Students revolutionize their university with unprecedented construction project: 'Really exciting'

Calvin University's facilities building now boasts a 35-kilowatt solar setup, thanks to the efforts of motivated students who completed the installation last week, reported Calvin News.

Juniors Jack Klop and Sofie Schumerth led this renewable energy venture, which will provide up to 60 percent of the building's electricity needs.

The duo holds positions within the Calvin Energy Recovery Fund (CERF), an organization that channels money saved from past conservation projects into future campus sustainability efforts.

"It's not just an environmental win — it's a financial one too. We estimate it will pay for itself within seven years," said Klop, who studies civil and environmental engineering.

CERF began 15 years ago as a way for students to fund green improvements without putting pressure on university budgets. When a project starts saving energy costs, the resulting savings become available for new initiatives, creating a robust ongoing funding stream.

Before installation began, students from four different classes contributed to the planning.

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During the fall semester, three engineering courses and one physics class researched and designed solar implementation strategies for the campus. Their findings helped turn the concept into reality for Klop and Schumerth.

The project gave participants valuable field experience. Students calculated expenses, designed the system, and physically installed panels on the facilities building roof.

Solar panels are just one part of the sustainability push. The team has plans to install variable frequency drives on campus heating and cooling systems. A single VFD could reduce energy consumption by 10 percent, resulting in yearly savings of $80,000.

"Being able to take the leaps we have so far this year toward the carbon neutrality goal and it being a tangible step toward that versus a nice idea that gets thrown around is really exciting," said Schumerth, a junior from Wisconsin studying civil and environmental engineering.