JCCC's new Center for Sustainability serves as a resource for local education, business and civic entities and includes education and training in:

• Green workplace practices, such as recycling, waste reduction, energy efficiency, demand reduction efforts, alternative fuels and sustainability assessments
• Sustainable resource management, such as green building practices, energy conservation, green real estate and green interior design
• Efficient use of water and wastewater
• Green landscaping and land use, such as the use of native vegetation and rain gardens in parks, public areas, and corporate and civic buildings and grounds

The Center for Sustainability offers two separate but related learning tracks -traditional academic classes teaching energy, environment and sustainability and hands-on learning of renewable energy sources such as wind turbines, solar cells, photovoltaic modules and hybrid transportation. The college works with private and government entities to help fund capital projects on campus using renewable and sustainable energy technology to create "living labs" for teaching and workforce development. Green workforce development will be assisted by these projects.

Currently, JCCC offers credit programs in sustainable agriculture, energy performance and resource management-residential auditing and energy auditing technician-residential certificate.  Noncredit programs include sustainability leadership, preparing for LEED certification and community education for homeowners.

More programs will be added, including a solar electric/photovoltaic technician certificate program.

Concerned with its own carbon footprint, JCCC has received stimulus funds for green stormwater treatment on the southeast corner of the college campus. The money was allocated by the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act and administered by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

The project will allow water run-off from 502,500 square feet of impervious parking and driving surfaces to drain to a constructed wetland on the south side of the parking areas on the college campus. The stormwater run-off will be filtered through bioswales and bio-retention rain gardens planted with native vegetation before entering a small wetland.  The process will both filter the water from pollutants and slow the release of stormwater into the city's storm sewer system.

The wetland, incorporating natural plants to promote ecological activity and provide habitat for animals and beneficial microbes, will be used for student education and for the community as a recreational and learning environment. Students monitored the quality of stormwater run-off during the past year and will continue to do so, comparing levels of pollutants before and after the implementation of green technologies.

For more information, contact Dr. Jay Antle, executive director, Center for Sustainability, 913-469-8500, ext. 4245, or jantle@jccc.edu.