Energy Efficient House
Project Outline
We did many projects to help understand how to make two things: a reflector and a cold frame. We needed to design a reflector for the northern window which receives no light. We also needed to build a cold frame to keep the heat in during the winter so that plants won't die.
We did many projects to help understand how to make two things: a reflector and a cold frame. We needed to design a reflector for the northern window which receives no light. We also needed to build a cold frame to keep the heat in during the winter so that plants won't die.
Solar Water Heater
For our first project, we had to design and build a water heater powered the sun. We used copper tubes to conduct the most radiation from the sun. We had a black paint on the outside and newspaper at the bottom to insulate the water. The insides of the water solar heater were covered in tin foil to reflect all radiation back to the copper tubes where the water sat. Then we used plastic tubing to connect to the copper tubing. The plastic tubing connected to a plastic bottle which we put in a cardboard box with insulation. We put water in the plastic bottle, the water ran down the plastic tube and into the copper tubes where it is heated up and runs out of the the plastic tube on the other end. The water then falls into a cup and we pour it back into the plastic bottle. We tested the temperature after every five minutes to see if there was any change.
For our first project, we had to design and build a water heater powered the sun. We used copper tubes to conduct the most radiation from the sun. We had a black paint on the outside and newspaper at the bottom to insulate the water. The insides of the water solar heater were covered in tin foil to reflect all radiation back to the copper tubes where the water sat. Then we used plastic tubing to connect to the copper tubing. The plastic tubing connected to a plastic bottle which we put in a cardboard box with insulation. We put water in the plastic bottle, the water ran down the plastic tube and into the copper tubes where it is heated up and runs out of the the plastic tube on the other end. The water then falls into a cup and we pour it back into the plastic bottle. We tested the temperature after every five minutes to see if there was any change.
Site Selection
For site selection, we had to pick the best spot to build a house considering many things: sun angles, privacy, shade, temperature, sun time, accessibility, space, integration, and the levelness of the ground. We had three options: the spot behind the art room, the area in front of the tennis courts, and behind the baseball fields. The spot behind the art room was the best because the sun angles scored an eight out of ten. It had sun exposure for most of the day. It has decent privacy and accessibility. It integrates nicely with the school. It's not too distracting to the students.
For site selection, we had to pick the best spot to build a house considering many things: sun angles, privacy, shade, temperature, sun time, accessibility, space, integration, and the levelness of the ground. We had three options: the spot behind the art room, the area in front of the tennis courts, and behind the baseball fields. The spot behind the art room was the best because the sun angles scored an eight out of ten. It had sun exposure for most of the day. It has decent privacy and accessibility. It integrates nicely with the school. It's not too distracting to the students.
Daylight Design Activity
For this part of our project, we learned about different day lighting techniques and features. We built a small model house out of cardboard and added day lighting features: solar tubes, light shelves, clerestory windows, and skylights.
Solar Tubes: A reflective tube to bring daylight into homes.
Light Shelves: A window sill that reflects daylight onto the ceiling and the room
Clerestory Windows: A short, close to top of the wall window. Used to bring midday(slanted) light into the room.
Skylights: A window in a roof to let overhead daylight to come in
Sun angles: Where there is most sunlight at different angles.
Below are some pictures of our house.
For this part of our project, we learned about different day lighting techniques and features. We built a small model house out of cardboard and added day lighting features: solar tubes, light shelves, clerestory windows, and skylights.
Solar Tubes: A reflective tube to bring daylight into homes.
Light Shelves: A window sill that reflects daylight onto the ceiling and the room
Clerestory Windows: A short, close to top of the wall window. Used to bring midday(slanted) light into the room.
Skylights: A window in a roof to let overhead daylight to come in
Sun angles: Where there is most sunlight at different angles.
Below are some pictures of our house.
Materials Testing Lab
Our class created a lab to test materials; checking which material was best at insulating, conducting, or absorbing and holding heat. This lab was different because we created the lab by ourselves. We came up with materials that needed to be tested and brought them in.
The Procedure:
-Place tested materials on corrugated cardboard to insulate from the counter top
-Place 1ft2 of tested material 12 cm below a 60 w incandescent bulb
-Take the initial temperature of tested materials
-Turn on light bulb
-Take temperature every 5 min for 20 min
-Turn off the light bulb
-Take temperature every 5 min for 20 min
-Find total temperature gain and lose for each material
-Compare materials and analyze data
Below are our results.
Our class created a lab to test materials; checking which material was best at insulating, conducting, or absorbing and holding heat. This lab was different because we created the lab by ourselves. We came up with materials that needed to be tested and brought them in.
The Procedure:
-Place tested materials on corrugated cardboard to insulate from the counter top
-Place 1ft2 of tested material 12 cm below a 60 w incandescent bulb
-Take the initial temperature of tested materials
-Turn on light bulb
-Take temperature every 5 min for 20 min
-Turn off the light bulb
-Take temperature every 5 min for 20 min
-Find total temperature gain and lose for each material
-Compare materials and analyze data
Below are our results.
Building Design- The Cold Frame
For the cold frame, we had to build a scale model, draw out a blueprint and prepare a presentation. We built the model out of popsicle sticks which took a long time because there was much difficulty gluing the sticks together. The model kept breaking as well.
