Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

Virginia to Get State’s First Net Zero Higher Ed Building

  • By Matt Jones
  • 06/09/21

On the campus of Piedmont Virginia Community College in Charlottesville, Virginia, construction of the Advanced Technical Training Center is scheduled for completion in spring 2023. The center will be the first higher education facility in the state—and one of just a few community college buildings across the U.S.—to achieve net zero energy. The building was designed by VMDO Architects, and its budget is approximately $21 million.

The Advanced Technical Training Center will serve as the home for the college’s workforce training and career development programs. It will feature amenities like cybersecurity and forensics labs, advanced manufacturing and robotics labs, and active learning classrooms. It will also house the college’s admissions, advising, and career services offices, as well as a café, open spaces for group work, a multipurpose event room, and a veterans’ resource center.

“The PVCC faculty, staff and students are committed to a clean energy future for Virginia,” said PVCC President Frank Friedman. “We are so pleased to be leading the way by constructing this net zero energy building, which will become the centerpiece of our beautiful campus.”

According to a press release, VMDO’s résumé of net zero energy buildings includes the world’s first LEED Zero school (Discovery Elementary School), what is considered to be the largest net zero building in the country (Alice West Fleet Elementary School), and what is considered to be the first net zero energy community gathering place in Washington, D.C. (Stead Park Recreation Center). Construction of the Advanced Technical Training Center is expected to help the state of Virginia achieve 100% clean energy by 2050.

“In their focus on student success, community colleges are innovative training grounds and important contributors to local and regional economies,” said Joe Atkins with VMDO Architects. “It’s so rewarding to see PVCC explore net zero energy as a learning opportunity that will prepare students for future workforce and career opportunities.”

About the Author

Matt Jones is senior editor of Spaces4Learning. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • California School District Completes Elementary School Modernization

    The San Diego Unified School District in San Diego, Calif., recently held a ribbon-cutting for a whole-site modernization of Pacific Beach Elementary School, according to local news. The school first opened with one building in 1930 and added six more between 1938 and 1957.

  • Abstract tech network data connections with orange, blue glowing dots, lines

    3 Trends for Higher Education to Stay Ahead of in 2026

    As universities enter the new year, the question is no longer whether digital transformation is necessary, but how quickly institutions can convert technological potential into strategic advantage.

  • LAN, Inc. Opens Office in College Station, Texas

    Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. (LAN) recently announced the opening of a new office in College Station, Texas, to support its regional client base, according to a news release. The organization provides engineering, design, and program management services for water, wastewater, transportation, stormwater, and education clients in the Brazos Valley.

  • Niles West High School Natatorium Renovation

    Natatoriums are highly specialized spaces, and luminaires in this setting face several unique challenges. Perhaps the most significant is corrosion, which is exacerbated by high indoor humidity, condensation, and pool chemicals, often resulting in material degradation in luminaires not certified to perform in corrosive environments.