USMA W.P. Cadets SIP Hut work completes first term

Published Dec. 21, 2012
U.S. Military Academy at West Point cadets work on materials for use in their Structural Insulated Panels Hut design.

U.S. Military Academy at West Point cadets work on materials for use in their Structural Insulated Panels Hut design.

Dec. 21, 2012

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WEST POINT, N.Y.--As part of an ERDC effort, U.S. Military Academy at West Point cadets recently completed their first term of work on the Structural Insulated Panels (SIP) Hut, a prototype energy efficient barracks structure.

The multi-disciplinary team, composed of six teams representing five academic majors, through surveys and study, established design requirements and evaluation metrics for the “objective hut,” an optimized housing solution for the future. 

The human factors engineering team continues to investigate interior layouts and details, as well as the use of a vestibule for equipment storage and environmental control. 

The mechanical engineering team’s initial investigation shows that a SIP Hut reduces the energy demand by almost 50 percent from a standard Barracks Hut (B Hut).

The electrical engineering team indicates that demand for generator fuel can be substantially reduced by using a hybrid generator-photo-voltaic solar system. 

The civil engineering team has completed designs, bills of materials, and construction plans for both the SIP and B Huts, which will be built in the spring. 

The project is on schedule and continues to show great potential for reducing energy demand in theater. 

Learn more about this work here.