The Architectural Design Technology lab will receive new computers to help the Net Zero lab project on the Cosumnes River College campus.

The grant was allocated from the California Clean Energy Jobs Act, which seeks to fund energy projects to schools and county offices. Dean of Careers and Technology Kimberley Harrell said that the grant will be utilized to update the computers used to design the projects.

“We applied to get a $100,000 for computer replacements so that we could run the software to develop the architectural designs for the construction project that will go on campus,” Harrell said.

Harrell said that the students are the main focus of the whole project. The project will not only benefit architectural students, but construction students as well.

“Based on the students’ actual design, we will have other students input the designs on the computer software and then the construction students under the supervision of our professor will build it,” Harrell said.

Harrell said that the technologies featured in the building will constantly be updated.

“What’s nice about the lab is that the vision is to replace technologies as they get old and to input new ones so future students to get practice through our building and constructing program,” Harrell said.

Harrell said that the project is still in its starting phases since the grant was only awarded last January. Harrell also said that there could be a possibility of the architectural students presenting their plans and designs for the Zero Energy lab to the CRC populous.

“The presentation is part of the architectural class,” Harrell said. “I can ask them when we get to a firmer decision so that people can see what we are doing with it.”

Some CRC students outside of architectural and construction weighed in on what they think of the grant and the project.

“I feel like in most of the time we do in school is theoretical work and you don’t know how it applies physically,” 20-year-old chemistry major Lajoyce Mboning said. “It is nice to have these programs where you can go in there and make something.”

A 20-year-old public health major by the name of Tanner Keinath said this project will give architectural students experience.

“I think this is a good way of practicing their studies and actually getting results,” Keinath said. “I think it’s really positive.”