College of the Canyons (COC) is one of only two community colleges in the nation to have been named a 2024 Zero Energy Design Designation recipient by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

COC earned a three-year designation for its innovative Bachelor of Science in Building Performance (BSBP) program, which is scheduled to launch in January 2025.

Designation recipients are chosen for going above and beyond basic building science education and preparing students to design and construct sustainable, energy-efficient buildings through exemplary zero-energy design curricula and practicums, said COC officials.

“We are so excited to have received this prestigious designation in anticipation of the launch of the BSBP program,” said Jason Oliver, chair of the college’s architecture and interior design program. “The program intends to  teach the next generation of architects how to examine the effects of environmental factors and resource consumption on the performance of building projects using a variety of analytical and simulation methodologies.”

Fourteen programs from nine collegiate institutions were selected by DOE for the designation this year, joining 39 programs from 26 institutions that earned the three-year designation in 2022 or 2023.

Designation recipients are chosen for going above and beyond basic building science education and preparing students to design and construct sustainable, energy-efficient buildings through exemplary zero-energy design curricula and practicums.

“Our climate conditions are worsening year by year. We need schools to prepare the next generation to design for future conditions, not the past,” said Holly Jamesen Carr, Solar Decathlon director at the Building Technologies Office. “The programs recognized in this year’s ZEDD cohort are doing just that and should be commended for being on the forefront of tackling climate change.”

The first of its kind in California, COC’s BSBP program intends to provide a cost-effective pathway to careers involved with creating high-performance buildings by preparing students for the state-recognized Certified Energy Analysis exam, and growing employment opportunities in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry, said COC officials.

For more information about the BSBP program at COC, visit the College of the Canyons website. 

Ed. Note: The above information was provided to KHTS by College of the Canyons. 

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