Red Deer College received a huge donation on Friday from BGIS, Canada's leading provider of real estate management services.

A check for a hundred thousand dollars was given to their Shaping Our Future campaign, and is also in support of RDC's desire to provide learning opportunities for students in the Alternative Energy Lab.

Opening later on this year, the lab will help teach students the skills they need to operate and install emerging alternative and green technologies like solar panels.

President of BGIS Canada Mike Greidanus explains exactly where the money is going.

“It’s going specifically towards a geothermal lab within RDC, which will be used for students to aid in their learning through a hands on approach. It will be housed in the new facility, and as such it will be very visibility to the community and the public and it really heightens, I think, the overall importance of sustainability within our communities.”

President and CEO of RDC Joel Ward, says this donation will help current students taking things like engineer technologies programs, as well as electrical and plumbing students.  

“Of course as we continue on, we’re thinking what would some new programs look like? So if you’re a journeyperson electrician, you may not have any training in installing solar panels. So we are looking at a certificate that says ok, you’re a journeyperson electrician, you’re a journeyperson plumber, come in and take this short program and teach you how to effectively install and troubleshoot some of these new technologies.”

In appreciation of the donation, Red Deer College will name one of the classrooms in the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre, the BGIS Geothermal Meeting Room.

The room will be heated or cooled depending on need by a geothermal loop, installed beneath the Centre for demonstration purposes, and also provides learning opportunities on geothermal technologies.

Between this new environmental lab, the new residence building, and the new Gary W. Harris Games Centre, RDC has over $118 million worth of construction projects that will open this year.