Academics

Many of the jobs of the future are in sustainability-related fields like renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, green building, and hybrid and electric vehicles. Many employers are beginning to expect their employees to have a basic understanding of sustainability. To prepare our students for success in the emerging sustainable economy, Alfred State is infusing sustainability throughout all of our academic programs. Indeed, our strategic plan calls for all students to be “empowered with the knowledge, skills, and motivation to be leaders in solving sustainability challenges.”

Visit the links below to learn more.

Programs That Can Lead to Green Careers

Alfred State offers a variety of programs that provide students with the knowledge and skills to succeed in the fast-growing green economy. While almost any of our academic programs could lead to a rewarding career in sustainability, the programs in the list below can lead directly to careers in sustainability fields.

School of Arts and Sciences

Agricultural Business (AAS) graduates are qualified to manage businesses across the broad spectrum of agricultural enterprises. This includes the large number of ventures which help to satisfy the growing demand for organic and sustainable farm products.
Agricultural Technology (AAS) graduates are trained to work in farm-related jobs involving both plants and animals. Many of these jobs are associated with the growing organic and sustainable agriculture industry.
Biological Science (AAS) graduates are qualified to fill technician-level jobs in alternative fuel production and use, water treatment, waste-water treatment, solid-waste disposal, environmental conservation in support of sustainable agriculture, and environmental health and safety departments in industry and municipalities.
Pre-Environmental Science & Forestry (AA) graduates are qualified to transfer and enroll in bachelors' programs at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse where they can enroll a wide variety of sustainability-related majors from conservation biology to natural resources management to sustainable energy management.

School of Management and Engineering Technology

Architectural Technology (AAS) core technical courses provide students with a basic understanding of sustainable construction materials and systems. Graduates are qualified to fill technician-level positions in a variety of disciplines throughout the construction industry.
Architectural Technology (BS) and Architecture (BArch) graduates are qualified to fill advanced technician and intern-level positions in architectural firms and pursue Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification. A required course in sustainable building design provides focus for the application and integration of green technology in the design studio.
Electrical Engineering Technology (AAS) & Electrical Engineering Technology (BS) courses focus on many aspects of renewable energies. Students learn the concepts of electrical power system design, control, distribution, and storage. These skills are required for the implementation of emerging technologies such as photovoltaics and wind turbines.
Engineering Science (AS) students obtain the fundamental knowledge of an engineering degree which can transfer into multiple disciplines including electrical and mechanical engineering. Students gain valuable hands-on instruction with actual components and energy systems.
Mechanical Engineering Technology (AAS) & Mechanical Engineering Technology (BS) students gain an understanding of fundamental principles of energy, which serve as the basis for understanding, implementing, and designing sustainable systems and new technologies.

School of Applied Technology

Air Conditioning and Heating Technology (AOS) students develop familiarity with a wide variety of fuel and energy sources, install and service the highly efficiency heating systems, geothermal systems, and solar thermal systems. Heat loss and heat gain are used to determine the most efficient heating or cooling system to install in a building. They also learn about water conservation and work with water-saving fixtures and faucets.
Automotive Service Technician (AOS) students gain experience with alternative fuels and work on hybrid and electric vehicles. Student-modified hybrids have won multiple awards for fuel economy at the Green Grand Prix.
Building Trades: Building Construction (AOS) students learn about home insulation and building techniques that will make the building envelope as energy efficient as possible, along with energy-efficient doors and windows to reduce heat loss and heat gain. Students in this program built our Zero Energy Home.
Electrical Construction & Maintenance Electrician (AOS) students learn how to design, install, and maintain wind turbines and solar photovoltaic panels. Multiple working wind and solar systems on campus, including on our Zero Energy Home, provide students with hands-on experience with these technologies.

Project Based Learning for Sustainability

Project-based learning is a cornerstone of our Alfred State culture. We believe students learn best when they are engaged in solving problems in the real world. Given the college’s emphasis on sustainability, it’s no surprise that many of our projects address sustainability challenges. This page highlights just a few of the exciting sustainability-related project-based learning opportunities at Alfred State.

Installing solar power at the US National Arboretum
Alfred State students have installed 3 solar photovoltaic systems at the U.S. National Arboretum in Washington, DC. In 2009, five students enrolled in the electrical construction and maintenance electrician program, accompanied by Associate Professor Jeffrey Stevens, spent their spring break at the Arboretum, conducting a four-day workshop that resulted in the installation of a 1 kW solar array that powers a drip-irrigation system. Alfred State students and faculty returned again in 2011 and 2013, each time leading workshops on renewable energy and installing progressively larger solar arrays. In 2011, they installed a 5kW system and in 2013 they completed a 15 kW photovoltaic system. Learn more on the group’s Facebook page.

Installing renewable energy on campus
Students enrolled in the electrical construction and maintenance electrician program have installed renewable energy devices on the Alfred State campus. In 2008, students installed a 5.1 kW photovoltaic grid intertie system to power the library and administration building of the School of Applied Technology on our Wellsville campus. The students gained experience by personally evaluating the site and the layout for the PV array and electrical components. They also installed all of the conduit systems exactly as they would on a real world job site. Students in the program also installed a 10 kW wind turbine near the baseball field on the Alfred campus.

Alfred State College Installs PV Panels to Power Applied Technology Buildings (Oct. 2008)

Participating in the China Solar Decathlon
In collaboration with students from Alfred University, and Guilin University of Technology in China, Alfred State students constructed a solar-powered home for the 2013 Solar Decathlon China. The competition, co-hosted by the China National Energy Administration and the U.S. Department of Energy, challenges collegiate teams to design, build and operate fully functioning demonstration homes powered entirely with solar energy. Learn more on the group’s Facebook page.

