January 9, 2018
Ashland Community and Technical College has completed its BuildSmart main building renovation project at its College Drive Campus.
BuildSmart is a public-private partnership approved by the Kentucky General Assembly in 2015 that was designed to provide funding for the top capital project needs at each Kentucky Community and Technical College System college, including ACTC, using agency bonds in along with locally-matched funds for critical projects and needs.
The main areas of focus for the $10 million project were to replace the nearly 50-year old heating and air conditioning system and HVAC controls, update the IT infrastructure and replace inefficient lighting with LED lights.
The main building at College Drive was built in 1971 and since then, there has been no major renovations.
“There have been small and minor updates, but this is the first major renovation this building has had during that entire time,” Seasor said.
The project was broken down into five phases, which began in April 2016 and finished in December 2017.
“We changed all of our electric heat over to hot water-based heat,” said Paul Seasor, ACTC’s director of maintenance and operations.
The new system is controlled by a combination of sensors and scheduling, as to not waste energy at times when the classrooms and offices are not occupied.
The new LED lights also use sensors. The BuildSmart projects puts the campus at about 60 to 70 percent LED.
“These upgrades have not only made the campus more comfortable for our students, faculty and staff, but the building will be more energy efficient as a result of the upgrades,” said Dr. Kay Adkins, president and CEO of ACTC. “This building has served our students for nearly 50 years. We can now look forward to this multi-use building serving the needs of our students and community for decades to come.”
ACTC was required to raise $2.5 million in local matching funds before the state agency bonds were sold. Those bonds provided $7.5 million of the cost of the project.
ACTC offers 12-week session
Ashland Community and Technical College is offering 12-week classes this spring to give new and continuing students additional options for earning college credit. The 12-week classes have the same content as semester-long classes but cover the content in less time.
On-campus courses at the College Drive Campus are offered in Digital Literacy and History of the U.S. since 1865. Intro to Art, Intro to Biology and Writing I are offered online. These classes can help students fulfill basic education requirements for degrees and diplomas.
Interdisciplinary Early Childhood Education classes in Science/Math and Literacy/Language are also offered online.
Jan. 22 is the application deadline. The session starts Feb. 5 and ends April 28. New students must complete the application process, including orientation and placement testing before registering. Admission forms and program information are online at ashland.kctcs.edu/admissions. For help with enrollment, call 606-326-2040 or 606-326-2228
New students enrolling only in the 12-week session may be eligible for financial aid. To apply for financial aid, complete the 2017-18 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at www.fafsa.gov. Current students cannot receive additional financial aid for bi-term classes added to their schedules. For more information on financial aid, call 855-246-2282.
Electrical/HVAC continuing education
Recertification classes for Kentucky electrical, plumbing and HVAC professionals have been scheduled for 2018 at ACTC’s Roberts Drive Campus.
Green Energy and Business Practices is approved for Kentucky Electrical Contractors and HVAC Journeymen and Masters, electrical contractors and plumbers. Instructor Mike Bond will cover topics such as green energy trends, techniques and tips. The class gives eight continuing education hours.
Analysis of National Electrical Code (NEC) Upgrades is approved for Kentucky master electricians and electricians. Instructor Harold Henry will cover updates to the National Electrical Code. The class gives six continuing education hours.
Each class will be available at 8 a.m. at the Roberts Drive Campus on the following dates: Jan. 20, Feb. 24, April 21, June 2, Aug. 18, Oct. 20 and Nov. 10.
Each class is $89, and enrollment is through ACTC Workforce Solutions, 606-326-2072, or email as_workforce@kctcs.edu.
