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During my summer employment with the United States Army Corps of Engineers in 2011, all of the summer employees were asked to analyze a soon-to-be-built barracks at the U.S. Army Base, Schofield Barracks, in Hawaii. Our task was to improve the barracks according to rules stated in the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (or LEED) handbook, which would increase the energy efficiency and environmental friendliness of the barracks (http://www.usgbc.org/leed). My partner and I were tasked with reducing the heat load on the barracks and therefore cost of cooling the building. Listed below are the ideas that we came up with. **Disclaimer: The images below are not owned by me. The links to the webpages I found them on can be found beneath each image.**
No Air Conditioners
The electrical energy needed to operate a central air system for the entire barracks comprised approximately 50% of the building's total energy cost. By monitoring the weather patterns in the area, determining the time of day each soldier would be in his/her room, replacing all air conditioners with ceiling fans, and applying thermodynamics, my partner was able to prove that air conditioners were not needed to maintain what has been defined as a humane living temperature. The installation of ceiling fans as opposed to air conditioners reduced the barracks cooling cost from 50% to 28%.
Plant Native Trees Around the Barracks
Native trees are excellent heat reducers because they not only provide shade, but they also grow naturally in the area they would be planted in. This natural growth means that they won't need to be irrigated and will need very little maintenance. The shade provided reduces the amount of sunlight, and therefore heat, the reaches the building directly. The most important wall to shade in Hawaii is the west-facing wall because the hottest part of the day is between 12pm and 3pm. Trees like the ohia lehua (shown on the left) are good options in Hawaii because they grow in many different climates and range from two feet to 82 feet tall.
Solar Attic Vents
Attic vents are a great way to keep cooling costs down. The majority of a building's heat is stored in the attic and attics are not commonly ventilated, which raises the temperature of the rest of the building due to that latent heat. A simple attic vent allows for air circulation in the attic and reduces the amount of heat stored within the building. Solar attic vents, like the one shown on the left, are an even better option because they use clean solar energy instead of being connected to the grid or using batteries. All grid electricity causes a small amount of heat to accumulate in the walls of the building and batteries create excess amounts of waste. Solar energy is the best power source option for this type of tool, especially because the attic vents will only need to run during the day!
The product shown on the left can be found at http://www.ussunlight.com/products/solar-attic-fans.
Ceramic Paint Additive
Ceramic paint additives, like the product shown on the left, are both reflect light and insulate buildings. Many can be added to any paint, interior or exterior, without changing the paint's coverage or color. By reflecting sunlight, the paint keeps energy out of the walls of the building, which keeps the internal energy of the walls, and therefore the temperature, from increasing. The insulation property ensures that heat transfer from opposite sides of the paint is reduced, which allows the interior of the building to stay cooler than the exterior of the building.
The product shown on the left can be found at http://edisonecoenergy.com/Products.htm.
Insulating Window Coverings
Insulating window coverings also work to ensure that the heat transfer from one side of the covering to the other is reduced, which keeps the temperature in the room down. Windows are the greatest points of heat transfer in a building because they are purposefully made to allow light into a room. There are many different window coverings like the product shown on the left with various insulating properties. The products that are the most insulating completely block out the rays of the sun whereas other products that are less effective allows for more sunlight to enter the room.
The product shown on the left can be found at http://www.hunterdouglas.com/starter-guide-advantage-energy-efficiency.jsp?sop=hp.
Yoneda, Yuka. 4 July 2009. inhabitat. Web. 31 October 2014.
Priest, Alan. Ohia Lehua Blossom. March 2013. TREKEARTH. Web. 31 October 2014.
Natural Light Energy Systems. 2013. Natural Light Solar Attic Fan. Web. 31 October 2014.
http://www.solaratticfan.com/images_main/natural_light_solar_attic_fan_installed.jpg
Hy-Tech Thermal Solutions. 2012. Hy-Tech Thermal Solutions. Web. 31 October 2014.
The Blind Alley. 2014. The Blind Alley. Web. 31 October 2014.
http://ewbykimlyon.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/HD-Duette-Architella.jpg
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