The Architectural Technology program at Holland College has formed an educational partnership with Nova Scotia Community College, Hanze University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands and the Institute of Technology Carlow in Ireland. Architectural Technology students and faculty will participate in an international exchange project focused on developing energy-efficient solutions for the built environment.

The partnership, dubbed Energy Efficiency in the Built Environment, is a three-year project that allows students and faculty to travel between Canada, Ireland and the Netherlands to plan and execute residential energy efficiency projects. The project is funded by Human Resources and Skills Development Canada and the European Union.

Project-based learning activities will involve teams of students and faculty from each partner institution that will come together at one host institution per academic term to work with local community partners, industry and relevant government and non-governmental agencies. The teams will work together at each host site to solve energy efficiency challenges. This year the three-week exchange will take place at the Institute of Technology Carlow in Ireland during March.

“How we train and educate the next generation to design and build infrastructure and use energy has important implications for the future in Canada and the EU,” said Bruceyene Collins, instructor for the Architectural Technology program. “Faculty from educational institutions in Canada and the EU developed an innovative educational program focused on energy efficiency in the built environment. The project recognizes and addresses this international curricular challenge through a Transatlantic Exchange Partnership. The Energy Efficiency in the Built Environment Project is an intensive three weeks of study that enables students to take a leadership role in significantly improving energy efficiency practice in the built environment industry, and to prepare built environment students for work in an international context. The exchange is a wonderful opportunity for our students.”

“Holland College will host the international exchange in the fall of 2012 with students from the Netherlands, Ireland and Nova Scotia participating in the project”, said Natalie Mitton, program manager for Applied Science and Engineering Technology.

The Architectural Technology program is a two-year comprehensive training program that encompasses all aspects of the architectural building industry. It offers an intensive study of architectural building sciences, the principles of architectural and engineering design, materials of construction and the preparation of contract documents.