Guest author: Cameron Yudelson

For the last several weeks the students of the Living Building class have been working on a net zero energy project. The goal of this project is to conserve as much energy in the Commons.  The ultimate goal is for energy use to match the amount of solar output, effectively canceling each other out and reaching a point of “net zero” energy. To reach this goal, there are many things students and teachers can do, such as turning off lights and unused computers, unplugging unused power cables, lowering temperatures in your room, utilizing the solar chimneys, and even bringing a warm sweater to class.

This project is a collaborative effort between the Living Building class, led by Seth O’Bryan, and the teachers and students of classes located within the Commons. The students of the Living Building class have been compiling information on the “Barn”, as well as the history of the Harley school, collecting information of where our energy is coming from and how it is used in the building, and then analyzing data of energy usage in hopes of understanding how we can conserve energy. Conserving energy in the past year of the barn has proven difficult due to technical difficulties and a historically cold winter that has required more energy production than anticipated. Like you, we are looking forward to the upcoming warm weather when we can preserve energy.

For more information on the project and ways to get involved, contact Seth O’Bryan at sobryan@harleyschool.org or come on down to the Control Room during 1st period! For this project to succeed, we need as much community participation as possible.