While Lake Michigan College is considering expanding its Career Education Programs in areas such as Energy Production, Construction, Alternative Energy, Water Quality, and Chemical Technology, amongst other program expansions, there are also plans for significant capital improvements to campus buildings and site.

It seems as though the timing is perfect for these sustainable design and energy production initiatives to be made manifest in the building and site improvements being proposed at Lake Michigan College. Small Scale Demonstrational Systems can be planned for to augment and support curriculum while also providing benefit to the building’s energy consumption and sustainable footprint.

In tandem to the College-wide Master Planning by The Collaborative Inc, Progressive AE conducted a Systems Master Plan exploration for the Napier Building to inform future decisions on new projects. Ideas were also generated and collaborated on with staff and faculty about how the building renovations and additions at the Napier Campus could possibly be integrated into the existing and emerging curriculum at Lake Michigan College.

“How can the building itself be a learning lab and a teaching tool across interdisciplinary learning?” In the following posts are some of the ideas generated. Each description explains how the system works, the magintude of upfront cost associated, just some of the potential instruction opportunities, and the physical impacts on the building or site. Many are intended to be considered for small grant opportunities, while others may need to be incorporated with future building or infrastructure projects.