicates that the typical commercial building has the unrealized potential to cost-effectively reduce energy consumption by 40-60% per year, saving thousands of dollars in energy costs, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the process. However, there are currently very limited resources available in southeastern North Carolina to help small businesses and churches and schools identify all these potential savings opportunities. The BTAC will address this gap by offering training leading to specialized certifications for technicians, for professional contractors, and for students studying construction management. In addition, faculty will collaborate with PWC to offer free energy assessments for qualifying buildings, working with faculty-led student teams. With this well-trained talent, it is anticipated that energy assessment will become an important growth driver for new and existing contractors, creating new jobs and new opportunities. The center will serve as a catalyst for growth across a historically underserved and economically challenged 10-county region, training individuals in optimizing the energy efficiency of commercial and institutional buildings.
“FSU is accepting the charge to drive economic ascension in Fayetteville and the surrounding Sandhills Region by meeting the demand for workforce and sustainability needs with highly trained and skilled leaders living, learning and working in this region,” said FSU Chancellor Darrell T. Allison. “We are thankful for the U.S. Department of Energy awarding our proposal funding as it furthers our mission to enhance the quality of life for individuals in Cumberland County and the surrounding nine counties in the Sandhills Region. The BTAC will drive better jobs and lead to more sustainable environment through enhanced energy efficiency.”
Fayetteville Technical Community College is “keenly focused on preparing a workforce aligned with the economic development needs of our state and region,” said Dr. Mark Sorrells, FTCC’s president. “Green energy and efficient energy are critical elements in creating a more sustainable economic base for our future. We appreciate the opportunity to be a part of this unique endeavor.”
Timothy Bryant, CEO of the Fayetteville Public Works Commission, said that “as a utility that seeks to be innovative and customer focused, this collaboration with FSU and FTCC represents an ideal opportunity to serve our customers and our community in an endeavor that will have long-lasting impact.”
Fayetteville Mayor Mitch Colvin said, “This collaborative effort to create new talent pipelines for next generation jobs is an excellent example of the strategies that are going to propel our community forward.”
