Adam Putnam to address Future of Energy at Seminole Campus of SPC

Adam Putnam

Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam will speak on diversifying Florida’s energy portfolio at the third and final installment of the Future of Energy series sponsored by the Institute for Strategic Policy Solutions at St. Petersburg College.

The forum is 6:30-8 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 22, in the Digitorium at the St. Petersburg College Seminole Campus, 9200 113th St. N. It is co-sponsored by the Tampa Bay Times, Covanta Energy, Clearwater Gas Systems and Nature’s Food Patch.

Putnam’s speech, “Increasing Diversity in Florida’s Energy Portfolio,” will discuss progress made in fulfilling a state energy policy goal of securing a stable, reliable and diverse energy supply for the state. He also is expected to discuss issues raised at the Florida Energy Summit, which is scheduled just a week before this forum, in Orlando.

As Commissioner of Agriculture, one of Putnam’s official duties is to foster innovation in energy development. His other responsibilities include providing an adequate and safe food and water supply, managing Florida’s forest resources, safeguarding consumers, and of course, promoting Florida agriculture.

One measure of progress on the energy policy front is legislation passed in the2012 session of the Florida Legislature. Putnam has called that legislation “a modest step forward toward a smart, long-term energy policy.” The bill, in which Putnam took a leadership role in securing passage, garnered bipartisan support from 156 members of the Legislature. Not only will it increase diversity in the state’s energy portfolio, it also will expand energy production and create much-needed jobs for Floridians, Putnam said.

Previous forums in the Institute for Strategic Policy Solutions’ series explored the future of nuclear energy (Part I) and the role of renewables, conservation and energy efficiency (Part II). The series highlights policy in order to help the community understand what is at stake for its energy future.

The forum is free, but advance registration is requested at spcollege.edu/solutions.

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Florida Commissioner of Agriculture to speak at Aug. 22 energy forum

Adam Putnam, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture, will be the guest speaker for the third installment of the Future of Energy series at the Seminole Campus Digitorium at 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 22.

Putnam will speak on Increasing Diversity in Florida’s Energy Portfolio, discussing progress made in fulfilling a state energy policy goal of securing a stable, reliable and diverse energy supply for the state.

His presentation will be followed by a question and answer session.

The event is sponsored by the Institute for Strategic Policy Solutions at St. Petersburg College.

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Collegiate High School graduate helps place Rice University on solar car fast-track

Juan Borbon, second from left, and the Rice University Solar Car Team placed second for its Solar Power Prototype at the Shell Eco-marathon Americas compeition in downtown Houston.

Year after year, SPC has helped place  students on the path to reaching their dreams. But the success stories don’t always start at the college level; they start as early as high school. The staff at SPC’s Collegiate High School has been equally effective in paving the pathway for students to recognize their dreams.

Collegiate High School graduate Juan Borbon was a dreamer, who is now watching his dreams come to fruition. A freshman majoring in Mechanical Engineering at Rice University in Houston, Borbon realized his dream of becoming a mechanical engineer was within reach when he joined SPC’s Innovative Engineering Club at the St. Petersburg/Gibbs Campus. Now on full scholarship at Rice, Borbon in his first year has had some exciting experiences. During his first semester, Borbon joined the Rice Solar Car Team in building an energy-efficient vehicle to use to compete against 130 other teams in the Shell Eco-marathon Americas. The road to the competition, which took place March 30 in downtown Houston, proved challenging. Novices to the world of building solar cars, Borbon and his team had plenty of work to do in a short time, beginning with raising the funds and acquiring the resources they would need before starting construction.

“By the end of the semester, we had $90,000 in sponsorship and $10,000 worth of donated software,” Borbon said. “We did run into one problem though … by the time we were fully funded, there were only three months left until the competition.”

The time constraint would only add more pressure to an already tense situation. Not only did the Rice Solar Car Team have to work quickly, but also efficiently if it wanted to place in the competition.

“To be honest, we didn’t expect to win because our design was too rushed,” Borbon said.

