Johnson Controls makes smart students
UK: Johnson Controls has supplied a fully-working building management system to a North London college specialising in the study of smart environments.
The multi-national company has created The Box – described as an innovative interactive teaching environment – for the Sir Charles Kao University Technical College (UTC) in Harlow.
Johnson Controls designed, supplied and installed the Metasys building management system, air handling equipment and environmental controls devices for the project. Integrated in a normal classroom setting, The Box measures temperature, light and humidity and has been configured with two spaces: a teaching space and a plant/maintenance space.
Live interaction allows students to programme the building management system, measure air temperatures and humidity, calculate energy consumption, automatically control lights, control systems remotely over wi-fi via tablets or their own smartphones.
“The Box brings added value to students’ experiences with innovative technologies that are becoming more and more relevant,” said Jonathan Williams, technology and integration sales manager at Johnson Controls Building Efficiency UK. “Employers are constantly struggling to find candidates with emerging technologies or manufacturing skills. ‘The Box’ will help these students prepare for future job opportunities.”
Principal Michael McKeaveney said: “The installation of The Box will enhance the innovative learning experience we offer students, and I am delighted with the result. The Box exemplifies the employer-led, current and pioneering approach to education we deliver. I’m delighted to be working with the high calibre sponsors that we have here at the UTC. Johnson Controls will provide a top rate experience to ensure all our young people understand the sophisticated systems involved with what Johnson Controls do that will allow our students to develop their employability skills.”
UTC’s are academies for 14 to 19-year-olds that focus on delivering technical education by engaging young people and meeting the needs of the modern business. They are taught core GCSE subjects alongside vocational qualifications, technical knowledge and skills demanded by the industry.
Specifically, students in Key Stage 4 at the college study a number of GCSEs covering the core curriculum, along with engineering and computer Science. Students in Key Stage 5 are given the option to study A Levels, BTEC Extended Diploma or a combination of both.
The UTC in Harlow is one of the 13 new UTC’s specialising in the demand of technical subjects. Each UTC has 500 to 800 students. The British government plans to open a total of 55 UTC’s throughout the country by the end of 2017.
