BRITISH COLUMBIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY SIGNS TRAINING AGREEMENT

Montreal, April 20, 2010

Montréal, April 20th, 2010 – The Canadian GeoExchange Coalition (CGC) is pleased to announce the signature of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) to offer CGC-recognized courses as part of their curriculum. BCIT is the first Institute of Technology to sign such an agreement, and they join a growing network of Canadian education institutions that are playing a key role in the CGC-led geoexchange market transformation initiative.

As a result of this MOU, BCIT will incorporate CGC’s Installer, Residential Design and Commercial Design courses into their curriculum. These courses will be recognized by CGC as fully industry-equivalent training for individuals applying for their CGC accreditations under the CGC Global Quality GeoExchangeTM. Program

“We are pleased to welcome BCIT to the growing network of Canadian education institutions that are working together in tying post-secondary training with CGC’s Global Quality GeoExchange ProgramTM” said Denis Tanguay, CGC’s President & CEO. “Institutes of Technology will provide valuable research and training expertise, which will further strengthen the industry and contribute to the consolidation and added recognition of our market transformation initiative” he added.

“The addition of the CGC’s recognized courses compliments the existing suite of courses in The Centre for Energy Systems Applications (CESA) and the Environmental Engineering Bachelor of Technology at BCIT,’’ says Barbara Dabrowski, Associate Dean of the BCIT School of Construction and the Environment. “Applied education and research in integrated alternative energy systems is demonstrated at the AFRESH Home on the BCIT Burnaby Campus where a vertical ground loop enables thermal conductivity testing and real-time operation, control, and monitoring of geoexchange systems.”

CGC made an early commitment of transferring its training courses to colleges and institutes of technology across Canada as part of a market transformation effort to build a strong and professional geoexchange workforce in all provinces and territories. Once colleges/institutes have adopted and incorporated CGC training standards into their curriculum, CGC fully recognizes the students trained by those institutions as industry-equivalent. CGC presently has active memorandums of understanding with 16 Canadian colleges on 22 campuses and is currently working with over 15 colleges who are eager to integrate geoexchange into their curriculum.

The Canadian GeoExchange™ Coalition acts as the industry catalyst to unite private and public sector stakeholders, and to expand the market for geoexchange™ technology in Canada. As the nexus of information, training, certification, industry standards and public awareness, our mandate is to work with stakeholders to build the necessary infrastructure to foster the growth of the Canadian geoexchange™ industry. For more information, visit www.geoexchange.ca

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For CGC inquiries:                                                         Sophie Martin (514) 807-7559, extension 23

For BCIT inquiries:                                                         Kelly Friday, BCIT Media Relations, 604-836-6700

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