Introducing Engineering Design to First-Year Students Through the Net Zero Energy Challenge

Abstract

First-year engineering students are often introduced to the engineering design process through project-based learning situated in a concrete design context. Design contexts like mechanical engineering are commonly used, but students and teachers may need more options. In this article, we show how sustainable building design can serve as an alternative for students of diverse backgrounds and with various interests. The proposed Net Zero Energy Challenge is an engineering design project in which students practice the full engineering design cycle to create a virtual house that generates renewable energy on-site, with the goal to achieve net zero energy consumption. Such a design challenge is made possible by Aladdin, an integrated tool that supports building design, simulation, and analysis within a single package. A pilot study of the Net Zero Energy Challenge at a university in Mid-Atlantic United States suggests that around half of the students were able to achieve the design goal.

Keywords:

• Engineering design
• Engineering education
• Net zero energy
• Sustainable building

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) under grant numbers 2105695, 2131097, and 2301164. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this paper, however, are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the NSF.