Onyx Bridge PV Shading Array

Next time you find yourself at the north end of the U of O campus traveling between the Pacific and Willamette buildings, take the Onyx Bridge connection on the 3rd floor and check out the research project being done by professor Ihab Elzeyadi in partnership with the solar research lab. You will notice a solar PV awning that is working to shade the hallway and produce energy at the same time. You will also notice a light shelf that is helping to better distribute daylight into this space. This shelf is loaded with new LED lights that will eventually replace the ugly fluorescent lights on the ceiling. These new lights are 40% more efficient than the existing lights and will save on energy consumption. Currently, the florescent lights are always on, wasting energy even when the hall is brightly daylit.

Original Onyx Hallway

Remodel

The project creates better lighting and more comfortable temperatures. You can see the difference in the space yourself by comparing your experience on the third floor bridge to the experience on the second floor.

-Himat