Impact/Purpose:

This project aims to advance green-building technologies for retrofitting residential structures, with the ultimate goal of promoting a movement in “green retrofitting”.

Description:

When compared with the rest of the world, the United States consumes a disproportionately large amount of energy and is a major source of greenhouse gases from fossil fuel combustion. As much as two thirds of U.S. electricity production is consumed by residential and commercial buildings. The emerging green-building movement has promising potential to reduce energy consumption in the U.S., but the focus on new construction and the commercial sector is too limited.

URLs/Downloads:

Final Progress Report

Record Details:

Record Type:PROJECT( ABSTRACT )

Start Date:08/30/2007

Completion Date:08/29/2008

Record ID: 187165

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Related Organizations:

Role :OWNER

Organization Name :PRINCETON UNIVERSITY

Mailing Address :101 W College

Citation :Princeton

State :NJ

Zip Code :8544

Project Information:

Approach :

Specifically, we will catalog green-retrofitting technologies and develop standardized protocols for assessment and economically-feasible improvements. With our project partner, the Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association, we will test and optimize such technologies for a residential building on their property in central NJ. To address limitations in current industry norms, we will employ an innovative approach that jointly optimizes the interrelated concerns of energy efficiency, use of renewable energy, indoor air quality, and water management. We will extend our results to examine the potential reduction in cumulative energy consumption from homes across New Jersey, and examine government incentive programs for homeowners. Finally, we will develop vehicles for public education to spur interest and ultimately drive market forces for competitive development of expensive technologies such as solar panels. Our efforts will ultimately reduce the nation’s dependence on fossil fuels and decrease emissions of greenhouse gases, while maintaining a healthy indoor environment, responsibly using water resources, and fostering economic development of innovative green-retrofitting technologies, i.e. “people, prosperity, and planet”. The multidisciplinary team of students participating in the project will receive credit through an EPICS course, led by engineering faculty from different fields. The findings will be disseminated through a combination of public lectures, a green-retrofitting web site, museum-style educational displays, and publications.

Cost :$10,000.00

Research Component :Pollution Prevention/Sustainable Development

Approach :

Specifically, we will catalog green-retrofitting technologies and develop standardized protocols for assessment and economically-feasible improvements. With our project partner, the Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association, we will test and optimize such technologies for a residential building on their property in central NJ. To address limitations in current industry norms, we will employ an innovative approach that jointly optimizes the interrelated concerns of energy efficiency, use of renewable energy, indoor air quality, and water management. We will extend our results to examine the potential reduction in cumulative energy consumption from homes across New Jersey, and examine government incentive programs for homeowners. Finally, we will develop vehicles for public education to spur interest and ultimately drive market forces for competitive development of expensive technologies such as solar panels. Our efforts will ultimately reduce the nation’s dependence on fossil fuels and decrease emissions of greenhouse gases, while maintaining a healthy indoor environment, responsibly using water resources, and fostering economic development of innovative green-retrofitting technologies, i.e. “people, prosperity, and planet”. The multidisciplinary team of students participating in the project will receive credit through an EPICS course, led by engineering faculty from different fields. The findings will be disseminated through a combination of public lectures, a green-retrofitting web site, museum-style educational displays, and publications.

Cost :$10,000.00

Research Component :P3 Challenge Area - Built Environment

Project IDs:

ID Code :SU833558

Project type :EPA Grant