Lesson Description:
This unit provides students with information about the actions a builder or homeowner can take to increase heating and cooling efficiency of a home while reducing dependency on nonrenewable sources of energy. Differences in insulation materials and their heat conductive properties will be compared in the laboratory activity. Conserving valuable energy by improving r-values for insulation in each residential and commercial building is a point to emphasize. After completing this unit, students will be more knowledgeable consumers regarding energy efficiency and passive solar, photovoltaics and wind power options.

---

Lesson Type:

• Experiment
• Project

---

Sustainability Topic:

• Energy
• Green Building

---

GEF Program Category:

• Green Building Program
• Green Energy Challenge

---

Materials Needed:

• Copy of the Reading Passage and Student Data Sheetsfor each student
• A Lab Activity equipment kit for each group containing:
  • 2 Dixie cups (small bathroom dispenser size, plastic or waxed finish) per test material
  • Water
  • Access to a freezer
  • Graduated cylinder (10 or 25 ml size range) per test material
  • Packaging tape
  • Miscellaneous insulating materials to test
  • Commercial insulation pieces: Styrofoam, cotton balls or cotton batting, various fabrics, packing peanuts, paper towels, newspaper, bubble wrap, etc.. Supply some materials and have students bring some materials from home to test.
  • Ruler
  • Marker
  • Stapler
  • Goggles

• A Follow Up Lab equipment kit for each group containing:
  • Ruler
  • Marker
  • Protractor
  • Toilet plunger (to be used as gnomon)
  • Pencil
  • Poster paper

---

Lesson Documents:
No16 96-823B.pdf

---