The Andrews GREEN House: Green Research and Education for Ecological Networks

Oregon State University, Corvallis OR

Investigators

Abstract

Oregon State University is awarded a grant for the development of the Andrews GREEN House, a model of green design for field stations that will address longer- term housing needs while opening important new avenues for research and education. The GREEN House will be a triplex that meets a long-standing need for creative housing for the growing community of visiting writers, educators and scientists who contribute to the vitality and productivity of the Andrews Forest Program. The proposed building will be constructed using latest mechanical and energy efficient designs and local materials. It will be operated using renewable energy, with monitoring of energy usage, air quality and carbon footprint. The GREEN House will be a living laboratory with wireless sensors installed throughout the structure that provide web based data side-by-side with the data streams from sensors in the surrounding forest. Information about this new energy efficient structure will be archived and analyzed in comparison to existing residential and laboratory buildings on site to compare energy use and air quality. Information and data about the GREEN House will be incorporated into a website and teaching modules - inviting students, researchers, agencies and the public to interact and evaluate the house and its environment from multiple perspectives. This project enables a focus on the explicit linkage of "human" and "natural" systems in research and education programs. Evaluation of energy efficiency and alternative energy options in building and sustaining a new residential structure would be one component of this new research emphasis. The scientists, writers and educators who stay at the GREEN House will play key roles in exploring human-environment connections and generating valuable scientific information linking constructed and natural environments, and will be a centerpiece of a multifaceted education program. Broader impacts will result from new and expanded collaborations to: 1) use the GREEN House as a model for cost-efficient sustainable buildings in rural, forested environments, and further LEED standards; 2) incorporate project information and experiential learning into energy-efficient construction training; 3) create new curriculum and teaching materials about renewable energy, energy-efficient buildings, and human-environment connections for K-12 and college programs; 4) stimulate the economic well-being of local and rural businesses and help them explore new technologies; 5) develop an interactive web portal to provide data and information and stimulate interest in sustainable building technology for rural areas; and 6) promote reflection on the connections between the constructed and natural environments.