Northern Arizona University

Location: Flagstaff, Arizona

Northern Arizona University

The SolarWall®
system on the new Distance Learning
Facility at Northern Arizona University is projected to produce
over 412 million BTUs of renewable energy annually.
The system will also reduce greenhouse gas emissions
by 29 tons of CO2 each year, with an estimated payback
of under 8 years.

Background

When project architect Burns Wald-Hopkins Shambach Architects started work on the new Distance Learning Facility at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, AZ, they were targeting a LEED certification. In order to achieve the certification requirements, they implemented a variety of green technologies. The most prominent carbon-free technology is a SolarWall® air heating system. The SolarWall technology was chosen because it provides fresh solar heated ventilation air in the winter, and acts as a shading screen during the summer. The SolarWall system provides exceptional air quality for the classrooms, faculty offices, and a new television studio that make up the new building.

Solution

Conserval designed the SolarWall® system for the solar-rich, south facing wall of the new facility, integrating the solar component into the building’s mechanical system. The total solar collector area is 2,828ft2 (263m2) and the architect designed it in such a way that the horizontally-mounted SolarWall® system became one of the key visual features of the front façade. The SolarWall system on the new Distance Learning Facility is projected to produce over 412 million BTUs of renewable energy annually. The system will also reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 29 tons of CO2 each year, helping the university to lower their carbon footprint and achieve their energy targets.

NorthernArizonaUniversity_Y09_SolarWallCaseStudy(PDF)