Events
Community Gets Glimpse of New Center for Building Technologies
Open House Spotlights Facility Featuring High-Tech Building Automation Training
RALEIGH, N.C. (June 21, 2022) – Community leaders, business representatives and Wake Tech trustees got a close-up view of how the college is training the next generation of skilled trades workers during an open house today at the Center for Building Technologies on the college’s Southern Wake Campus.
Attendees visited with faculty, staff and students and toured the new 34,000-square-foot facility, which is home to the Air Conditioning, Heating and Refrigeration Technology and the Electrical Systems Technology degree programs, as well as North Carolina's first associate degree program in the high-tech world of Building Automation Technology.
One of the most advanced facilities of its kind in the state, the Center for Building Technologies includes four classrooms, as well as modern, spacious labs equipped with the latest technology from manufacturers such as Daikin, Mitsubishi and LG for students to get hands-on training.
The facility also features the only Mitsubishi Trane HVAC U.S. (METUS) Training Center at a community college in the U.S., which allows students, faculty and contractors to be trained through the Mitsubishi certification programs for ductless equipment.
Several companies and organizations stepped up to support the college's skilled trades programs through equipment donations or sponsored areas. To date, those companies include Brady, Faulkner Haynes, Highwoods Properties, Johnstone Supply, Newcomb and Company, Piedmont Service Group's CMS Controls, Schneider Electric and Siemens.
"Our region is in great need of qualified professionals to build and service complex electrical and HVAC systems," said Matt Smith, Wake Tech’s vice president of development and strategic partnerships. "This building is our response to that need, and we are delighted that so many strong Triangle businesses have chosen to invest in our faculty and staff who will join their firms and service our community in the future."
The building officially opened in fall 2020 and is supported by a combination of CONNECT NC Bond funds and Wake County bond funds. The college launched the Building Automation Technology degree a year later, thanks to a $455,000 grant from the National Science Foundation.
"We’re celebrating this building and all our partners today, and we want to thank you for making a difference for us, our students and our community," said Wake Tech President Dr. Scott Ralls. "We take great pride in our technical role because that's our roots and heritage, so thank you for helping us to recruit students and provide more opportunities to students."
