New York Institute of Technology’s (NYIT) School of Engineering and Computing Sciences Associate Professor Remi Charron, Ph.D., an expert in high performance homes, has been granted $40,000 by BC Housing to create an energy management lab. Called a “test bench,” the lab will work with the latest energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies. The bench will include equipment and instruments designed to take various performance measures; students in NYIT’s Master’s in Energy Management program will use the instruments to carry out hands-on measurements and performance analyses based on theories learned in the classroom.
“It is our first external grant at the Vancouver campus, so it is great in terms of recognition,” said Charron. “It will ensure that students in our new master of science in energy management program learn on the latest technologies and get hands-on experience while giving us an opportunity to also educate the general public.”
Not just a classroom, the lab will appear in a series of short instructional videos targeting local builders and consumers. The videos will explain the basics of five key emerging technologies: solar electric systems, battery backup systems, heat pump systems, Internet of Things smart home devices and energy monitoring devices. A series of evening workshops will be offered at its downtown Vancouver campus for builders and others interested in learning more, with the test bench as a demonstration tool.
“There have been many instances where well-meaning builders have implemented new technologies that have failed to meet performance expectations, either through a lack of training on their part or because consumers didn’t know how to use the technologies,” Charron said. “This project will help train professionals in this field while also teaching community members how to enjoy the benefits of energy efficiency and renewable energy.”
