Syracuse University has received funding from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to create a new Building Training and Assessment Center (BTAC) to train undergraduate and graduate engineering students and build a clean energy workforce. The SU-BTAC, aligned with the vision of the DOE BTAC program, will educate and provide hands-on training for engineering students to perform assessments focused on reducing the energy burden for commercial and institutional buildings with a focus on disadvantaged communities.   

The SU-BTAC will be housed at the Syracuse Center of Excellence (SyracuseCoE), New York State’s Center of Excellence in Environmental Energy Systems which engages more than 200 private companies, organizations, and academic institutions to create new products and services in indoor environmental quality, clean and renewable energy, and water resource management.  With SyracuseCoE, the SU-BTAC will create relationships and company screening opportunities to connect commercial and institutional buildings with existing programs in the region relating to unions, apprenticeships, trade organizations, community programs, and others. 

“I see the SU-BTAC as an expansion of the Syracuse University Industrial Assessment Center (SU-IAC), now SU-ITAC, and as a great experiential learning opportunity for our students. Not only are we able to help commercial and institutional buildings with reducing their energy burden, but we are also able to teach and mentor the next generation of energy engineers,” says Jackie Anderson, director of IAC and associate teaching professor in mechanical and aerospace engineering.    

SU-BTAC will be led by faculty from Syracuse University and supported by faculty from the City University of New York (CUNY). The center will be co-directed by Professor Ian M. Shapiro, with involvement from professors Jensen Zhang and Bing Dong.