CU Wins Solar Home Competition/CAPA, CCA Tackling Fuel Costs/Aims Community College Lands DOL Grant

Students from the University of Colorado at Boulder topped 17 other colleges and universities to successfully defend the school's title at the 2005 Solar Decathlon, held this year in Washington, D.C.

CU Boulder Takes Solar Home Contest

The University of Colorado at Boulder successfully defended its title as champions of the International Solar Decathlon competition, held in October in Washington, D.C.

CU was one of 18 universities competing in the U.S. Department of Energy-sponsored event, which started on Oct. 7 on the National Mall.

Cornell University placed second and California Polytechnic State University finished third.

The international contest challenged students to design, build and operate the most attractive, efficient and comfortable solar home while educating the public about alternative energy technologies. An estimated 100,000 people toured the homes in the "Solar Village" during the 10-day event.

CU also took the first-place trophy in the inaugural Solar Decathlon in 2002.

The project was a two-year effort involving students from CU's College of Architecture and Planning and the College of Engineering and Applied Science, with professors Julee Herdt of architecture and Michael Brandemuehl of engineering serving as faculty advisers.

CAPA.CCA Coalition Will Address Rising Fuel Prices

The American Council of Engineering Companies of Colorado moved its office to 800 Grant St., Suite 100, Denver.

The move was made to provide space for expanded staff and accommodate the business association's committee meetings and programs. Phone and fax numbers remain the same.The Colorado Asphalt Pavement Association and the Colorado Contractors Association have joined forces to address the rising cost of fuel.

The coalition's focus is ongoing discussions with Colorado Department of Transportation officials about granting relief to contractors affected by recent increases in the price of fuel. CDOT officials have indicated they are open to a proposal from the industry on how that might be accomplished.

DOL Awards $125M in Job Training Grants

The U.S. Department of Labor awarded $125 million in training grants in October to 70 community colleges, including $818,691 to Aims Community College in Greeley.

The schools were competing for the president's Community-Based Job Training Grants. As part of the national response to Hurricane Katrina, the department gave preference to competitive applications from Gulf Coast and southeast colleges whose programs will be critical to rebuilding the regional economy.

First introduced by President Bush in his 2004 State of the Union Address, Community-Based Job Training Grants will support work-force training for high-growth industries through the nation's community and technical colleges. Projects receiving funding include the construction, advanced manufacturing, energy and health care sectors.

The 70 grants awarded this fall will fund projects in 40 states, including Colorado and Wyoming.

USGBC Calls for Sustainability in Gulf Coast Reconstruction

The U.S Green Building Council announced this fall a full complement of initiatives and ideas designed to assist in the rebuilding efforts of Gulf Coast communities ravaged by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

The council partnered with the Enterprise Foundation, Habitat for Humanity, the Trust for Public Land and others to present a series of discussions on the topic during its annual Greenbuild Conference & Expo last month in Atlanta.

Bill Browning, a partner in the Washington, D.C.-based firm Browning + Banning LLC and the founder of Rocky Mountain Institute's Green Development Services, lead the effort.

Browning gained experience in disaster recovery work during the massive flooding in the 1990s of the Mississippi flood plains and from working with relief agencies on sustainable design for refugee settlements.

The green build panel sessions focused on embedding sustainable strategies in the rebuilding effort; all the ideas will be compiled to quickly produce a workable document that will guide reconstruction.

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