Sustainable Technology and the Built Environment

Education: 

• Ph.D., Energy & Environmental Systems, North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University, 2014
• M.A., Appropriate Technology, Appalachian State University, 2005
• B.S., Natural Resources, North Carolina State University, 1999

Research Interests: 

• Renewable Energy Systems
• Greenhouse Design, Construction, and Performance Testing
• Controlled Environment Agriculture
• Bioenergy (organic waste conversion via AD, pyrolysis, compost) 
• Industrial Ecology & Life Cycle Assessment
• Permaculture Design 
• Appropriate Technology in Lesser Income Countries
• Transdisciplinarity

Courses Taught: 

• Greenhouse and Controlled Environment Agriculture, TEC 4537/5537
• Solar Thermal Energy, TEC 4628/5628
• Contemporary Problems in Sustainable Technology, TEC 4638
• Bioenergy Technology, TEC 4700/5700
• Ecological Design in Peru TEC 3532

Recent Theses:

Pope, C. (2023). Comparative Assessment of the Effects of Biochar Particle Size has on Microbial Activity

Waugh, G. (2023). Waste to Riches: Testing the Viability of a Heated Vermicomposting Bin Made from a Repurposed Solar Thermal Collector (Undergraduate Honor’s Thesis)

Gee, S. (2022). Characterizing the Effects of Ventilation Fans, Double Glazing, and an Automated Sidewall Roll-up System on an Unheated High Tunnel Greenhouse in the NC High Country

Gray, A. (2022). Characterizing Effects of Charged Biochar on Soil Quality and Plant Growth in Degraded North Carolina High Country Soils

Sinke, L. (2022). Heating Season GAHT (Ground to Air Heat Transfer) Greenhouse Energy Storage

Kitchings, R. (2022). An Energy Performance Analysis of a Small-Scale Anaerobic Digester in Late Fall.

Wilmoth, T. (2021). Characterizing the Influence of Distributing Organizations on Hollow Fiber Membrane Filter Adoption

Decker, L. (2021). A Benefit Cost Analysis of a Ground to Air Heat Transfer System (Undergraduate Honor’s Thesis)

Brehm, D. (2020). Using Compost as a Nutrient Source in Deep Water Culture Hydroponics (Undergraduate Honor’s Thesis)

Batzko, G (2020). A Feasibility Study of a 3-D Printed Community Shelter with a Rooftop Photovoltaic System to Aid Vulnerable Communities in the Event of a Hurricane. (Undergraduate Honor’s Thesis)

Publications: 

• Kim, HY, Yu, O., Ferrell, J. (2024) Case Study: Reducing heating energy consumption in a high tunnel greenhouse with renewable energy and microclimate control by bench-top root-zone heating, bench covers, and under bench insulation. Journal of Environmental Science and Technology.
• Ferrell, J., Yu, O., Kim, HY. (2021). Case Study: Promoting Sustainable Energy Greenhouse Heating Systems to Small-Scale Local Farms. Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology.
• Ferrell, J. & Summerville, B. (2019). Autonomous PV Systems for Developing Countries: Assessing Student Learning of Experiential Study Abroad Programs. American Society for Engineering Education. Paper ID#25381
• Wu, J, Tseng, H, Ferrell, J, Liu, X. (2017). Transforming Waste Management Operations to Green Energy Initiatives: Opportunities and Challenges. International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, 7 (3), 50-57.
• Ferrell, J. (2016). Local Farmers, Season Extension, and Technology Transfer. Experiences from the Nexus Greenhouse Project. Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). Baltimore MD Conference Proceedings.
• Ferrell, J. & Shahbazi, A. (2015). County Government Led EIP Development using Municipal Biomass Resources for Clean Energy Production, a case study of the Catawba County North Carolina EcoComplex. Progress in Industrial Ecology.
• Ferrell, J. (2014). A distributed model of oilseed biorefining, via integrated industrial ecology exchanges. ProQuest Dissertation.
• Raichle, B., Sinclair, R., Ferrell, J. (2012). Design and construction of a direct hydro powered coffee depulper. Energy for Sustainable Development. 
• Ferrell, J., Cockerill, K. (2012). Closing Coffee Production Loops with Fair Trade Ethanol in Matagalpa, Nicaragua. Energy for Sustainable Development.

Synergistic Activities:

• Principal Investigator, NC Department of Agriculture- BioEnergy Research Initiative, “Slaughterhouse Waste-to-Nutrient Conversion via BioEnergy Tech.” 2024-2026.
• Co-Principal Investigator, US Department of Agriculture- SSARE, “Integrated Sustainable Technologies for Enhancing Farm Productivity.” 2024-2025
• Principal Investigator, NC Department of Agriculture- BioEnergy Research Initiative, “Promoting Integrated on-Farm Bioenergy Technologies.” 2022-2024.

Resources:

The NEXUS: Integrated Sustainable Energy for Enhancing Farm Productivity