University/Organization
College of Architecture, Planning, and Landscape Architecture
University of Arizona
Tucson, Arizona
Title
Development of a Large Solar-shading Structure that Provides Human Thermal Comfort While Achieves Net-zero Status at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument in Arizona, USA
Synopsis:
The Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument in Arizona, USA, is transforming its campus to become the first Net-Zero operating park in the U.S.A. The House Energy Doctor Master of Science program’s faculty and graduate students at the College of Architecture, Planning, and Landscape Architecture have been working on that project for the last three years. To achieve the Net-Zero goal, the existing four built areas of the park have been redesigned through Studio 601 faculty and students. These four areas are 1) the visitor center, 2) the one-mile residential loop, 3) the Maintenance Yard, and 4) the law enforcement and the research center complex. This paper demonstrates how the four built areas of the park were studied and how the maintenance yard energy consumption and operating cost was redesigned and redeveloped to include large solar-shading structures that provided human thermal comfort and achieve the goal of net-zero operation campus. 470 modules producing 345 watts distributed over 3 arrays on one of the maintenance yard scheme produced 1.1 GW capacity while acted as a water catchment and harvesting device for the research center.