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Energy-efficient house

Energy-efficient house

TLF ID L895

Explore how the temperature inside a house is affected by air flowing in and out. Look closely at the energy effects of design variables in a house such as insulation materials, window coverings and window direction. Build a house with maximum energy efficiency by adjusting key design variables. Change the house design to suit the local climate. Redesign the house to maximise the financial return of design features. Investigate initial costs and cost savings over a long period. This learning object is a combination of four learning objects in the same series.

Tags: Science - year 6
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Educational details

Educational value
  • Introduces the concept of heat flow and energy efficiency in house design to suit a range of climatic conditions.
  • Introduces the six star rating system for energy efficiency.
  • Students apply understandings of the properties and relative costs of insulation materials in the design of a house to suit given climates.
  • Students change the design parameters of a house in order to achieve the most energy efficient design.
  • Students interpret data relating to costs and energy efficiency.
  • Students investigate the relative costs of insulation materials to achieve both cost and energy efficiency in the design of the house.
  • Features a range of insulation materials, building design elements and climates.
  • Data is displayed in column graphs.
Year level

5; 6; 7

Topics Safety Heating Architecture Accuracy and precision Domestic architecture Costs Potential energy Ethics Climate Data analysis Nitrous oxide Data collection Experiments Cooling Weathering Instrumentation (Technology) Kinetic energy Erosion Rock types Efficiency Geological time Hypothesis testing Scientific control Single storey houses Hypotheses Predictions (Science) Independence (Experiments)
Learning area
  • Science

Other details

Contributors
  • Contributor
  • Name: Synergy International Ltd
  • Organization: Synergy International Ltd
  • Description: Technical implementer
  • Address: NEW ZEALAND
  • URL: http://www.synergy.co.nz/
  • Name: Education Services Australia
  • Organization: Education Services Australia
  • Description: Data manager
  • Person: Erica Dale
  • Description: Script writer
  • Person: Colin Web
  • Description: Subject matter expert
  • Publisher
  • Name: Education Services Australia Ltd
  • Organization: Education Services Australia Ltd
  • Description: Publisher
  • Address: VIC, AUSTRALIA
  • URL: http://www.esa.edu.au/
  • Resource metadata contributed by
  • Name: Education Services Australia Ltd
  • Organisation: Education Services Australia Ltd
  • Address: AUSTRALIA
  • URL: www.esa.edu.au
Access profile
  • Colour independence
  • Device independence
  • Hearing independence
  • Generic
Learning Resource Type
  • Interactive
Rights
  • © Education Services Australia Ltd, 2016, except where indicated under Acknowledgements. Unless otherwise indicated, this material may be used in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.