Articles

Resilient Living Research

Our long term goals are to build houses that can heat and cool themselves without fossil fuels, help feed the occupants and recycle their nutrients.

Current R&D projects in each of these areas include:

Building Thermal Performance

• develop super-efficient new and retrofitted buildings
• testing, use and design of highly efficient window systems (link to a detailed project page)
• solar heat capture and storage
• air exchange - research and design on existing GeoHRV (heat reserve air exchange)

Good Healthy Food

• implementation of permaculture concepts and sustainable gardening techniques in Campus gardens
• development of a food forest
• attached greenhouses for season extension

Nutrient Recycling

• vermicomposting
• composting yard waste
• humanure and composting toilets
• keyhole gardens

HUGnet

Ongoing research requires data and measurements.  As a result we developed HUGnet, a network of more than 1,000 sensors on campus measuring solar, wind, rain, temperature, and humidity