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Connecticut's Fifth E-House Opens at Manchester's Howell Cheney Technical High School

Nationally recognized educational initiative provides technical high school students with hands-on experience, preparing them for “Green Jobs” post-graduation

 

The Connecticut Technical High School System, in partnership with Energize Connecticut, yesterday at a special ceremony announced the opening of the state’s fifth E-House at Howell Cheney Technical High School in Manchester.  Considered the nation’s first high-school laboratories for learning “green” construction, the E-House initiative provides a clean energy and energy efficiency curriculum for the schools’ architectural, carpentry, electrical and plumbing faculty and students.

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Designed and built by students and faculty, each E-House incorporates weatherization and energy efficiency labs, solar photovoltaic and solar thermal systems in the design of the project.  The E-House at Cheney Tech features state-of-the-art technology not previously used in the other E-Houses, including thin-film solar photovoltaic panels, metal roof fabricated by the school’s HVAC department, a Daiken 26 SEER ductless mini-split heat pump, and Wi-Fi Smart Thermostat.

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 Students have the opportunity to conduct hands-on field work and earn professional certifications in these various labs, preparing them for a “green” career after graduation. The E-House is an Energize Connecticut initiative and is administered by Connecticut Light & Power and United Illuminating.

 

“Since opening our first E-House in 2011, we have seen over 1,500 students at five different tech schools across the state participate in the initiative,” Connecticut Technical High School System Interim Superintendent Nivea Torres said. “As a result of this experience, our students are armed with the necessary skills and knowledge to obtain internships or full-time positions, or continue their studies in a relevant field. Our goal is to have an E-House at each of the state’s 17 technical high schools by the end of 2015, which will reinforce Connecticut’s leadership in creating jobs in the fields of energy efficiency and renewable energy.”

 

David Santiago, last year’s valedictorian at Cheney Tech, worked on the E-House and was on-hand to speak about his experience.

 

“We poured many hours into building the E-House, which not only equipped us with real-world skills, but also helped create a greater sense of community here at Cheney Tech,” said Santiago, who is now a freshman education student at the University of Connecticut. “I know the skills and work ethic I developed by working on the project will help ensure my future success, and I am proud to have been a part of something that students will be able to use and learn from for many years to come.”

 

Over 40 guests attended Thursday’s ceremony State Senator Gary LeBeau (3rd District), State Representative Tim Larson (11th District), State Representative Tim Ackert (8th District), Connecticut Business & Industry Association Education Foundation’s Executive Director Judy Resnick, and Northeast Utilities Chief Customer Officer Penni McLean-Conner.

 

The state’s first E-House was opened in September 2011 at E.C. Goodwin Technical High School in New Britain. For more information on the E-House program, please visit www.cttech.org.

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