Cleveland State Community College has been awarded $861,840 from the Community Based Job Training Grant (CBJTG) from the U.S. Department of Labor to upgrade the Associate of Applied Science degree and certificate program for Construction Technology into the Energy Efficient Residential Construction program. This degree and certificate program will be upgraded to provide training in the proper uses of newly developed energy efficient residential construction materials and systems, and the safe and proper electric utility grid inter-tie methods for installing photovoltaic (PV) “green energy” individually generated power producing solar panels., which will provide an upgraded training program to respond to the Zero Energy Home (ZEH) residential concept. The program will incorporate the solar PV grid-tied installation certification preparation, provide experience in working with energy efficient walls made from Structural Insulated Panels (SIPs), foundation walls made from Concrete Insulated Panels (CIPs), other energy efficient construction practices, and knowledge concerning geothermal HVAC heat and air systems; all working together to meet the goal of producing the ZEH.

Proposed Training & Capacity Building - The grant program will assist in building the capacity of the new program through providing the following program elements:

• Specialized training facilities and equipment,
• Curriculum development,
• Apprenticeship development into the K-12 system (Cleveland City High School),
• 50 1-year scholarships to Cleveland State to be used by those High School students (and others similarly qualified) for national certification as a solar installer,
• Training expertise from qualified and certified instructors
• Outreach program with local industry/builders

Partnerships: Cleveland State Community College has working relationships with the following strategic partners who will guide curriculum and program development:

• Cleveland Utilities (CU);
• Ocoee Region Builders Association (ORBA), the local residential builders
• Oak Ridge National Labs (ORNL), the researchers and builders of demonstration ZEHs;
• Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), the green-energy purchasers;
• Cleveland High School, the local K-12 institution;
• One Stop Career Center, the local WIA agency;
• Big Frog Mountain Company, the regional alternative energy supplier and only NABCEP nationally certified solar installer in the state;
• Southern Alliance for Clean Energy (SACE), the regional Million Solar Roofs coordinator;
• TN Energy Division, Economic & Community Development;
• The Cleveland State Community College Technology Department.