The Heat Loss House: An Innovative Hands-on Approach to Energy Education
The Heat Loss House (HLH) is an innovative educational tool designed to teach students and community members about energy efficiency, heat loss, and sustainable building practices. Developed by Cedric Pepelea, the HLH emerged from a desire to create a hands-on, engaging experience that could make complex energy concepts accessible to learners of all ages.
The idea for HLH originated from when Cedric taught a course called RETScreen Expert, an energy modeling software used in the industry that evaluates buildings and how potential upgrades impact energy efficiency. Students were challenged to create a school, choose from a list of features, and model the buildings inside of the software; it became a challenge of who could make the most energy efficient school. The concepts of empowering students to make strategic decisions, the reasoning behind the choices, and understanding the impact of building performance became the foundation of Heat Loss House.
Cedric's work with the Limestone District School Board and the Ontario EcoSchools program further reinforced the need for hands-on energy education. Through workshops involving thermal imaging cameras and visits to mechanical rooms, Cedric observed how interactive experiences enhanced students' understanding of energy concepts.
Prototype Development
The first Heat Loss House prototype was developed in response to a request from Caroline Crosby, a math teacher at St. John's Catholic High School in Perth, Ontario. She was seeking a hands-on learning experience for her math class, an area often lacking in practical activities compared to science classes.
Key considerations in the design process included reusability and ensuring the kit could be assembled and disassembled multiple times without damage. The design had to be scalable and allow for multiple students to interact with the same equipment. Materials had to be lightweight and durable for longevity and ease of use.
Cedric turned to modern fabrication techniques to bring the Heat Loss House to life. Laser cutting was used to create intricate shapes from thin plywood sheets, while 3D printing produced components like windows and doors. These technologies allowed for rapid prototyping and iteration, resulting in the current Version 6 of the Heat Loss House kit.
High School Workshop and Learning Outcomes
The Heat Loss House workshop is a leap forward in educational resources, combining hands-on learning with vital STEM principles. It allows students to delve into design, construction, and analysis by building model homes focused on energy efficiency. In doing so, they practically explore thermal insulation, material properties, and energy conservation, gaining insights into their real-world applications.
Beyond teaching energy efficiency, the kit cultivates critical skills. It challenges students to solve problems like managing a budget while reducing heat loss, promoting critical and creative thinking. Group work, reflecting real scientific and engineering teamwork, emphasizes communication and collaboration, equipping students with skills transferable to many sectors.
Additionally, the kit opens doors to STEM career paths, making complex concepts approachable and fun through interactive activities. It not only improves learning outcomes but also inspires students to pursue STEM professions, meeting the demand for skilled experts. The Heat Loss House workshop doesn't just educate on energy efficiency; it prepares students to be tomorrow's innovators and problem solvers.
Workshop structure
The workshop typically consists of 2-3 sessions, each lasting several hours and spread over multiple days. Key components include:
Heat loss theory + thermal imaging activity: A presentation of the basic concepts related to the heat loss in buildings and how heating our buildings produces CO2 and why addressing heat loss helps fight climate change. The thermal imaging activity explores where students can see heat and where it is lost in the classroom. This can include a visit to your school's mechanical room where the thermal imaging camera allows students to see the heat flow through the school’s heating system.
Construction company simulation and design budgeting exercise: Students form groups of 3-5 where they take on three roles in a construction company and come up with their company name and logo. The three roles are the engineer, the financial, and the builder. These roles are used in the design and budgeting exercise where students reason and debate what areas of their home they should focus on. This is accomplished by filling out the Material Choices and Budget sheet.
The build: Students now assemble the house based on the choices made. They then measure and cut the chosen insulation that goes inside of the walls. The first team to finish gets to choose their location within the room during the testing phase.
Setting up the test: The heating system and electrical monitoring system is then connected (this session can be done at the end of the build). This session can be integrated with Texas Instruments Calculators and Innovation Hub and sensors, if available.
The results: The final session analyzes the results of the test to determine the lowest energy consumption. This also includes a discussion on what factors affect the electrical consumption and heat loss of the house.
Learning outcomes
Through participation in the Heat Loss House workshop, students gain knowledge and skills in several key areas:
1. Energy Literacy: Students develop a deeper understanding of heat transfer, insulation, and energy efficiency principles.
2. Building Science: Participants learn about various insulation materials, their properties, and applications in real-world construction.
3. Data Analysis: Using Texas Instruments calculators and sensors, students collect and analyze temperature data, comparing theoretical calculations with actual measurements.
4. Project Management: By taking on different roles within their "construction company," students learn about teamwork, decision-making, and balancing competing priorities.
5. Budgeting and Financial Planning: The workshop incorporates a budgeting component, teaching students to make cost-effective choices and understand the concept of diminishing returns in energy efficiency investments.
6. Critical Thinking: Students must reason through their design choices, considering trade-offs between cost, efficiency, and constructability.
7. Hands-on Skills: The construction phase allows students to develop practical skills in measuring, cutting, and assembling materials.
8. Environmental Awareness: The workshop raises awareness about the importance of energy efficiency in reducing environmental impact.
Where the Heat Loss House Workshop can be used
While originally designed for high school students, the Heat Loss House workshop has proven adaptable to various settings and audiences.
High School STEM Education
The primary application of the Heat Loss House remains in high school science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) classes. The workshop can be integrated into physics, environmental science, or specialized energy courses.
Conference and Short-Session Workshops
A condensed version of the Heat Loss House workshop has been developed for conferences and other short-duration events. This format focuses on the essential elements of design, construction, and testing, typically fitting within a 2-hour session followed by ongoing testing throughout the event.
Indigenous Community Engagement
A specialized version of the workshop has been created for Indigenous communities, particularly as part of community housing programs. This adaptation involves:
A daytime session with youth (6-10 participants)
An evening session with community members and elders
A final session bringing both groups together to compare results and share learnings
This approach helps bridge generational gaps and fosters community-wide discussions about energy efficiency and sustainable housing.
Municipal Staff Training
The Heat Loss House concept has been adapted into a "Homeowner Retrofit Journey Simulation" for municipal staff. This workshop helps city employees understand the challenges homeowners face when participating in energy efficiency upgrade programs. Participants take on personas with different motivations and constraints, simulating the process of:
Obtaining energy audits
Reviewing contractor quotes
Navigating grant and financing options
Making decisions about home energy upgrades
This simulation helps staff design more effective and user-friendly energy efficiency programs.
Community Energy Planning
The Heat Loss House workshop can be used as a community engagement tool for energy or sustainability planning initiatives. It serves as an effective icebreaker to introduce energy efficiency concepts and terminology to the general public.
Corporate Team Building + Professional Development
The workshop's collaborative nature and problem-solving elements make it suitable for corporate team-building events, particularly for companies in the construction, energy, or environmental sectors. Adapted versions of the workshop can be used for adult education programs or professional development in fields related to construction, energy management, or sustainable design.