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SPC establishes Office of Sustainability

 
      St. Petersburg College announced today it will implement plans and programs to minimize global warming and provide graduates with the knowledge they need to achieve a more sustainable future.
            The college’s new Office for Sustainability provides assistance and direction as SPC implements environmental education programs, student activities and corporate training. It focuses on energy and natural resource conservation, green buildings, carbon emissions and recycling.
            The college has begun courses and degree programs to train professionals in sustainability, which is defined as meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
            Among the new initiatives:
  • A “Sustainable Systems Design and Development” course.
  • Green lodging instruction in the Hospitality A.S. degree.
  • An emphasis on sustainability in the Parks and Leisure Services program.
  • Incorporation of water conservation into the Management Technology A.S. degree. Students certified in water treatment may move into the Industrial Management Technology A.A.S. degree.
  • Incorporation of sustainable construction practices and awareness into the Architectural Design and Construction Technology Associates A.S. degree and Building Construction Technology certificate.
  • Ongoing development of an Environmental Science Technology A.S. degree with tracks in water, energy and sustainability.
            The College of Technology and Management (CTM) offers a Sustainability and Green Management track as part of the B.A.S. in Management and Organizational Leadership, encompassing Sustainable Enterprise Planning, Energy and Environmental Techniques, and Sustainability and Environmental Issues.
            In 2009, CTM will offer a bachelor’s of science degree in Sustainability Management, which will focus on sustainable business strategies, legal aspects of sustainability, and sustainability in built and natural environments.
            The college recently announced an agreement with the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) to provide LEED AP examination training. Also, it is assembling a Collaborative Lab on local and regional water needs.
            Other environmental efforts include construction of two LEED certified buildings -- Student Services at the St. Petersburg/Gibbs Campus and Natural Science and Math at the Clearwater Campus. All new construction will be certified as required by the 2008 Florida Energy Bill.
            “It is our intention to become a leader of the sustainability movement inside the classroom, throughout the college and within the community,” said Jason Green, the college’s new Sustainability Coordinator.

December 18, 2008

SPC Office of Institutional Advancement - P.O. Box 13489, St. Petersburg, Florida 33733