Ferrum College Hosts Passivhaus Program at CEED in Rocky Mount

1/23/2013

Award winning green architect Adam Cohen and adjunct professor John Richardson discussed energy efficient design during the program co-sponsored by the Gereau Center.

Ferrum, Va. (January 23, 2013) – On Tues., Jan. 22, Ferrum College hosted its first event at the Gereau Center for Applied Technology and Career Exploration Center for Energy Efficient Design (CEED) in Rocky Mount. During the program attended by more than 40 people, award winning green architect Adam Cohen and College adjunct professor John Richardson discussed how Passivhaus design was incorporated into CEED. Cohen and Richardson also reviewed the building’s performance and showed the components of the innovative structure that led the Department of Education to designate the Gereau Center as one of the 79 Green Ribbon Schools in the country.

Pioneered in Europe, Passivhaus design is among the least expensive and most elegant means of achieving low energy and zero energy buildings. CEED, a part of the Franklin County Public School system, is the first public school in the country to use the energy-efficient Passivhaus technology.

Cohen, who designed CEED, owns Structures Design Build and is a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certified architect, a certified Passivhaus Consultant and the 2012 Virginia Sustainable Building Network Green Designer of the Year.

Richardson, who taught at the Gereau Center for many years and was part of the effort to develop the CEED, and his special topics class on sustainable energy (ESC 390) were hosts of the event. College Professor Dr. David Johnson and Gereau Center Principal Dr. Kevin Bezy developed the program as part of the College’s “Sustainability: More for Less, for All” annual theme programming.

See photos from the event here.

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