Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut Calif. has just graduated its first HVAC/Mechanical Controls Class using building controls Training Modules and products contributed by Siemens Building Technologies Division. The program was developed for the school by Rick Creed of Air-Ex Air Conditioning in Pomona, a Siemens Value-Added Partner.
The program which falls under the Industrial and Welding Departments at the college was funded under a grant by the California Department of Labor. Currently the course is offered as a government program only to those either underemployed or unemployed. According to Creed however, the college is planning on financing the program itself in mid-2012 and intends to offer it to all students.
The program course work is based on Siemens BACnet Training Modules as well as controls and other Siemens Talon product line devices. Classes are held in a dedicated building that offers five zones to simulate different buildings and building HVAC control issues. The facility enables students not only to learn programming but also installation techniques and controls troubleshooting in a real-world environment.
The entire program is a two year process. Once enrolled, students go through five phases of training—not only at Mt. San Antonio but also at two other colleges: Chaffey College and Rio Hondo College in Rancho Cucamonga and Pico Rivera, Calif. respectively. During the course, students are treated as if they were employed full time, exposed to a real-world working environment which includes an interview process to enter the program. Upon graduation the students receive an Associate’s Degree in Mechanical and Industrial Arts. BD+C
Related Stories
| Dec 16, 2013
Construction materials prices remain stable in November
Overall, construction materials prices fell 0.5 percent in November and are up only 1.1 percent year over year, according to the Department of Labor’s Dec. 13 Producer Price Index.
| Dec 16, 2013
Helene Combs Dreiling, FAIA, inaugurated 2014 AIA President
Helene Combs Dreiling, FAIA, executive director of the Virginia Center for Architecture, was inaugurated as the 90th president of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) during ceremonies held on December 12th at the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium. She succeeds Mickey Jacob, FAIA, in representing nearly 83,000 AIA members.
| Dec 13, 2013
GRW acquires West Virginia design firm Chapman Technical Group
GRW is expanding its capabilities through the recent acquisition of Chapman Technical Group, a 36-person West Virginia-based firm.
| Dec 13, 2013
AIA, MIT issue joint report on impact of design on public health
The research looks at the health of eight U.S. cities and lays out a path for translating the research into meaningful findings for policy makers and urban planners.
| Dec 11, 2013
Wyndham unveils hotel prototype for its Hawthorn Suites chain
The extended-stay hotel prototype reduces development costs by 46% for franchisees and enhances the overall guest experience.
| Dec 10, 2013
16 great solutions for architects, engineers, and contractors
From a crowd-funded smart shovel to a why-didn’t-someone-do-this-sooner scheme for managing traffic in public restrooms, these ideas are noteworthy for creative problem-solving. Here are some of the most intriguing innovations the BD+C community has brought to our attention this year.
| Dec 9, 2013
Tips for designing higher education's newest building type: the learning commons
In this era of scaled-down budgets, maximized efficiencies, new learning methods and social media’s domination of face time, college and university campuses are gravitating toward a new space type: the learning commons.
| Dec 9, 2013
Does technology help or hinder innovation?
Whether digital technology will help or hinder workplace insights remains a topic of ongoing debate. FastCo.Design features insights from business scholars on both sides of the issue.
| Dec 6, 2013
French concert hall includes integrated musical elements [VIDEO]
La Métaphone, a concert hall in Ognies, France, is a 1,980-sm facility with the unique characteristic of being a structural musical instrument. The solar-powered building incorporates musical elements in its walls, which can be played by musicians inside or outside the facility.
| Dec 6, 2013
Goettsch Partners selected 2013 AIA Chicago Firm of the Year
Architecture firm Goettsch Partners (GP) has been named the 2013 Firm of the Year, as conferred by the Chicago chapter of the American Institute of Architects (AIA Chicago). The award is the highest honor a firm can receive from the chapter.