DESIGN AND EVALUATION OF ENERGY EFFICIENT MODULAR CLASSROOM STRUCTURES

THE OBJECTIVE OF PHASE I OF THIS PROJECT IS TO DEVELOP INNOVATIONS THAT WILL ENABLE MODULAR CLASSROOM BUILDERS TO IMPROVE THE ENERGY PERFOORMANCE OF THEIR CLASSROOM MODULES WHILE ADDING ONLY REASONABLE FIRST COSTS TO THE PROJECT. TO ACHIEVE THIS OBJECTIVE DETAILED COMPUTER SIMULATIONS WILL BE PERFORMED ON THE VARIOUS INNOVATIONS TO GAUGE THEIR IMPROVEMENTS OVER BASELINE STATISTICS GATHERED FROM EXISTING MODULAR CLASSROOMS IN A VARIETY OF CLIMATIC REGIONS OF THE UNITED STATES. THESE INNOVATIONS WILL CENTER AROUND MODIFICATIONS TO EXISTING THINKING AND TECHNOLOGY IN VENTILATION, VENTILATION PRE-HEATING, AND DAYLIGHTING AS WELL AS WISE USE OF HIGH AND LOW PEAK LOAD ENERGY USAGE DATA THROUGH AUTOMATIC CONTROL SYSTEMS THAT WILL NOT ONLY BE USER FRIENDLY BUT HELP TO ELIMINATE USER CONTROL ERROR, THUS SAVING ENERGY. THESE DESIGN MODIFICATIONS WILL IMPROVE NOT ONLY THE ENERGY PERFORMANCE OF THE CLASSROOMS BUT IMPROVE OR ENHANCE THE THERMAL COMFORT, EASE OF TRANSPORTATION, FLEXIBILITY OF USE, AND THE PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL BEING OF THE STUDENTS AND TEACHERS.