Watauga and Guilford counties have led this effort by involving community leaders in workshops and seminars. Recent research studies around the country, such as those reported in such professional journals as American School and University, indicate that students' energy and alertness are better in schools that use natural daylight for illumination. In Raleigh recently built Dillard Drive Elementary and Middle School has been receiving much publicity as an example of a daylit school, and the NC Solar Center is involved in spreading the word. Because of increased nationwide awareness of energy issues, NC Solar Center technical assistance and professional training workshops have been consistently oversubscribed in the past few years, according to Larsen. Workshops provide information on solar energy alternatives to a wide variety of professionals, including builders, architects, plumbers, electricians and heating contractors.
Classes are also available for citizens interested in solar home construction.
Conventional solar water heaters typically use a circulating liquid mechanism. Stevens and Fitzpatrick hope to develop a practical way to use heat from the back side of a PV panel to provide water and space heating and possibly drive an air conditioning system. The NC Solar Center has recently become more involved in public policy decisions in North Carolina. The challenge is for the state Utilities Commission to find ways to implement green power initiatives to benefit both people and the environment. Net metering, on the other hand, would allow customers to both generate their own power with PVs and connect to the utility grid.