Feasibility study for the installation of photovoltaic panels on the roof of a middle school in Minusio

Abstract

This project, a research study regarding the installation of photovoltaic panels on the roof of a school building, is designed for a eighth grade, but can be adapted to a ninth grade and, given the interdisciplinary nature of the topic, it involves different disciplines (other than mathematics) such as italian, civics and informatics. During the project, born from an interest expressed by the eight year students of an aptitude course in mathematics, in addition to developing a series of purely mathematical skills, the students acquire awareness of how many aspects need to be considered before being able to present a formal construction application (eg: municipal / cantonal / federal laws and regulations regarding the subject matter, structure of the school's technical rooms, estimates of energy use, components structure of a photovoltaic system, sizing and positioning of the plant) and about the environmental impact of this choice in terms of sustainability. Furthermore, the project is designed in order to promote an essential transversal competence, such as reflective and critical thinking, and proposes some competence monitoring tools. At the end of the project, the students summarized what emerged from the study in a paper dossier and in a podcast.