Sustainable Building students to construct new library in Wilberforce
Fleming College’s Sustainable Building Design and Construction program will partner with the Municipality of Highlands East to build a new library for Highlands East in 2013.
“We are very excited about this new partnership with Fleming College and anticipate a unique sustainable building in Highlands East that we can all be proud of for many years to come,” said Reeve Dave Burton.
The municipality, located in Haliburton County, has approved construction of a new 2,000-square-foot library to be built by students in the program starting in April. The library will be located adjacent to the community gardens and Wilberforce Elementary School.
“Highlighted in the Haliburton County Public Library’s statement of values is sustainability; this project with Fleming College’s Sustainable Building Design and Construction program fits beautifully into our mandate. I am pleased about this building and look forward to all the creative avenues this project will take us,” says Bessie Sullivan, CEO/County Librarian.
Fleming’s Sustainable Building program, based at the Haliburton Campus, runs for 20 weeks from April to August. The program – the first of its kind in Canada – averages about 26 students who design and build a completely sustainable structure from start to finish, showcasing green building technologies and energy-saving techniques.
“We are thrilled to be working with the Municipality of Highlands East to create a progressive and sustainable library in the community of Wilberforce,” said Patrick Marcotte, Coordinator of the Sustainable Building Design and Construction program. “With its proximity to the community gardens and its community involvement, the public library will be an ideal project for the 2013 Sustainable Building and Design program.”
The 2012 project was a Creative Exchange Mart built in West Guilford. Partnering with the Abbey Gardens Community Trust, students created a unique facility for local growers and artisans to sell locally-produced goods.
Previous projects have also included the Camp Kawartha Environment Centre in Peterborough, the Haliburton 4C’s Food Bank and Thrift Shop, and R.D. Lawrence Place in Minden.
About Fleming College
Located in the heart of 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 Community Development and Health, Continuing Education, Environmental and Natural Resource Sciences, Justice and Business, Skilled Trades and Technology, and Visual Arts. Fleming College has 5,900 full-time and 10,000 part-time students, and more than 63,000 alumni.
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For more information:
Laura Copeland, Communications Officer, 705-749-5530 x 1370 or copeland@flemingc.on.ca