Abstract

Puerto Rico’s energy landscape is defined by a cycle of continuous disaster recovery, exacerbated by its location in a high-risk natural disaster zone and a centralized grid prone to failure. The human cost of this vulnerability was exemplified by the 328-day power outage following Hurricane Maria, a period that rendered vital spaces unusable and highlighted the dire consequences of accelerated infrastructure aging and a heavy dependency on expensive fossil fuel imports. This thesis addresses these critical challenges by investigating the integration of community microgrid systems into the urban landscape as a strategic framework for power continuity. Using Casa Pueblo’s existing microgrid system in Adjuntas Puerto Rico as the foundational architecture, this research employs a three-phased quantitative methodology to determine the maximum feasible saturation density and replicability of decentralized systems. Phase I analyzes the technical specifications and operational context of the Casa Pueblo microgrid to establish a baseline for decentralized systems in Puerto Rico. Phase II utilizes GIS to model an expansion metric, balancing saturation against surplus, to create an urban planning tool for microgrid deployment within the Municipality of Adjuntas. Phase III translates the mapping outcomes into a verifiable checklist and replicability framework for scaled, island-wide deployment across other municipalities. The study hypothesizes that a community operating at an optimal microgrid deployment density will exhibit superior power continuity and energy resilience compared to the conventional centralized grid when there is no power available. Ultimately, this research seeks to provide a localized alternative to the current energy crisis, transitioning Puerto Rico from a state of vulnerability towards a self-sustaining, resilient energy future.

Publication Date

5-1-2026

Document Type

Thesis

Student Type

Graduate

Degree Name

Architecture (M.Arch.)

Department, Program, or Center

Architecture, Department of

College

Golisano Institute for Sustainability

Advisor

Seth H. Holmes

Advisor/Committee Member

Julius J. Chiavaroli

Advisor/Committee Member

Alissa De Wit-Paul

Campus

RIT – Main Campus

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