Starting Some Actual Work...

I am now more comfortable in the office, and I believe I am actually starting to get some real work done. This week was more reading but also a lot of emailing. My advisor Agnes gave me a contact list of experts who work on campus that I could interview and question, and said I had to email them. So I did, and I explained my project and asked if they were willing to meet with me. Almost all got back to me willing talk, which is amazing considering all of them have major projects going on and I am not a college student. Most of them said they were just excited that someone as young as me was interested in their work. So this week I have a meeting scheduled with a professor who teaches construction graphics and mechanical/electrical systems, Dr. Alan Francis. But the cool part is that he also works with net-zero architecture. And when I say, “he works with” I mean he designed and built his own house as a net-zero energy house that is completely off the grid, and completely functional. Net-zero architecture means that the total amount of energy used by the building on an annual basis is roughly equal to the amount of renewable energy created on the site. I’m excited to talk to him about it. We’ll see how it goes.

Along with emailing, I began reading about the different sustainable buildings we already have on campus, and the materials they used for them. Fun fact: there is a building on campus, the ARD science building, whose insulation is 90%, recycled denim jeans. This building is rated platinum on the LEED building scale, and was two points away from being the most sustainable building of its kind (commercial building with a lab) in the country. However, I have talked with some of those who work in the building, and apparently the windows don’t close and the toilets don’t flush…. but it is still the 2^nd most sustainable building of its kind. 

I have also been reading about the whole LEED rating system. LEED, (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design) is a point-rated system. Depending on the number of points a building gets, it is awarded the certification of being just certified, silver, gold, or platinum. The points are awarded based on several different factors, such as energy use, location, water efficiency, air quality, materials and a bunch of other things. So far, the N.A.U. campus has nine LEED certified buildings. And right now, they are working on renovating the South dining hall to be LEED certified. In the future I hope to sit in on those meetings in the next few weeks to observe the designing process.