What is the OGZEB?
The Off-Grid Zero Emission Building (OGZEB) is a prototype for buildings that will meet the needs of our current lifestyle while also protecting our environment. Designed by local professionals and Florida State University (FSU) faculty and graduate students, the OGZEB is the ideal combination of cutting edge technology and occupant livability. The OGZEB, being a test bed for alternative energy and environmentally friendly appliances and building practices, will be used for development and testing of hydrogen technology.
Our Mission
It is our mission to improve the efficiency of the heating and cooling cycles of the OGZEB. This was done by integrating the geothermal HVAC and solar thermal water tank. Our design connected these two existing systems and also provided real time data of the system performance. This alloed us to determine any changes to the efficiency of the system.
Project Scope
The problem at the Off Grid Zero Emissions Building (OGZEB) is the geothermal heat pump and the solar thermal storage are operating independently and the desire is to improve the building's efficiency. Instead of having the two systems operating separately it is the job of this design team to determine if connecting them will improve the overall efficiency. That job includes designing and implementing the new system and also running tests to see if it works properly.
Our Team
The team consists of three students studying to become mechanical engineers at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering in Tallahassee, Florida. Shannon Ingersoll is the Project Manager, Julia Edel is the Design Engineer, and Greg Conte is the Analytical Engineer.
Recent News
GOOD NEWS! Completion of the project and all data collection has been finished. The results showed a 62.5 % increase in the COP for cooling of the house and a 12.5 % increase in heating.
Our Client
We have been chosen by the Energy and Sustainability Center of Florida State University to design and manufacture a system that will increase the efficiency of the Off Grid Zero Emissions Building (OGZEB).
Shannon is a senior in Mechanical Engineering. She is currently enrolled in the BSMS program at Florida State University and will graduate Spring 2011 with her Masters.
Upon graduation Shannon plans to move back to her home state of California and pursue a career in the engineering industry.
Julia Edel is a senior in Mechanical Engineering. Her field of interest is nano materials research.
She has spent the last two years working for the Nano Core program at FSU aiding in the characterization and synthesis of nanowires.
Her experience includes conducting research at both Notre Dame and Brown University with a focus on thin film transistors.
Greg Conte is a senior in the Mechanical Engineering program of Florida State University.
He plans to graduate in May 2010 with a Bachelors Degree.
After graduation, Greg plans to move back to the Pensacola area to pursue a career in the engineering industry.