Waste heat goes to heat hoop houses for year-round fish and vegetable production, the waste of which goes into the biodigester.

🏗️ Phase 1: Demo-Ready Net-Zero Hub (Already in Progress)

• Solar Thermal + PV covering a significant chunk of both electric and heat loads
• Retrofitting efficient building envelope zones (start with the 120k sqft heated envelope)
• Data monitoring: install smart metering, thermal flow meters, and open dashboards
• Partner orgs: MREA, Focus on Energy, WEDC, UW-Extension, GLREA, etc.

🎯 Outcome: Building runs at net-zero on paper; begins hosting tours and trainings.

🌱 Phase 2: Beyond Net Zero — Regenerative Grid Node

• Biogas digester running on cafeteria/kitchen waste + regional organics
• CHP (Combined Heat + Power) generator fueled by digester methane (thermal + electric coproduction)
• Thermal storage: heat batteries or insulated water tanks to shave peaks
• EV charging or off-grid node: Use surplus to run vehicle chargers or a microgrid islanding system
• Passive water reuse or filtration system for demonstration of low-impact hydrology

🎯 Outcome: You’re not just net-zero — you’re feeding power back, creating heat, filtering water, and modeling circular rural infrastructure.

🔍 Monitoring + Research Layer

To attract attention and funding, you’ll want:

• Real-time dashboards showing savings, performance, ROI