Aug 29, 2011
Sunlight Converted into Approx. 20% of Energy Needs
Located at the Duke University Marine Laboratory in Beaufort, North Carolina, the 5,600 sq ft. Marguerite Kent Re-pass Ocean Conservation Center (OCC) is a great example of merging the built structure with the site. Built in 2006, it uses geothermal pumps for heating and cooling, solar panels for hot water, and photovoltaic rooftop panels to convert sunlight into electricity. Local building materials, such as yellow southern pine and Atlantic white cedar and recycled wood, are used throughout the structure. The OCC uses photovoltaic cells to convert sunlight for approximately 20% of the energy needs of the building, and passive solar for heating the water used in the building.
Written by: Tony Smith
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About The Author
Anthony Smith, PhD, is President and Founder of Secure Solar Futures. He brings over 40 years’ experience in energy efficiency, solar energy, and community economic development in Vermont, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Virginia. He founded Secure Solar Futures in 2004 as CEO and President and leads the company’s innovation development and strategic partnerships. He serves as a founding board member of the Virginia Renewable Energy Alliance (VA-REA). He served as co-director and associate professor of the Eastern Mennonite University MBA program from 2008 to 2015. He earned his Masters in Architecture from the University of Pennsylvania, and a PhD from the Wharton School of Management, University of Pennsylvania.