Therefore, instead of setting their sights on a win this year, the Rice team decided to use the event as an opportunity to announce the university’s presence in the solar car racing world and set up the platform to compete at a higher level in the future against industry leaders like Stanford, University of Michigan and MIT. The decision  proved to be a win-win situation for the team and the university, as the team’s Solar Power Prototype took second place in the solar category.

“I don’t know how or why we did so well, but I haven’t been this happy in a while,” he said. “With second place under our belt, our team has much more support. I am very confident that from now on it will be easier to acquire the funding to build the winning solar car for next year’s competition.”

Borbon attributes his success to the nurturing and motivation he received from the Collegiate High School staff. Before enrolling in the collegiate high school, Borbon said he really didn’t have a sense of direction and wasn’t even sure he would end up attending a university. But with the help and guidance of Collegiate High School staff, Yulonder Betts, Connie Boyle, and Principal Starla Metz, his life found direction.

“He is a remarkable young man, I’m immensely proud of Juan. In fact, he won an SPC award for our campus for his leadership in the engineering club when he was senior here,” Metz said. “That is what’s so wonderful about the collegiate high school, when students are on the college campus, they look around and all of a sudden the dream becomes a reality and they realize, ‘I am college bound. My dreams can come true, I can do this.’”

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Waste management documentary by students premieres

“Away: A Story of Trash” premieres May 11 at 7 p.m. in the Digitorium on the Seminole Campus.

A group of St. Petersburg College video production students have teamed with local PBS affiliate WEDU to produce and air the 30-minute television documentary, which will air in August.

The program, “Away: A Story of Trash” educates and entertains viewers about the history of waste management, the current practices and problems and what the average American’s perception of what “throwing away” garbage really means. The documentary shows how waste management has evolved from one man with a cart in Roman times, to the 243 million tons of waste that is collected every year and why we are soon going to have to find new ways to dispose of trash.

“I hope that the viewers will be educated enough to be influenced to take action and reduce the amount of waste that we create, so we can preserve the earth for future generations” said student Executive Producer Katie Bishop.

“It’s really amazing to see how much work actually goes into it the disposal of trash” she said, “The programs that waste management companies have in place, such as the Pinellas County waste to energy facility, really are the future of waste disposal.”

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St. Petersburg College architecture students design residence for New Orleans

     St Petersburg College architecture students Linaea Floden, Chris Galbraith, Greg Martinez and Jason Weldon have submitted a design for the 2010 U.S. Green Building Council Natural Talent Design Competition.

     The competition challenges entrants to design an affordable, LEED for Homes Platinum, 800-square-foot, environmentally friendly home for an elderly client in the Broadmoor neighborhood of New Orleans.

     The winning design will be selected by judges from New Orleans and nationally. The winning entry will be built under the supervision of the entry’s designer.

SPC’s ADA accessible design will cost under $100,000 to build. It features:

• Structural insulated panel construction (SIP) and pre-fabricated trusses which reduce material requirements, construction waste and construction time.
• Strategically placed windows and doors to allow for significant breezes through the home, reducing the impact on HVAC.
• Recycled siding and decking wood from Mississippi River barges, purchased through the local restoration effort “Rebuilding Together, New Orleans.”
• Drought resistant, native landscaping with little to no turf.
• Large trees on the south side of the structure to maximize shading and natural cooling.

     The SPC design team found that New Orleans has a rich history and community, enabling its evolution.

     Respecting the tradition and history, without directly reproducing it, the design echoes the forms of the historical architecture of the area.

     “Rather than being abandoned after Hurricane Katrina, the strong historical and community ties actually take New Orleans to the next level,” said Linaea Floden, SPC architecture student and project leader.  “The local culture is so strong and iconic that it is unique within our country.”

     As a design team, they asked, “How does the home reflect this culture?”

     Their solution was to divide the home into three zones: one public, one private, and one transitional. For security purposes, the design provides living and dining spaces in the front, and bedrooms toward the back.  The kitchen serves to join the two.

     Large windows at the front of the house allow the interior to open up to the front porch and then to the street.  For added security, a large scale louver system protects the glass during storms.

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St. Petersburg College to install rooftop solar project

St. Petersburg College will begin installing its first photovoltaic system on the Clearwater campus March 19.

