UNH BuildingsNEXT Student Design Competition

Overview

The University of New Hampshire is participating in the BuildingsNEXT Student Design Competition (formerly known as the Solar Decathlon), held by the U.S. Department of Energy.

This year, our team is tackling the unique challenges faced by McGrath, Alaska—a rural community facing high energy costs, extreme climate conditions, and limited infrastructure access.

Our goal is to create an innovative, energy-efficient school design that integrates renewable energy sources, local materials, and culturally informed solutions to serve both students and the wider community.

By prioritizing sustainability, affordability, and adaptability, our design offers a scalable model for other remote communities in Alaska and beyond.

The Team

Felix Devito (Advisor)

Olivia Burnham

Catey Selby

Cole Werfel

Quinn Williston

Caitlin McNulty

Sophie Heusser

Background

Across the United States, many schools face aging infrastructure, high energy costs, and limited access to sustainable resources. This issue is especially severe in remote and Indigenous communities, where extreme weather conditions make traditional heating and electricity both unreliable and expensive.

Our team chose to focus on McGrath, Alaska because it presents a unique challenge and an opportunity for lasting impact. By designing an energy-efficient school model, we can help reduce operational expenses and lessen environmental impact.

Our Mission

Through this project, we aim to explore how sustainable energy solutions could improve school infrastructure in remote communities. While this is an educational venture, our goal is to develop a model that could inspire future real-world applications in similar areas.

What is in the Redesign?

Architecture

The existing conditions of the school highlight several challenges that need to be addressed in the redesign. First, the attic is poorly insulated, which leads to a common problem in cold climates—ice damming. This occurs when warm air from inside the school escapes into the attic, melting the snow on the roof. The melted snow then refreezes at the edge of the roof, creating ice dams that cause leaks and water damage. These leaks can lead to mold growth in the walls, which is harmful to the building and the health of the students and staff. To prevent this, the redesign will focus on improving the attics's insulation, which will help reduce ice damming and water damage.

Currently, the exterior of the school is constructed from wood panels, a material that has served its purpose but also contributes to the need for better insulation and energy efficiency. Inside, the school will be built with a double wall wood frame.

The overall design of the school will feature a "building in a building" structure. In this layout, the school building itself will be housed within a larger "cool storage room." This outer building acts as an insulating shell, protecting the school from the harsh outdoor temperatures while maintaining a stable, comfortable indoor climate. This design is especically beneficial in a cold environmental like McGrath, where extreme temperatures are common.

Energy Grid and Sources

McGrath relies on a micro electric grid powered by a single diesel generator. This generator supplies electricity to the entire community and also provides a small amount of waste heat to the local school. While this system is reliable, it also presents several challenges, especially when it comes to integrating renewable energy.

One major issue with the current electical grid is the difficulty of balancing energy supply and demand on such a small grid. This becomes even more complex when renewable sources, like solar or wind, are introduced.

When these sources generate electricity, the diesel generator is forced to run at low capacity or quickly ramp up and down to match fluctuations in power. This constant shifting reduces the generator’s efficiency and causes long-term wear, ultimately making the system less reliable and more expensive to maintain.

Larger grids can manage this challenge by using backup generators or large-scale batteries. However, in McGrath, the cost of installing a battery system that can operate effectively in extreme cold makes this solution impractical with current technology.

Instead, more stable renewable options—such as biomass cogeneration—offer a promising path forward. Biomass systems produce both electricity and heat and can reach efficiency levels of up to 80%. McGrath is well-positioned for this type of system due to the widespread presence of beetle-killed spruce trees and the wood waste produced by the local sawmill. These resources can serve as reliable fuel sources for a community-scale biomass plant.

While grid-connected solar is not currently a viable option, solar panels used in standalone systems—where the electricity is consumed directly on-site—can still provide benefits.

Efficiency

For the energy system, we explored options beyond traditional sources to better align with the sustainability goals set by the Solar Decathlon. The current diesel generator at McGrath School is reliable and, based on observational data, proved to be more energy-efficient than many alternatives considered throughout the project.

However, we wanted to prioritize renewable energy and reduce reliance on fossil fuels. To do this, we focused on local resources that are already available in McGrath. These include waste wood from nearby lumber mills and organic material from the community’s biowaste center. This led to the consideration of biomass fueling and wood cogeneration—an approach that makes use of local materials while also providing a more sustainable energy source.

Solar energy was also considered, but due to McGrath’s location and limited sunlight during the winter months, it was not deemed practical. The high cost of solar panels and their limited output in this environment made it difficult to meet the community’s energy needs year-round.

Looking ahead, wind energy may offer another viable solution. McGrath experiences high wind speeds, which could make wind power a strong candidate for meeting energy efficiency standards set by the Department of Energy. While the current plan leans toward biomass and cogeneration—a less traditional approach—this system is well-suited to McGrath’s unique conditions. It offers higher overall efficiency than solar and represents a significant step toward renewability compared to the existing diesel-based system.

Aesthetics

It was important to consider the surrounding environment when it comes to redesigning the school. The goal is to create a space that fits within the community, while also inspiring for the children who learn there.

The outside of the school will feature bright, playful colors to spark creativity, balanced by natural materials like wood and stone to connect with the area's environment and history. This mix will help the school feel both vibrant and grounded.

Lighting is also a key part of the design. Because McGrath experiences long, dark winters and very bright summers, the school will use warm, soft artificial lights to keep students comfortable during darker months, and large windows and skylights to take advantage of natural light in summer. These lighting choices will support students' health and learning all year round.

Overall, the new school will be a warm, welcoming place that reflects the beauty of McGrath's natural setting and support the needs of its students.

The Community of McGrath, Alaska

Fostering a strong relationship with the community is essential to completing a successful project. With this in mind, we connected with various organizations in McGrath:

James Temte from the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium provided insight into the challenges faced by rural Alaskan communities, including food insecurity, water pollution, and infrastructure issues.
Tyler Boyes, Project Manager of Rural Energy at the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, shared knowledge on Alaska’s energy needs and renewable solutions like solar and wind power.
Rhone Baumgartner, a Utility Operations Specialist for the Middle Kuskokwim Energy Cooperation, advised on integrating renewable energy with McGrath’s existing diesel generators.
Matt Shelbourne, Principal of McGrath School, offered invaluable details on the school’s condition, daily life, cultural considerations, and renovation needs.

These collaborations have deepened our understanding, ensuring that critical factors are addressed in the school’s renovation plans.

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