Restoring electric vehicles
Students in Alfred State’s Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Technology Department restored and enhanced two previously non-functioning electric vehicles with sophisticated performance monitoring features. These zero emission vehicles are now used on campus by facilities employees.

Students restore and transform two electric vehicles (Dec. 2012)
MET Students Complete Electric Car Project (Dec. 2010)

Creating a Zero Energy Home
Alfred State students in a variety of construction-related programs constructed our Net-Zero Energy Demonstration Home as part of their coursework. The 2200 square foot home, which is located on Alfred State's Wellsville campus, was designed to be highly energy efficient and incorporates a variety of renewable energy technologies - including solar photovoltaic, small wind, solar thermal, and geothermal energy - as well as a high-end monitoring and control system used for teaching purposes. It serves as a living laboratory for educating the future construction workforce as well as the general public in green building techniques.

Modifying vehicles to improve fuel economy at the Green Grand Prix
Students and faculty in Alfred State’s Automotive Trades Department regularly enter vehicles that they have modified in the Green Grand Prix, held annually at the Watkins Glen International Raceway. For several years in a row, Alfred State teams have won fuel economy challenges here. In 2012, for example, our modified Honda Insight achieved 95.1 mpg making it the winner in the 51-65 mpg vehicle class.

13th Annual Toyota Green Gran Prix (April 2017)
Alfred State Shines in 2012 Green Grand Prix (May 2012)
ASC Car Wins Fuel Economy Challenge at Green Grand Prix (April 2011)

Installing a solar-powered telemetry system
Students and faculty worked partnered with BP to design and install a solar-powered telemetry system to monitor water levels at a wetland treatment system created at a former Sinclair Refinery in Wellsville. The treatment system uses plants to clean residual contamination left from the long-closed refinery.

Students and Faculty Tackle Solar Project (May 2010)

Attempting to break the land speed record with a hybrid vehicle
In 2012, thirteen students and four faculty members from the Automotive Trades Department visited Bonneville Salt Flats in an attempt to break the land speed record for 1 liter automobiles with a modified Honda Insight. Students worked before and after classes to complete the car, which ultimately was able to achieve a peak speed of just over 110 mph. Visit the Automotive Department page on Facebook to view photos of this event.

The Opportunity of a Lifetime at Bonneville Salt Flats (May 2012)

Courses That Focus on Sustainability

Alfred State aims to ensure that all students are “empowered with the knowledge, skills, and motivation to be leaders in solving sustainability challenges.” To that end, we offer a diverse array of courses that address sustainability.

Sustainability Courses

These are courses in which the primary and explicit focus is on sustainability and/or on understanding or solving one or more major sustainability challenges:

AGPS 5102 - Sustainable Vegetable Prod Technology
AGPS 5103 - Sustainable Vegetable Production Technology
AGRI 2012 - Organic & Sustainable Agriculture Technology
AGRI 4116 - Sustainable Agriculture Internship
AGRI 5103 - Sustain Vegetable Prod Tech
ARCH 5503 - Sustainable Building Design
CIVL 6113 - Environmental Technology Concepts
CIVL 6313 - Green Building from Control Perspective
ELET 4224 - Alternative Energy Generation
ELTR 3336 - Photovoltaic & Wind Turbine Systems
ENVR 3003 - International Issues in Agroecology
ENVR 4411 - Environmental Capstone Seminar
ENVR 4413 - Environmental Law
ENVR 4424 - Environmental Chemistry & Microbiology
ENVR 4900 - Directed Study
GLST 2001 - Global Topics Seminar II
LITR 7003 - Literature and Nature

Courses That Include Sustainability

These are courses that, while not primarily focused on sustainability, still incorporate a unit or module on sustainability, include one or more sustainability-focused activities, or integrate sustainability issues throughout the course. This is not a comprehensive list.

BIOL 1223 - Introduction to Forestry
BIOL 1304 - Botany
BIOL 2703 - Topics in Tropical Ecology
BIOL 2803 - Environmental Science
BUAD 3114 - International Tourism: Italian Food & Geography
BUAD 5043 - Business Ethics
CIVL 7104 - Land Development and Design
ECON 5133 - Territory & Entrepreneurship: trdtn
EDUC 2163 - Foundations of Education
FDSR 2183 - Food Purchasing Techniques
FDSR 4163 - Advanced Cuisine
FNAT 5303 - Architectural History II
MECH 3124 - HVAC Systems
MECH 7223 - Energy Systems
SOCI 5213 - Science, Technology & Society

Solar Decathlon 2015

View photos of this event.

Team Alfred

Team Alfred included students from Alfred State and Alfred University. This team officially entered the Solar Decathlon 2015. The event was held in Irvine, CA, in October 2015. There were a total of 29 universities from five countries that formed 17 teams accepted for the 2015 competition, hosted by the United States Department of Energy. The 17 teams began the nearly two-year process of designing and building their competition homes. The competition showcased cutting-edge solar energy and energy-efficiency technologies and solutions, and provided support to the new energy industry.

Design and Construction

The competition home was built on the Wellsville campus of Alfred State and transported to Irvine, CA, for the start of the competition. The Alfred Home was designed to provide flexibility for multiple solar and renewable energy applications. Students were responsible for the full design and responsible for construction of the home in Wellsville. As part of the Solar Decathlon, teams competed in 10 different contests – ranging from architecture and engineering to home appliance performance – while gaining valuable hands-on experience.