​ On Tuesday, Chandler-Gilbert Community College (CGCC) held the grand opening of its Environmental Technology Center (ETC) on the north end of the Pecos campus. The two-acre living laboratory features a 1,200-square-foot ramada with solar panels and energy-monitoring devices surrounded by community gardens.

Initially conceived in 2006 by Darien Ripple, ETC coordinator and CGCC philosophy faculty member, the ETC facilitates the integration of global learning and sustainability concepts across the college. It also assists the creation of service learning and experiential learning projects to increase awareness and understanding of global issues related to sustainability.

“Chandler-Gilbert Community College has led the way in sustainability awareness and education for Arizona community colleges since we first introduced a sustainability certificate program in spring 2008,” said Linda Lujan, president of Chandler-Gilbert Community College. “With the opening of the ETC, we hope to extend sustainability education to students of all ages through this collaborative learning environment.”

An essential partner in the initiative was Salt River Project, which donated the construction of a ramada as well as the installation of solar panels for the ramada’s rooftop generating 13-kilowatts of energy. In addition, SRP donated a data acquisition system that provides the campus access to all generation information. Students learn firsthand about how solar energy works and how to measure the productivity of the panels.

“At SRP, we understand the importance of educating the community about the importance of sustainable resources,” said Lori Singleton, SRP director of Emerging Customer Programs. “We are proud to assist CGCC as they educate the next generation of scientists, engineers and decision makers on ways that our world can be more sustainable in the future.”

In addition to sustainability and engineering students working on energy projects, faculty across disciples have incorporated sustainability into course curriculum, allowing students to interact with the environment to develop an understanding of sustainability in multiple contexts. For example, honors students conduct research into composting, mixed-use gardens, native seeds and adobe brick building. Biology students design a xeriscape garden and humanities students explore environmental concepts and energy usage both in literature and through the features and experiments in the ETC.

The ETC also coordinates with three local schools and various Girl Scout Daisy Troops to introduce younger students to various environmental issues such as the technology used to calculate alternative-energy production, native desert plants and vertical gardens for growing food in limited spaces.