Santa Clara University, Facilities

Students: Xander Wroblewski, Meghan Khurana, Lauren Harriman

Advisor: Shoba Krishnan

Students conducted a feasibility study on the use of solar energy to heat the pool of the Sullivan Aquatic Center. The reason was to determine if the use of solar energy would significantly reduce the amount of energy used by the current system, thereby providing environmental and economic advantages for the university. The use of solar panels to heat the pool would also showcase the university’s interest in implementing new green technologies on campus. The students learned a lot about the thermodynamics of a large body of water, and about pool heating. At the end of their report, they outlined the next steps in the project.