Conference Year
2021
Keywords
solar, net zero energy, international collaboration
Abstract
This paper describes a Net Zero Energy Building (NZEB) being constructed on the engineering campus of the Universidad Nacional de San Augustín (UNSA) in Arequipa, Peru. The project is one part of a larger collaboration between UNSA and Purdue University called the Arequipa Nexus Institute for Sustainable Food, Energy, Water and the Environment (The Nexus Institute) that started in March of 2018. As UNSA seeks to become a leader in environmental engineering, there is an increasing need for a new building that has dedicated resources for teaching and research on sustainable design. Solar panels to achieve net zero energy were an important late addition to the building design. The Arequipa region of Peru is particularly well-suited for solar energy because it enjoys an abundance of sunshine throughout the year. The mild climate is also helpful because buildings do not require extensive HVAC systems that can consume significant amounts of energy.