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Fleming College’s Centre for Alternative Wastewater Treatment technology used in Sustainable Archetype home

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Lindsay ON – (April 23, 2009) – Hundreds of guests – including representatives from Fleming College – were on-hand yesterday to launch the Sustainable Archetype House at the Toronto Region Conservation Authority’s (TRCA) Kortright Centre in Vaughan.Considered the Greater Toronto Area’s “greenest” home, the house features green technology developed by Fleming College’s Centre for Alternative Wastewater Treatment. Wastewater from the home is treated naturally – filtered through constructed wetlands outside the home. The launch of the house showcasing the best in conservation and sustainable technology coincided with Earth Day celebrations and is part of an educational program at the Kortright Centre, an outdoor education facility. The Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD), the TRCA and the Hon. George Smitherman, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, officially launched the project. It is hoped the house will promote sustainable building practices and conservation in the home. The house consists of two semi-detached units that showcase the best in cutting-edge green building practices. Energy and water conservation technologies – including CAWT’s contribution – as well as material sourcing and construction processes are used as educational tools in the home. About CAWT The CAWT at Fleming College researches and promotes constructed wetlands and other innovative and green forms of wastewater treatment. A constructed wetland is a natural wastewater treatment facility. Within constructed wetlands water, plants, micro-organisms, the sun, substrate, and air interact to improve water quality. If properly designed and built, constructed wetlands can remove pollutants associated with residential, municipal and industrial wastewater and storm water. Wetland systems are also efficient at removing contaminants (nitrogen, phosphorus, heavy metals, etc.) This technology is completely sustainable, aesthetic, is low-cost and requires little maintenance. Sustainable Building at FlemingFleming College is also home to the innovative Sustainable Building Design and Construction program. Students in this Ontario Certificate program spend 20 weeks building a community facility from the ground up, creating some of the greenest structures in Canada. Building features include straw bale walls, rainwater collection systems, composting toilets, recycled building materials, geothermal heating and cooling and solar and photovoltaic power. Currently, the students are building the Camp Kawartha Environment Centre, an outdoor education centre at Trent University, under the guidance of renowned sustainable builder and author Chris Magwood. About Fleming College Located in Central Ontario, Fleming College has campus locations in Peterborough, Lindsay, Cobourg and Haliburton. Named for famous Canadian inventor and engineer Sir Sandford Fleming, the college features more than 90 full-time programs in Business, Computing and Hospitality, Continuing Education and Skilled Trades, Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences, Fine Arts, Health and Wellness, Interdisciplinary Studies, and Law, Justice and Community Services. Fleming College has 5,000 full-time and 10,000 part-time students, and more than 54,000 alumni.