'Plumbing' the depths at Mendocino College

For the past four years, Mendocino College has been developing and growing its Sustainable Technology Program, with ever-increasing interest from students and a need to expand the curriculum.

This semester, staff has responded with a brand new course Introduction to Plumbing, designed to enhance and complement the existing classes.

"All our classes have been very popular. Students have been asking for this course for quite a while," explains Jennifer Riddell, Sustainable Technology Program coordinator.

The dual-course will be co-instructed by two individuals, each bringing a unique level of mastery to the course. Anna Birkas is a hydrologist, green builder and owner of Village Ecosystems, and Sam Halstad, affectionately known as "Sam the Plumber," is a 38-year veteran in the plumbing industry and well-known by longtime residents and businesses.

"This will be a dual-purpose class," says Riddell. "Sam has probably plumbed half the businesses in town, and Anna has a strong background in hydrology. They're going to combine their backgrounds, teaching traditional and alternative plumbing, and how these processes connect to green building," she continues.

"We have the use of an old wreck of a demonstration house. Our long-term goal is to turn it into a showpiece, displaying what we can do," says Riddell. The house was the long-ago dwelling for the college caretaker, built sometime in the 1930s or '40s.

"We're going to be redoing some of the plumbing in the demo house, starting the kitchen remodel, teaching leak detection and pre-heating water under the sink to make home plumbing more sustainable," says Riddell.

The college received a grant for water conservation, which will be used to fund some of the demonstration projects that will take place during the course. Birkas will instruct students in the installation of greywater and rainwater catchment systems.

"We've been getting it down to the sticks, bit by bit," notes Riddell. Hands-on construction work on this house and another tiny house located on campus help students develop the trade skills necessary for future employment in the construction industry.

"We want students to come out with skills that are very desirable to contractors," she continues.

Originally posted here:
'Plumbing' the depths at Mendocino College