Building Controls Technician (BCT)

Beginning in fall 2013

The BCT sector is currently showing a deficiency of individuals who not only understand energy use within commercial buildings but who can also implement control changes to energy using systems. A large portion of new buildings and/or LEED certified buildings utilize advanced building control systems (BAS) to optimize efficient building performance and operations. These systems can be very complex and often are setup with manufactures default settings that aren't utilized and or applicable to an individual building. Commissioning is a vital part of verifying if a building is operating as it was designed to be but building controls technicians who understand energy and water usage can often make small adjustments to the systems to achieve even greater efficiency.

Renewable Energy Technician

Oregon law requires all renewable energy installers to be licensed, and this may require participation in a State recognized apprenticeship program. Please contact us at (541) 463-6170 for further information on apprenticeship opportunities.

This professional technical program is offered as a second year option within the Energy Management Program. The coursework prepares students for employment designing and installing solar electric and domestic hot water systems. An advisory committee made up of renewable energy practitioners guides program development.

Renewable students, along with Energy Management students, take a first-year curriculum in commercial energy efficiency giving them a solid background that includes residential energy efficiency, HVAC systems, lighting, and the usual requirement of physics and math.

In the second year, renewable students diverge from the Energy Management curriculum and take coursework that starts with two courses in electricity fundamentals and one course in energy economics. In the following terms students learn to design, install, and develop a thorough understanding of photovoltaics (PV) and domestic hot water (DHW) systems.

Water Conservation Technician (WCT)

Globally, water issues are at crisis levels. Nationally, water providers are scrambling to replace aging infrastructure, retiring employees and maintain quality and ecologic integrity. Water stressors like climate change, population growth and increasing pollution are compounded by lack of awareness.

Educational opportunities that provide technicians with the skills and knowledge needed to design, implement and evaluate water conservation programs are uncommon in higher education. Agencies have relied on job training until now!

The Water Conservation Technician program is a career-technical curriculum offered as a two-year Associate of Applied Science degree. It trains individuals to evaluate water use patterns; develop, implement, maintain and market conservation programs; perform public outreach; recommend water efficiency techniques; and perform systems analysis to solve problems.

Resource Conservation Manager (RCM)

Program will be retired spring 2013 due to job placement results not matching the anticipated job market.

The RCM sector is currently showing exponential growth. Regional utilities are developing significant programs that will require qualified graduates to be employed by school districts, higher education, and city and state agencies to help control their waste throughput. The US military has increased posted positions for Resource Efficiency Managers and Better Bricks, the education department of the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance has asked to join forces with the Energy Program to develop RCM coursework.