The system, which will generate power for the electrical grid, will be installed on the roof of the LEED Gold Natural Science, Mathematics and College of Education building, already one of Tampa bay’s most environmentally friendly buildings.

Installation should take about a week.

“The 3.5 kilowatt thin-film solar blanket will be the first commercial installation of the new generation of solar collection systems installed in this area,” said Jason Green, SPC Sustainability Coordinator. “The installation demonstrates St Petersburg College’s dedication to finding solutions to the global warming issue.”

“This is a tremendous opportunity for our Student Chapter of The Florida Engineering Society,” said John Williams, Academic Chairman of SPC’s Natural Science Department.  “Students will be able to compare this system in this environment with data collected at an identical installation in Littleton, Colo.”

This system to be installed was selected because of its tolerance to hurricane force winds, harsh environments, better performance in lower light conditions and flexibility.

“One of the benefits of a thin-film system is that it is basically a peel-and-stick system that sits directly on top of the existing roof membrane and doesn’t require a great deal of additional structure,” said James Pedicone, SPC Project Coordinator.  “Also, the company which originally installed the roof manufactured and will install the solar collection system, so we are able to maintain the original roof warranty.”

Utilizing free solar energy through the solar thin film application showcases SPC’s commitment to greening the environment and maximizing internal efficiency.

“The research data retrieved from this project will be utilized to determine the most energy efficient solar applications as we continue to expand our sustainability efforts as well as decrease our energy consumption,” said Diana Wright, SPC Energy Coordinator.

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SPC, USGBC chapter announce partnership

       St. Petersburg College’s Corporate Training Office today announced a partnership with the Florida Gulf Coast Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) to provide a comprehensive sustainable building operations training course based on the LEED for Existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance rating system.

       The course will be available as of Aug. 17.

       According to the USGBC, LEED for Existing Buildings: O&M is the tool for the operation and maintenance of commercial and institutional buildings.  The certification system identifies and rewards best practices and describes ways for using less energy, water and natural resources; for improving indoor environment; and for uncovering operating inefficiencies.

      “Partnering with a Florida chapter of the USGBC puts St. Petersburg College’s Corporate eTraining in the national spotlight,” said James Connolly, SPC’s Corporate Training Director.

      The training course provides students the opportunity to increase a building’s operational efficiency while reducing its impact on the environment.

      “Sustainable architecture helps illustrate the way in which humans should interact with their surroundings,” said Jason Green, SPC’s Sustainability Coordinator and registered architect. “This training program provides participants with the resources necessary to have an immediate, yet long-term positive impact.”

      “St. Petersburg College has made sustainability a top priority in its planning for the future,” said Carl M. Kuttler Jr., SPC’s President. “Our intention is to provide our community with the knowledge and skills necessary to achieve a more sustainable future.”

      Josh Bomstein, president of the FGCC, said the collaboration will make the training available beyond the local area.

      “We are excited by this great partnership with a leading educational institution in the Tampa Bay area,” he said. “The platform provided by St. Petersburg College for online education is second to none, and we’re happy to be able to provide our expertise in green design and construction for content.”

      In further support of SPC’s commitment to becoming a leader in the environmental movement, the college recently announced two new degree programs: an Associate of Science in Environmental Science Technology, and a Bachelor of Applied Science in Sustainability Management, both available in the coming fall semester.

            To learn more about SPC’s environmental course and program offerings, visit www.spcollege.edu/sustainability or http://www.spcollege.edu/Ct/.

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ABOUT ST. PETERSBURG COLLEGE: 

St. Petersburg College was founded in 1927 as a two-year institution of higher learning.  Known then as St. Petersburg Junior College, it provided high-quality, fully-accredited programs with credits that were fully transferable to four-year institutions.  In 2001, the Florida Legislature passed legislation allowing the college to offer four-year degrees.  In response, the college dropped the word “junior” from its name and became St. Petersburg College.  Today, St. Petersburg College offers programs at learning sites in St. Petersburg, Seminole, Clearwater, Tarpon Springs and elsewhere.  It also offers courses and degree programs online.

