DESIGN OF A FAMILY OF ADVANCED PROTOTYPE PASSIVE-SOLAR MODULAR CLASSROOMS

THIS PHASE I RESEARCH EFFORT WILL INTEGRATE THREE SEPARATE DISCIPLINES TO DEVELOP HIGH-PERFORMANCE PASSIVE-SOLAR MODULAR CLASSROOMS: ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN, PASSIVE SOLAR SYSTEMS, AND MODULAR PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY. HISTORICALLY, NO PROGRAM OR PROJECT HAS APPLIED SUCH INTEGRATION TO EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES. EVEN THOUGH THE NECESSARY SKILLS HAVE BEEN AVAILABLE, NO RESEARCH SPONSOR HAS ALLOCATED THE NECESSARY RESOURCES. THIS PROJECT WILL USE IN-HOUSE SPECIALISTS TO DEVELOP PROTOTYPE DESIGNS, SUPPORTED BY TECHNICAL COMMITTEES OF THE MODULAR BUILDING INSTITUTE AND THE PASSIVE SOLAR INDUSTRIES COUNCIL. COMPLETED DESIGNS WILL THEN BE SUBJECTED TO RIGOROUS ENERGY PERFORMANCE AND LIFE-CYCLE COST ANALYSES TO VERIFY COST/BENEFIT. FINAL DESIGNS FOR A FAMILY OF PASSIVE-SOLAR MODULAR CLASSROOMS WILL BE PREPARED, SUITABLE FOR SUBSEQUENT CONSTRUCTION, TESTING AND COMMERCIALIZATION OF PROTOTYPES.