Project EMBARC (Energy Mobile — Building Arts Research Center) is a solar powered, mobile, environmental field laboratory designed and built by nine students from the Architecture, Construction Management, and Civil Engineering programs during a 10-week summer Design: Build program. EMBARC serves as a learning and teaching device with research focusing on solar electric power systems, solar thermal heating, passive heating, wind power, groundwater evaluation and monitoring and long-term monitoring of wall assembly systems.
As a teaching tool, the EM_BARC facility can travel between local venues such as grade schools, environmental fairs and community gatherings, and serve as a means to promote and discover new paths toward conservation-based environmentalism.
Using a standard 20-foot intermodal steel shipping container as a structural chassis, the facility will house research projects led by Norwich University students and faculty. Despite the small footprint, it will accommodate a steady stream of visitors who can engage and interact with displays that present real-time relationships between the built environment and the natural environment.
The EM_BARC has 2 KW solar array with a manually operated solar tracking system and a roof- and wall-mounted rainwater collection system that directs water to a water filtration / holding tank.