The April GreenBag Series discussion featured Physics majors Michael Crawford, Rhett Roberts, Parker McNair, Wenu Mutunda, Kyle Sorrells, and Jairus Elarbee. As part of their senior research project, these students recently conducted an extensive study of enery and water use in Herty Hall. Under the supervision of Dr. Hauke Busch, they examined heat loss through windows and doors, lighting (in)efficiencies, cooling systems, and potential water conservation designs. The students came up with unique designs that could reduce carbon emissions and save hundreds of dollars per month. Their presentation received a very encouraging reception from Mark Duclos, Director of Facilities Operations.
One of the more interested proposals was a method to capture condensate water from the roof of Herty and use it to irrigate plants in the public greenhouse adjacent to the building. Over 15,000 gallons of water could be collected during the summer months, when irrigation is most needed.
The study also examined the potential benefits of installing revolving doors on the two front entrances to the building. This small design improvement alone could cut heating and cooling expenses by $100/month.
For more information, please examine the Thermodynamics Presentation.