For the cold frame, we had to build a scale model, draw out a blueprint and prepare a presentation. We built the model out of popsicle sticks which took a long time because there was much difficulty gluing the sticks together. The model kept breaking as well.
Building Design- The Reflector
For the reflector, we had to build a scale model, draw blue prints, and prepare a presentation as well. First, we brainstormed on what kind of reflectors we should do, searching the internet for ideas. Then, we came up with the idea of using different angles to reflect different angles of light. After that, we found out the angles of the panels to build.
For the reflector, we had to build a scale model, draw blue prints, and prepare a presentation as well. First, we brainstormed on what kind of reflectors we should do, searching the internet for ideas. Then, we came up with the idea of using different angles to reflect different angles of light. After that, we found out the angles of the panels to build.
Justification
Why should we have an energy efficient lab?
Why should we have an energy efficient lab?
Wind Turbine Lab
The wind turbine lab was experimenting with different kinds of blades, angles, and length to create the fastest turning turbine. There is a HAWT which is a horizontal axis wind turbine and a VAWT which is a vertical axis wind turbine. I designed a wind turbine that had 4 short, tapered blades with a very slight angle of 10 degrees. On low speed, it went up to 1.3 volts and on medium speed it went up to 2.7 volts. Unfortunately, on high speeds, the wind was too strong and my wind turbine fell apart. We discovered that the shorter and fewer the blades and the lesser the angle, the faster the blades spun.
The wind turbine lab was experimenting with different kinds of blades, angles, and length to create the fastest turning turbine. There is a HAWT which is a horizontal axis wind turbine and a VAWT which is a vertical axis wind turbine. I designed a wind turbine that had 4 short, tapered blades with a very slight angle of 10 degrees. On low speed, it went up to 1.3 volts and on medium speed it went up to 2.7 volts. Unfortunately, on high speeds, the wind was too strong and my wind turbine fell apart. We discovered that the shorter and fewer the blades and the lesser the angle, the faster the blades spun.
Physics Concepts
Convection- It is the transfer of heat through fluid (liquid/gas). We saw convection in our solar water heaters.
Insulation- Insulation is a bad conductor. It does not transfer heat well. Most of our walls use insulating materials: rigid foam, spray foam, and fiberglass.
Conduction- It's the transfer of heat through a solid. Materials that are good at conducting are copper pipes used the solar water heater.
Radiation- This is the transfer of heat through waves. We get radiation from the sun.
Heat- It is a form of thermal energy (unit: J).
Thermal Conductivity- It's the rate at which material transfers heat
Thermal Resistance- It's the ability of material to resist transferring heat
Specific Heat Capacity- It is a constant for a substance that measures how slowly it heats up
High Specific Heat- Something that warms up slowly and holds lots of heat well like water.
Low Specific Heat- Something that warms up quickly and loose heat quickly like iron.
Convection- It is the transfer of heat through fluid (liquid/gas). We saw convection in our solar water heaters.
Insulation- Insulation is a bad conductor. It does not transfer heat well. Most of our walls use insulating materials: rigid foam, spray foam, and fiberglass.
Conduction- It's the transfer of heat through a solid. Materials that are good at conducting are copper pipes used the solar water heater.
Radiation- This is the transfer of heat through waves. We get radiation from the sun.
Heat- It is a form of thermal energy (unit: J).
Thermal Conductivity- It's the rate at which material transfers heat
Thermal Resistance- It's the ability of material to resist transferring heat
Specific Heat Capacity- It is a constant for a substance that measures how slowly it heats up
High Specific Heat- Something that warms up slowly and holds lots of heat well like water.
Low Specific Heat- Something that warms up quickly and loose heat quickly like iron.
Reflection
This was the longest project that we had ever done. It was extremely fun and exciting. I felt that our daylighting design activity was what went well the most. It went by smoothly and in the end, we were all very happy with the result. I think that our reflector presentation went a little poorly. Two peaks were making the fastest wind turbine in the class and building a successful daylighting house. Two pits were our solar water heater losing all its water due to leakage in the tubes and the wind turbine blowing apart under the leaf blower. Two things we could have done well was working on our presentations more. I felt like we were unprepared for our presentations and that we should have done more. Another thing we could of done was working together more. We worked separately so I felt we should have collaborated more on certain projects. I definitely learned some more presentation skills and cooperation skills. Overall, this enormous project was very fun and educating.
This was the longest project that we had ever done. It was extremely fun and exciting. I felt that our daylighting design activity was what went well the most. It went by smoothly and in the end, we were all very happy with the result. I think that our reflector presentation went a little poorly. Two peaks were making the fastest wind turbine in the class and building a successful daylighting house. Two pits were our solar water heater losing all its water due to leakage in the tubes and the wind turbine blowing apart under the leaf blower. Two things we could have done well was working on our presentations more. I felt like we were unprepared for our presentations and that we should have done more. Another thing we could of done was working together more. We worked separately so I felt we should have collaborated more on certain projects. I definitely learned some more presentation skills and cooperation skills. Overall, this enormous project was very fun and educating.