Nova Scotia Power and the Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) want to lead the way to a more sustainable energy future and improve the way energy is used across our province.
When planning for the two buildings at its Waterfront Campus in Dartmouth, NSCC went beyond physical space, focusing on sustainability. The first building at the Waterfront Campus constructed in 2008 is 50 per cent more energy efficient than most new buildings.
The Centre for the Built Environment (CBE) opened in November 2010. Nova Scotia Power has made a major investment in NSCC to fund the renewable energy technologies that will power the CBE.
The building itself aims for carbon neutrality. The physical building will use solar, wind and geothermal energy. It will feature a planted roof and bio-walls that support indigenous plant life outside and exotic plants inside. The building is designed to evolve with new building technologies as they become available. The building will be a living lab where faculty, students and industry partners can test new systems and monitor their effectiveness in real time. It will enhance student learning and allow the construction sector to develop leading-edge environmental knowledge and sustainable practices.
Nova Scotia Power and NSCC will explore new ways of reducing energy consumption in built environments (new and retrofit). Our work together will increase practical knowledge about the use of renewable energy technologies. The CBE offers a showcase opportunity to apply and demonstrate renewable energy technology in a highly public venue. The resulting collaboration has the potential to benefit not only graduates of NSCC, but also all citizens of Nova Scotia for decades to come.
The "College of Electrical Knowledge" (CEK) is a partnership between Nova Scotia Power Incorporated (NSPI) and Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC). The purpose of the initiative is to increase awareness of electrical safety. In pursuit of this goal, the College hosts a number of free, online courses about electrical safety.
Check our the CEK here: http://access.nscc.ns.ca/nspi/ (opens in new window)