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Among its highlights, OGZEB will be completely solar-powered, with excess electricity being used to produce hydrogen for energy storage. |
FSU News Cutting-edge energy-efficient building going up at FSU An innovative alternative technology building is being constructed on the FSU campus by the Sustainable Energy Science and Engineering Center (SESEC). Designed to achieve the highest level certification for energy efficiency, it will be the first building of its type in the southeastern United States. 
Off-Grid, Zero Emission Building
The new facility, dubbed OGZEB (short for "Off-Grid Zero Emissions Building"), will feature building-design and energy innovations developed by local architects and engineers, as well as students and faculty from SESEC. The latter include students from the departments of mechanical engineering and civil engineering at the Florida A&M University-Florida State University College of Engineering and from FSU's department of interior design. Among its highlights, OGZEB will be completely solar-powered, with excess electricity being used to produce hydrogen for energy storage. It will make use of hydrogen appliances (hydrogen burns cleaner and more efficiently than natural gas). It will feature high-efficiency water and electrical systems, and it is designed to achieve LEED-NC platinum certification for energy efficiency—the first such building in the southeastern United States. "OGZEB will be a prototype for developing and implementing cutting-edge, alternative technologies in both residential and commercial settings," said Professor Anjane'yulu' Krothapalli, director of SESEC. "It also will serve as an energy-efficient model in student living and office space for campus designers." The building is expected to be completed by December 2007. For more information about the new building, visit www.sesec.fsu.edu/ogzeb.html or contact Justin Kramer of SESEC at (850) 445-3432 or jkramer@sesec.fsu.edu. |