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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.
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. Some of the state-of-the-art technology includes thin-film solar photovoltaic panels, a Wi-Fi Smart Thermostat and energy-efficient heating, lighting and insulation.
The E-House project is supported by Energize Connecticut and is jointly administered by Connecticut Light & Power (CL&P) and the United Illuminating Company (UI). Energize Connecticut’s goal is to support the creation of an E-House at each of the state’s technical high schools.
“The fields of energy efficiency and renewable energy are more valuable than ever, as we are witnessing a clean energy boom on the local, state and national level,” Connecticut Technical High School System Superintendent Nivea Torres said. “The E-House educational initiative ensures that Connecticut remains a national leader in green jobs creation, and that our students are equipped to fill these jobs.”
Jose Alves, a 2014 Abbott Tech graduate, worked on the construction of the E-House and was on hand to speak about his experience.
“I am proud of the work ethic and skills I developed while building the E-House,” Alves said. “My classmates and I bonded with one another and our instructors during the project, and it makes me happy to know that we built something that will help future Abbott Tech students succeed.”
More than 650 Abbott Tech students and 20 special guests attended Wednesday’s ceremony. UI Manger of Residential Services Marissa Westbrook, and attendees in the photo, from left to right, including David Kalafa, Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection; State Representative David Arconti; Abbott Tech Principal Stacy Butkus; State Representative Dan Carter; Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton; Connecticut Technical High School Superintendent Nivea Torres; U.S. Congresswoman Elizabeth Esty; State Representative Bob Godfrey; UI’s Lisa Sarubbi; CL&P’s Diana McCarthy-Bercury; CL&P’s Matt Gibbs; CBIA’s Judy Resnick
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 http://www.cttech.org.
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