Objectives 

With this tool, students are expected to: 

- Understand that saving of electricity and natural resources is essential for our future

- Develop an understanding of simple measures for reducing consumption of electricity and natural resources, and of the cost of using electrical appliances

- Examine materials used for constructing houses from the viewpoint of their chemical, aesthetic and environmentally friendly properties

- Assess features of the construction materials; availability of eco materials in Latvia

- Improve cooperation, presentation, and assessment skills

Activity details 

Materials:

see the annex

Length:

3 hours

Target audience:

8th grade (20-30 students)

Lesson 1

What can we do in order to solve the problem/situation?

1. Students create a mind map with the most important things they cannot imaging their lives without.
2. Students develop a chart: Benefits and Flaws of Eco-houses and Energy-Efficient Houses.
3. Students make presentations about the materials which are used for building houses, and about the energy-efficient electrical appliances and light bulbs.
4. Group work on classification of electrical appliances from the viewpoint of their energy-effectiveness.
5. Students make a list of electrical appliances they use at home and calculate their electricity consumption over a week. 
6. Students develop instructions: measures to reduce consumption of natural resources (water, electricity, and gas).
7. Students study modern construction materials, their featured and use; fill in work sheets.
8. Students evaluate benefits of modern construction materials and create a mind map about what areas materials can be applied in and for what purposes.
9. Students carry out experiments with modern construction materials in order to evaluate their energy-efficiency:
• Research into material features.
• Research into features of composite materials.
• Creation of composite materials.
10. Tasks options: Creating a drawing of an energy-efficient house model OR Creating an energy- efficient house model, presentation:
• Abstract
• Layout
• Materials used
• Electrical appliance used
• Presentation of work.

Tips for the teacher

What do we know about the problem/situation? What should we know? How can we know about it? How can we organize our research?

1. The teacher encourages students to talk about the most important things which it is impossible to imagine our lives without, guiding the students’ responses to reflect on global goals, especially emphasizing the climate change.

2. The teacher gets students involved in the discussion on the following issues:

• What kind of house would they like to live in?

• What is house renovation?

• What is an energy-efficient house?

3. The teacher encourages students to provide definitions of:

• Eco-house

• Energy-efficient house

4. The teacher encourages students to answer the questions:

• What are the benefits and flaws of eco-houses?

• What are the benefits and flaws of energy-efficient houses?

5. Students come to the conclusion:

• What materials should be used for construction of houses;

• What kinds of electrical appliances and light bulbs to use. 

6. The teacher encourages students to discuss what they should know in order to build their house/to rebuild their house/to renovate their house.

7. Students search for and learn the information from the Internet about eco-hoses and eco-villages in the EU-member states.

8. The teacher invites students to inform their parents about the opportunities for improving their houses.

Debriefing

The annexes include worksheets, mind maps, and examples of presentations that can be adapted to fit students’ abilities, age, and experience, and the achievement of the objectives set by the teacher (duration and number of classes). The tasks are, for example, to make a list of electrical appliances students use at home and calculate their electricity consumption over a week; to develop instructions: measures to reduce consumption of natural resources (water, electricity, and gas).

Follow-up/Inspiration for the future 

How are results presented?

Students assess their and other groups’ work (Creating a drawing of an energy-efficient house model OR Creating an energy- efficient house model, presentation).

Presentations of drawings and models at school.

Information in social media, school’s webpage

References/Further reading 

Building’s energy efficiency 

https://www.slideshare.net/siltinam/energoefektivitte-sabiedriskaj-sektor-125779377  

How to live in a renovated house 

https://www.slideshare.net/siltinam/latvenergo-ee-kaataupiit-13656006  

Building’s energy efficiency 

http://www.rea.riga.lv/files/eku_energoefektivitate_skolenu_rokasgramata_IUSES.pdf   

Vacuum cleaner energy labelling annulled 

https://www.elektrum.lv/lv/majai/energoefektivitate/aktualitates/atcelts-puteklsuceju-energoefektivitates-markejums-1  

Scandinavian eco  villages

http://www.videsvestis.lv/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/VidesVestis_2019_3.pdf   

Study on construction materials 

https://www.pdffiller.com/jsfiller-desk18/?projectId=371265490#79e1cec73d116ab154aaa40ab50db45c  

Annex 1

Presentation

Annex 2

Mind Map Global Goals

Annex 3

Advantages and Disadvantages

Annex 4

Classification of electrical appliances according to the level of their energy efficiency, for example:

Vacuum cleaners

In 2014 the energy label for vacuum cleaners was introduced that that would simplify customers' selection of a new vacuum cleaner. The colourful label indicated the carpet and hard floor cleaning performance classes, as well as the dust re-emission class, however, in early 2019 the label was annulled. This means that it will no longer be possible to see this label either in shops or in online stores. 

Why was it annulled?

The UK company Dyson that manufactures vacuum cleaners exclusively without dust bags won a court case against the European Commission (EC) with the argument that the energy label misleads consumers about vacuum cleaner efficiency. The vacuum cleaner energy consumption was determined through tests that were conducted to the vacuum cleaners with their dust bags or containers empty. However, it does not reflect the real-life use when, while cleaning the house, the dust bag is full of dust thus affecting the vacuum cleaner's energy efficiency. 

Will the label return? 

The European Commission is currently reviewing whether short-term changes to the energy label regulation for vacuum cleaners can be made. If so, then a new energy label could be released within a year. In the opposite case, it will take at least two years before we will see a new energy label on vacuum cleaners in our shops. 

How to choose a vacuum cleaner now? 

As before, a vacuum cleaner should be selected based on its type, functionality, dust collecting method and devices, but it will not be possible to assess its energy efficiency and cleaning class. 

Annex 5

Modern materials, their features and use

Annex 6

Research into material features

Annex 7

Development of composite materials

Description of the situation……………………………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………..........................................

Research problem………………………………………………………………………..

……………………………………………………………………………

.

Hypothesis……………………………………………………………………………...

……………………………………………………………………………………

Working tools,

substances…………………………………………………………………

……………………………………………………………………………………………….

Course of work……………………………………………………………………………...

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Registration of the data obtained

Analysis of the results, assessment…………………………………………………

…………………………………………………………………………………………………