Home+Effeciency+Project

­__Efficient Home__ ·  Objective: lower energy demand and reduce air pollution __ New Homes: Energy Star __
 * //Summary of Research//**

1. Effective Insulation
Insulation may help keep the house warm in winter and cool in summer. There are many types, varying in thickness.

2. High-Performance Windows
Protective coatings and improved frames of the windows helps keep heat in during winter and our during summer. They also prevent ultraviolet sunlight damaging home furniture.

3. Tight Construction and Ducts
Tightly seal the home is important as it may improve indoor air quality as well as comfort.

4. Efficient Heating and Cooling Equipment
When installed properly in a house that is effectively sealed and insulated, the equipment will not have to work as hard to heat or cool the house. URL: http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=new_homes.nh_features __ The Energy Efficient Home  __ Roof – wood shakes are most widely used in U.S, they have a higher R-Value than both fiber cement and asphalt shingles Wall – concrete block is a more efficient building material than either wood or brick. It needs installation. Windows – layers and type of glass affect efficiency. Double or triple pane is better than single. URL: http://library.thinkquest.org/21794/index.html URL: http://www.uwsp.edu/cnr/gem/SustainableEnergy/double-pane%20window.jpg URL: http://kangaroobuilding.com/energy-efficient-home12.jpg

__Roofus' Solar and Efficient Home__

Window Placement: To keep the house warm, windows should be placed on the South so that the sun can shine in to keep the house warm. Use low-e windows so that once the sun shines in, heat cannot be lost to outside again.

Solar Panel: This allows a household to generate their own electricity using renewable resources.

URL: www1.eere.**energy**.gov/kids/roofus/

Above is my research on energy efficient home. I learned from the research that different construction of the roof, windows, walls and the efficient use of heating and cooling equipments may make a difference in saving energy in each household. Therefore, this is how I constructed my efficient home: Testing Procedure and Results A thermometer was inserted in both the control house and the energy efficient home. The control house was one made out of cardboard without any addition construction. I first tested the initial temperature of both the control house and the energy efficient home I constructed. Then, I took seven measurements with a 10 minute interval between each measurement.
 * //Design and Construction of House//**
 * I insulated the inside of the walls using bubble wraps, which I thought was the most suitable material that were available for this project (as we were supposed to use recycled materials). This was supposed to increase protection of the house and insulate heat from going out of the house and cold temperature from entering the house
 * I sealed the edges of the doors, windows, and where the walls connect using plasticine. This was to prevent wind from entering and heat from escaping.
 * I used cut-out plastic folders to cover the inside of the window, and then cover another later from the outside. This double cover is a model of double-layered glass windows used in real construction of houses.
 * I put three windows on one side of wall and two windows on the opposite wall with a door. Placement on opposite walls allow the air to flow through the house, improving air quality. I limited the placement to only two walls so that there is less contact with the cold temperature outside. On sunny days, sun may also shine in the wall with most windows.
 * || Control Home Temperature in degrees Celcius || Efficient Home Temperature in degrees Celcius ||
 * Initial || 22 || 23 ||
 * 1 || 1.5 || 3.5 ||
 * 2 || 1.5 || 2.5 ||
 * 3 || 0.5 || 1 ||
 * 4 || 1 || 1 ||
 * 5 || 1 || 1 ||
 * 6 || 1.5 || 2 ||

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