Contributing Members

Objective

Team Members: Christopher Bennett, Ron Carey,

Summary

The Center for Sustainability operates a solar food shed off-the-grid at their 8.5 acre site near the Bryce Jordan Center. The purpose of the structure is to prepare foods grown at the site, specifically to wash and dehydrate them. The shed needed additional systems to be designed and built in order to fulfill its role. Projects assigned for Spring 2003 were designed to complete these tasks and give the shed full operability.

Project goals, as stated by the sponsor’s overview, were to provide regulated hot air to the solar food dehydrator and structure interior, and to provide clean, hot and cold water for the interior sink.

The solar roof system construction undertaken by EPICS 11 team was a multidimensional project involving several systems. As indicated above, ventilation, water, and control systems were primary goals. Additionally, power was required to meet these goals, and therefore an electrical system and power generation facilities were installed. The EPICS 10 team also worked on the shed. Specifically, they completed the constructed wetlands and prepared to pump water from the pond to the cold water tank in the food shed.

At the start of the project, there was a solar water heater installed on the roof of the shed inside the thermo-siphon, however water that is circulated through it cannot be directly used as it has been contaminated. A heat exchange must be installed to transfer heat to the usable water contained in the main system. This two loop system required an additional pump.

The pumps and switches required by the water and ventilation system need power. The shed is not connected to the grid and requires sustainable power generation. Solar panels and a wind turbine have been donated and were installed to provide electricity for the shed. An electrical system was designed and installed.