“Developing a green economy” is one of today’s big catch phrases that is as vague as it is important. Few people actually know what the term means, and even fewer know how to actually do it.

But the students at the National Grid Green Building Expo last Thursday learned that green building isn’t some out of the ordinary scientific endeavor. Instead it means paying attention to detail and not cutting corners when renovating or building a home.

Held at Rhodes on the Pawtuxet, students from career and technical centers from across the state listened to short tutorials from local companies on how to improve energy efficiency through basic renovations and repairs.

Jerry Hanna, a principal energy analyst in energy efficiency for National Grid, said developing a green economy would often mean renovating older houses.

Therefore, National Grid is sponsoring a program statewide that allows high school students to renovate existing homes and make them more energy efficient. Last year, students at the Warwick Area Career and Tech Center renovated a home in West Warwick. The renovations took the students almost the whole school year, but the lessons they learned, the students said, were invaluable.

Since the program began eight years ago, 17 homes have been renovated.

At the expo on Thursday, many of the students got a refresher on what they had learned renovating homes throughout the state.

“That’s exactly what the kids in our programs are doing,” said Hanna.

“They’re learning hands-on what it is they will be doing to bring these existing homes up to what we call green or energy efficient standards.”

Hanna said the program began when a Woonsocket Career and Tech teacher approached him with the idea of having students build “green” homes from the bottom up. The company wasn’t prepared to invest that kind of money, Hanna said, so the home restoration program began.

Hanna then brought in energy efficiency consultant Paul Wolff, who helped coordinate and implement the program. The expo, Wolff said, serves to reinforce what the students either have learned or are in the process of learning.

“This is the culmination of the learning the students do at each school. We bring them all together today where they learn with different experts,” said Wolff.

Wolff said National Grid has been generous in funding the program.

“This wouldn’t be possible without National Grid’s support,” said Wolff.

The expo featured Rhode Island companies such as Velux, which taught students about solar panels the company uses to heat water. Owens Corning showed students the Attic Cat, a machine that can be rented by customers to install their own insulation in an efficient and cost-savings manner. Carrier showed students how to install high efficient HVAC equipment.

Students interviewed at the forum said working hands-on to develop green housing has prepared them well to be workers in the new “green economy.”

“I’ve already done a little bit of it on my own. I’ve helped my dad install windows environmentally efficiently. This summer, we’re going to be putting some shingles on the roof too,” said Jake Birkenfield, a student at the Warwick Area Career and Tech Center.

Kenny Pierce, another student at the Warwick Area Career and Tech Center, pointed out that while it sounds nice to say you’re helping the economy, the demand for green technology comes from a desire to save cash.

“Energy efficiency saves people money. That’s why there’s such a lot of demand for it,” said Pierce.

William Carcieri, a teacher at the Cranston Career and Tech Center, said he looks forward to the seminar every year.

“The kids get a lot out of this seminar. They seem to learn a lot here,” said Carcieri.

Like Pierce, Carcieri said going green is a smart way to save money.

“These houses are going to cost you more money in the long run if you don’t build them correctly up front,” said Carcieri.

“This is the future.”