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St. Petersburg College’s new Natural Science, Mathematics and College of Education building is certified LEED® Gold

 CLEARWATER, Fla. (July 13, 2009) – St. Petersburg College announced today that for the second time in as many months, the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has awarded LEED Gold certification for one of its new campus buildings.
 The Natural Science, Mathematics and College of Education building on the Clearwater campus received the certification. The other LEED Gold building is the Student Services building on the St Petersburg/Gibbs campus. 
 LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. Gold is its second highest designation.
 The certification was issued July 1 for the design-build project, built by W.G. Mills, Inc. and designed in association with Flad Architects.
 Both buildings opened in January. They were built to conform to the LEED Green Building Rating System™, a nationally accepted certifier of high performance and environmentally sensitive buildings.
 “Environmentally friendly building operations provide nearly 40% of the solution to the climate change issue,” said Jason Green, SPC’s Sustainability Coordinator. “Even though climate change exists as part of a global challenge, we are attempting to address it locally through sustainable building design and other college-wide initiatives.”
 Both buildings were designed to decrease pollution and negative impacts on the environment; decrease impact on local aquifers; decrease energy consumption; and increase the quality of indoor air and the indoor working environment.
 John L. Evans, SPC’s architect, said the college has always constructed buildings that are energy efficient.
 “SPC has always specified efficient buildings,” he said.  “Our design guidelines for this building were really not that different or more stringent that what we have been doing in the past.”
 The Natural Science, Mathematics and College of Education building includes “Green Cleaning” products. Reflective roofing and paving materials result in cooler surfaces. Fourteen preferred parking spaces are provided for fuel-efficient vehicles/carpools, and bicycle storage and shower/changing facilities are located within the building.
 Composite wood products contain no added urea formaldehyde, and all adhesives, paints and carpets meet low volatile organic compound (VOC) standards. To ensure proper function and minimize energy loss through building exhaust, chemistry laboratory fume hoods were tested and commissioned. There is no smoking within 25 feet of any entry.
The building’s design should inspire students, said Charm Callahan, SPC’s interior designer.
“This new green building provides an example for students to actually experience the impact of thoughtful and responsible design,” she said.
 Additional facts about the building:
– 43 percent water savings achieved through low-flow fixtures, dual-flush toilets and waterless urinals.
– At least 86 percent of all construction waste recycled. As a result, 3,147 tons of construction waste was diverted from landfill.
– On a cost basis, more than 5 percent of the materials used in the building were salvaged, refurbished or reused; 21 percent contain recycled content; and at least 30 percent were extracted, harvested, recovered, and/or manufactured within 500 miles of the building.
– 71 percent of wood-based materials and products were certified in accordance with the Forest Stewardship Council’s Principles and Criteria.
 “We can think of no better way to demonstrate our environmental commitment than through the LEED certified buildings we construct, and the existing buildings we renovate,” said Carl M. Kuttler, Jr., SPC President.
 For more information, visit http://www.spcollege.edu/sustainability/.

 

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Put a little green in your red, white and blue celebration

 ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.  – St. Petersburg College’s Office for Sustainability said Wednesday there are a number of ways to add some green to America’s most red, white and blue holiday.
 Jason Green, SPC’s sustainability coordinator, said Americans will light up more than 60 million barbecues and will roast about 150 million hot dogs and 890 million pounds of chicken and red meat on the Fourth of July weekend.
 “A typical party of thirty guests can create 80 pounds of waste,” Green said. “It’s estimated that Americans using their grills on July 4 will create the same amount of carbon dioxide as if 2,300 acres of forest were burnt.”
 There are other environmental problems associated with the celebration of the Fourth, he said. Fireworks contain potassium perchlorate, which gets into the soil, air and water and causes damage to the thyroid gland.  Other ingredients include such heavy metals as barium and copper, which are toxic.
 So what are the best ways to celebrate the holiday season in an environmentally friendly way? Here are some ideas:
• For July 4 parties, use real plates, silverware and cloth napkins and stay away from paper napkins, disposable paper plates and plastic utensils.  If you must use disposable plates, buy plates that are biodegradable. In fact, some disposable plates are made from corn, potato and sugar-cane pulp.
• Throw a potluck party to share resources and carpool.
• Prepare meals and desserts with locally grown organic ingredients and free range grass fed meats and poultry.
• Balance your meat dishes with more sustainable vegetable-based items.
• Provide recycling bins for glass bottles, cans and plastic.
• When BBQ-ing, use natural gas grills — they pollute less than charcoal grills.  To make matters worse, over-charring meat produces toxic chemicals in the food itself.
• Don’t shoot off polluting fireworks at home; instead, go to one of the city- or county-sponsored events.
• Try a natural insect repellent.  Frequently reapply basic essential oils like lavender, rosemary and cedar wood. These oils can trick insects into thinking you’re a plant. 
• If you must use a DEET based insect repellent, choose products with less than 20% DEET. Never apply over cuts or wounds; never apply on infants or use if you are taking any medications; don’t spray in enclosed areas; and wash skin with soap and water after use.
• Use environmentally friendly cleaning products and cloths or micro fiber rags to clean up after the party.
 To learn more about the sustainable | SPC initiative, visit www.spcollege.edu/sustainability or call Jason Green at 341-3283.

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St. Petersburg College gets LEED certification for new building

        ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (June 19, 2009) — St. Petersburg College today obtained LEED Gold certification for the new Student Services Building on the St. Petersburg/Gibbs campus, one of the first buildings in Pinellas County to earn the designation.

            LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. Gold is its second highest designation.

            Susan Reiter, SPC’s Vice President of Facilities Planning and Institutional Services, said the U.S. Green Building Council finalized the LEED review process and issued the certification.

            The new building, built by Biltmore Construction Company, was designed to serve as the campus “living room.”

            “The main soul of the building is a two-story space that enhances the living/learning experiences of the students, faculty and staff on the Gibbs Campus,” said Leo Arroyo, Principal and Director of Design at Canerday, Belfsky + Arroyo, Architects, the building’s architect. “The students gravitate to it to play, collaborate on group projects, and study in-between classes.”

            In January the college opened the new building along with the Natural Science and Mathematics Building on the Clearwater campus; both were built to conform to the LEED Green Building Rating System™, a nationally accepted certifier of high performance green buildings. The Clearwater building is awaiting Gold certification.

            Both buildings were designed to decrease pollution and negative impacts on the environment; decrease impact on local aquifers; decrease energy consumption; and increase the quality of indoor air.

            Some of the Student Services Building’s sustainable features include “Energy Star” product specification, and a large, energy-efficient industrial ceiling fan that makes the surrounding area feel between 8-16ºF cooler.

The building utilizes “Green Cleaning” products, and permanent entryway systems capture dirt and particulates.  Reflective roofing and paving materials result in cooler surfaces.

Preferred parking is provided for fuel-efficient vehicles/carpools, and bicycle storage and shower/changing facilities are located within 200 yards of entranceways. Composite wood products contain no added urea formaldehyde, and all adhesives, paints and carpets meet low volatile organic compound (VOC) standards.

There is no smoking within 25 feet of any entry.

“The completion of the new Student Services building demonstrates environmental sensitivity and works hand-in-hand with the new environmental degree programs recently developed at the college,” said Jason Green, SPC’s Sustainability Director.

            With only a handful of other LEED buildings in Pinellas County, the Student Services Building is an example of the many initiatives SPC is undertaking to become a leader in the sustainability movement.

            Additional facts about the building:

• 40 percent water savings achieved through low-flow fixtures, dual-flush toilets and waterless urinals.
• At least 75 percent of all construction waste recycled.
• 30 percent of the total value of construction materials contains recycled content.
• At least 20 percent of materials or products used were extracted, harvested, recovered, and/or manufactured within 500 miles.
• At least 2.5 percent of the total value of building materials and products used are considered rapidly renewable building materials and products.
• 95 percent of wood-based materials and products were certified in accordance with the Forest Stewardship Council’s Principles and Criteria.

            For more information, visit www.spcollege.edu/sustainability.

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