The objective of this project was to work with an architect to design a net neutral campus for ND-LEEF by St. Patrick’s park in St. Joseph county, with particular emphasis on the design of the main administration building. Using the thermal analysis software Sefaira, I evaluated the effect of design parameters such as wall R-value, horizontal projection of shading, and percentage of glazing for their impact on the thermal efficiency of the main administration building. In tandem with my thermal analysis, the architect designed and drafted the layout of this campus such that the buildings are thermally efficient while maintianing functionality for researchers, students, and visitors alike. The final design of the administration building has an Energy Usage Intensity (EUI) of 24kBTU/ft², which is below the design goal of 34kBTU/ft². Additionally, there is rooftop space between the buildings on campus for 12,500ft² of solar panels, which exceeds the required 11,000ft² of panels needed to generate 20% onsite renewable energy for the campus.




