Forsyth Tech students go green
WINSTON-SALEM, NC (May 1, 2008) – Four students from Forsyth Tech earned second place in a state-wide sustainable building design competition on Saturday in Raleigh. The Forsyth Tech team competed against students from colleges and universities across the state, including Duke University, NC State University, East Carolina University, and Appalachian University.
“There were many impressive projects this year,” said Marty Marion, Forsyth Tech Program Coordinator for Architectural Technology. “We are very proud of the outstanding submissions offered by our students.”
Designs were evaluated for excellence, sustainable site development, and architectural design that conserves natural resources, reduces energy consumption and creates healthy indoor environmental quality. Students were also required to stick to a strict construction budget and consider the return on investment for alternative energy sources.
The project site for this year’s event was the Carolina Meadows Retirement Facility near Chapel Hill. Competition guidelines required students to build a duplex “villa” consisting of no more than 4,050 heated square feet. In addition to the sustainable criteria, the teams were encouraged to consider the architectural character of the existing neighborhood.
Architectural technology students Jason Bowen, Stephanie Kuntz, Rachael Marsh, and Matthew Troutman made up the Forsyth Tech team and will receive a $1,500 cash prize for their efforts. According to the competition’s website, the annual event is designed to encourage “all students become better prepared to incorporate sustainable design methods into their work and to bring this experience to the design and construction professions.”