Northern Wake Campus Recognized for Sustainable Design   

RALEIGH - Wake Technical Community College is proud to be the recipient of a 2009 Sir Walter Raleigh Award for Community Appearance. The Raleigh Appearance Commission presented the award to Wake Tech President Dr. Stephen Scott earlier this month.

Wake Tech received the award in the Sustainable Design category for its Northern Wake Campus, the first college campus in the country to be all-LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified by the U.S. Green Building Council. This is the first year the Raleigh Appearance Commission presented awards in that category.

The Northern Wake Campus, being constructed on 121 acres near the intersection of US Highway 401 (Louisburg Road) and I-540, opened for classes in August 2007. Not only are the buildings LEED certified, but the commitment to sustainability encompasses the entire campus, including landscaping, recycling and energy conservation.

“We believe this is the responsible way to build,” said Dr. Scott, “We’re proud to set an example for colleges in Raleigh and across the nation. A ‘green’ campus helps us ensure a healthy atmosphere for our students, while maintaining a quality environment for the community." 

Dr. Scott’s latest commitment to sustainability includes a mandate that all new construction and building renovations achieve no less than LEED Silver certification. Building D, the newest building on the Northern Wake Campus, is designed to reach Silver, and possibly Gold certification.

Wake Tech was one of 17 recipients of the 2009 Sir Walter Raleigh Award, selected from a field of nearly 40 nominees. The criteria for the Sustainable Design category included land design, architecture, and building principles which exemplify an integrated approach to resource conservation, and respect the existing features of the site and the surrounding community.

Earlier this year, the Northern Wake Campus received the Green Design Award from the City of Raleigh and the Green Building of America Award from Construction Communications. In 2008, it received the Innovation of the Year award from the League for Innovation and a Green Award from Triangle Business Journal.

About Wake Technical Community College:
Wake Technical Community College (Wake Tech) is a two-year, public institution providing education and training for the citizens of Raleigh and surrounding Wake County. Wake Tech provides a comprehensive array of learning opportunities and serves an annual enrollment of more than 65,000 students. Curriculum (for-credit) programs in more than 150 academic, vocational, and technical specialties offer two-year associate degrees in science, applied science, the arts, and general education; university transfer programs for entry into four-year institutions; and diploma and certificate programs that prepare workers to succeed at jobs in high demand in the community. Wake Tech also offers a broad scope of continuing education courses, including training for entrepreneurs and small business owners, public safety officer training (fire, rescue, and law enforcement), high school equivalency classes, and non-credit courses for personal and professional development. As the second largest community college in the state, Wake Tech provides customized workforce training for new and expanding industries and a cooperative education program that interfaces with the corporate community. For more information, please visit http://www.waketech.edu.