Engineering Sustainable Energy: Two-Year Solar Chimney Independent Study | The Harley School

How do high school students design, iterate, and build real-world renewable energy solutions? In this Upper School science spotlight at The Harley School, students present their two-year Independent Study Project on automating Solar Chimneys—an innovative passive solar heating and ventilation technology. Spanning multiple academic years, this hands-on engineering project required students to build, test, and refine several prototypes. Working closely with Harley’s Upper School science faculty and consulting with professional outside mentors, the students explored thermodynamics, fluid dynamics, sustainable architectural design, and renewable energy principles. This video showcases how Harley’s Independent Study program empowers students to pursue deep, multi-year research and original engineering solutions. Questions Answered in this Video: • What is a solar chimney and how does passive solar ventilation work? • How do Independent Study Projects work in the Upper School at The Harley School? • How do Harley students collaborate with faculty and professional engineering mentors? About The Harley School: The Harley School is an independent, co-educational college-preparatory school in Rochester, NY, serving students from Nursery through Grade 12. Learn more about our Upper School STEM curriculum, Independent Study opportunities, and sustainability programs at https://www.harleyschool.org.