Lesson Plan: Removing the ‘Pane’ from Heating and Cooling Bills

Your school is working towards becoming Green School certified which includes energy efficient windows. Atrium Windows and Doors has offered to help when replacement windows are needed. Energy Star window criteria and certification varies by region across the United States and needs to be considered. In order to get the process started, one currently installed
windows needs to be analyzed for energy efficiency (can be any size and located anywhere in the building).

Once you have this baseline information, you need to create a proposal for your material design of the most thermal efficient and cost-effective replacement window.

AuthorGrade LevelContent
Laurie McKinneyHigh SchoolAP Environmental Science, Earth Science

 

Standards

AP Environmental Science

  • ENG 3 Humans use energy from a variety of sources, resulting in positive and negative consequences.
  • 3.B.5 Availability, price, and governmental regulations influence which energy sources people use and how they use them.
  • ENG 3 Describe methods for conserving energy.
  • 3.T.1 Some of the methods for conserving energy around a home include adjusting the thermostat to reduce the use of heat and air conditioning, conserving water, use of energy-efficient appliances, and conservation landscaping.
  • 3.T.2 Methods for conserving energy on a large scale include improving fuel economy for vehicles, using BEVs (battery electric vehicles) and hybrid vehicles, using public transportation, and implementing green building design features.

Entry Event

  • Watch “The Story of Clean Energy in Buncombe” by the NC Sustainable Energy Association. The video features an example of “Green School” in Asheville, NC.
  • At your school we are going to start our green school journey by writing recommendations for energy efficient window replacements.

Public Product

Students will create a proposal for the material design of the most thermal efficient
and cost-effective replacement window based on the data they collect.

Materials

  • Energy Conversions & Conservation Worksheets (print one per student)
  • Pencils
  • Internet Access
  • Measuring Tapes (6 minimum)
  • Atrium Window & Door Samples
    – Radiometer, Heat Source & Sample Panels
    – Sample Kit Window
    – Sample Kit Material Options
  • Access to windows in school
  • Calculator (basic 4 function) (6 minimum)

Duration

Minimum of three 90-minute class periods. Additional time preferred to include guest speakers like energy experts.

Formative Assessment 1

Know/Need to Know Chart (Complete Day 1 after launch event)
(Hard copy for students provided at end of lesson plan)

Guiding Questions

  • What does it mean to be energy efficient?
  • What is thermal efficiency?
  • What are the measurements of the window we need to replace?

Formative Assessment 2

Completed Energy Conversion & Conservation Worksheets
(Hard copy for students provided at end of lesson plan)

Content and Skills to be Assessed

  • Analyze an environmental problem and propose a solution doing calculations.
  • Describe methods for conserving energy.

Summative Assessment

Proposal for principal containing currently installed school window baseline data, Energy Star efficiency needs for region, and support and reasoning for proposed window replacement.
(Hard copy for students provided at end of lesson plan)

Content and Skills to be Assessed

  • Availability, price, and governmental regulations influence which energy sources people use and how they use them.
  • Some of the methods for conserving energy around a home include adjusting the thermostat to reduce the use of heat and air conditioning, conserving water, use of energy-efficient appliances, and conservation landscaping.
  • Methods for conserving energy on a large scale include improving fuel economy for vehicles, using BEVs (battery electric vehicles) and hybrid vehicles, using public transportation, and implementing green building design features.

Day 1

Part 1: Introduction (~30 minutes)

  • Example of “Green School” in Asheville, NC
    • At your school we are going to start our green school journey by
      writing recommendations for energy efficient window replacements

Part 2. Create a Know/Need to know list (~30 minutes)

  • Guiding Questions
    • What does it mean to be energy efficient?
    • What is thermal efficiency?
    •  What kind of windows does the school have?
    • What are the measurements of the window we need to replace?

Day 2

Part 3: Data Collection (~90 minutes)
Station 1: Mathematical Conversion

  • Practice of conversions (Needed for AP Environmental Science Exam)
  • Materials: worksheet, pencil, calculator

Station 2: APES Energy Math

  • Practice of conversions (Needed for AP Environmental Science Exam)
  • Materials: worksheet, pencil, calculator, APES math answers

Station 3: Window Measurement 

Station 4: Understanding Window Performance Numbers

  • Introduction of energy efficiency measurements in window engineering
  • Materials: worksheet, pencil

Station 5: Cardinal Glass Energy Calculator

Station 6: Radiometer Pane Measurements

  • Students will make predicts on window types energy efficiency and collect data using Atrium Sample kit. Students will apply this information when they formulate their final recommendations for window replacements.
  • Materials: worksheet, pencil, Atrium Radiometer, glass samples, and heat source

Station 7: Collect Data for Window Replacement

  • Students will select one window in the school to collect measurements from, take location and environment into account, and write recommendation for window replacement.
  • Materials: worksheet, pencil, measuring tape

Day 3

Part 4: Creation of Proposal (~90 minutes)

  • Write a letter to the principal giving your recommendation for a window replacement plan that will be the most energy efficient while also being cost effective. Select one window in the school that you will collect measurements for and take location and environment into account.
  • Materials: worksheets from data collections, Internet

Teacher Notes

  • This project could be extended to include guest speakers on energy efficiency like school energy manager or local energy service provider.
  • Students sometimes struggle with the dimensional analysis energy conversion in AP Environmental Science. Station 1 is designed to allow students to gain confidence in conversion with units they are familiar with (feet, miles, inches) before switching to not as familiar energy units in Station 2 (Watts, BTU, kWh).

Extension Opportunities

  • What properties would you need to include in the design of the windows of other regions? Examples:
    • Hurricanes Near Coast of NC?
    • Extreme cold in northern climates
    • Turtle glass

Resources

About the Author

Laurie McKinney is a science teacher at Oak Grove High School in Davidson County. Laurie was lucky enough to partner with CornerStrone Building Brands Atrium Window & Doors in Welcome, NC which is less than 10 miles away from her school.

During the internship, she worked with engineers to bring hands on learning opportunities into the classroom that would spark interest in energy conservation and design.

Laurie thanks her Cornerstone Building Brands mentors, Susan Stringfellow and Kevin Wright, the Kenan Fellows Program for Teacher Leadership, and Davidson County Schools for giving her this valuable opportunity. “I have learned so much about STEM in manufacturing, which will definitely impact how I teach and prepare my scholars for the real world,” she said.

Appendix

Download worksheets and additional resources here.