Fleming College

Chris Magwood, Coordinator of Fleming College’s Sustainable Building Design and Construction program, is the recipient of a 2008 Excellence in Education Award from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC).“Chris is a model individual who practices what he preaches; he teaches sustainable building, design and construction, and, at the end of a day of teaching, he returns to the sustainable family home that he built. His commitment to sustainability is so firm and genuine that our students have a truly honest classroom and field experience,” says Sandra Dupret, Principal of the Haliburton Campus.“In addition, as one of the leading experts in sustainable building, Chris’ knowledge is so vast that students often graduate from the Sustainable Building Design and Construction program with a diversified skill set that provides many opportunities. We are so pleased and proud of the great work that Chris does to bring an awareness of building, designing and constructing with sustainability, both inside and outside of the classroom.”CMHC Ontario Region established the Excellence in Education Award for Promotion of Sustainable Practices to honour outstanding educational contributions to sustainable practices. It recognizes educators who have integrated sustainable concepts in housing and community development into the academic curriculum.In addition to his role as educator, Mr. Magwood is an author, builder and advocate for sustainable building. He is an international expert in straw bale construction and is the former editor of the Last Straw Journal, an international publication about bale and natural building. In 2007 Harrowsmith Magazine named Mr. Magwood a “Canadian Eco Hero.”Mr. Magwood has taught at Fleming since 2002, beginning in the Ecotourism and Adventure Tourism program. In 2003 he proposed the concept of a full-time program in sustainable building. The Sustainable Building Design and Construction program, launched at the Haliburton Campus in 2005, is the only one of its kind in Canada. It is a college certificate program running from April to August each year. Students design and build a completely sustainable facility in partnership with a selected client – a hands-on learning experience. To date, four structures have been built.Mr. Magwood will receive his award at the site of the 2008 program project – the Madoc Community Arts Centre – at its official opening in January 2009. Recipients receive a custom-made sculpture and certificate of achievement as well as recognition by peers and other academics, community and government leaders.     – 30 -For more information: Laura Copeland, Communications Officer, 705-749-5530 x 1370 or copeland@flemingc.on.ca