Name: _____________________
Earth Science
Date: _____________
Climate Unit
Cool Down CHA
Overview
We are staying!! But we have no A/C! Bummer.  So how do we keep our
building cool when it’s hot? Your job as architects and engineers is to make
our building cooler. What would you kind of changes would you make to our
building?
Name: _____________________
Earth Science
Date: _____________
Climate Unit
Objectives
1. Students will design the building to make it cooler and energy efficient
2. Students will research methods for keeping buildings cool
3. Students will decide on methods for keeping the school building cool
and write a research report or project proposal
4. Students will present their findings to the principal and to their peers
Background:
There is not enough money to buy air-conditioning for all the
classrooms in the school. We will also be using a lot more energy on hot
days. We also have to be careful with the emissions from air-conditioning. If
there is a leak in any of the air-conditioners, the stuff that gets into the
atmosphere becomes greenhouse gases or heat-trapping gases. Those
emissions or aerosols help heat the atmosphere even more causing a
positive feedback to the earth system.
As architects (landscape or building) or engineers (electrical, building,
or civil), your job is to re-design the building to make it more energy
efficient and cooler at the same time. Air-conditioners aren’t the only
solution. You need to research strategies or methods to keep the school
building cool.
What is the science behind your decision? If you are adding trees, why
are you adding trees? If you add trees, explain in your research proposal
that trees absorb a lot of heat or radiation. Trees are also darker in color and
therefore have a higher albedo. Albedo is the amount of heat energy a
substance or material can absorb. So a trees albedo is closer to 0, since the
range for albedo is on a scale from 0 to 1 (0 absorbs more heat energy, 1
reflects more heat energy).
Standards
New York State
STANDARD 1—Analysis, Inquiry, and Design
Students will use mathematical analysis, scientific inquiry, and engineering design, as appropriate, to
pose ques- tions, seek answers, and develop solutions.
STANDARD 6—Interconnectedness: Common Themes
Students will understand the relationships and common themes that connect mathematics, science, and
technology and apply the themes to these and other areas of learning.
STANDARD 7—Interdisciplinary Problem Solving
Students will apply the knowledge and thinking skills of mathematics, science, and technology to address
real-life problems and make informed decisions.
2.1a
Earth systems have internal and external sources of energy, both of which create heat.
2.2a Insolation (solar radiation) heats Earth’s surface and atmosphere unequally due to variations in
characteristics of the materials absorbing the energy such as color, texture, transparency, state of
matter, and specific heat
Name: _____________________
Earth Science
Date: _____________
Climate Unit
Project Procedures:
1. In your report, give three things you would change to the building that
would make it cooler. Maybe you would add trees around the building.
As an architect or engineer, the report is a proposal to the principal
and school construction authority.
2. Give scientific explanations for why you propose to make the changes
to the building. How would the building be cooler if you propose the
changes to the building? For instance, how would the addition of the
trees make the building cooler?
3. Use scientific language such as, but are not limited to, albedo, infrared
radiation, long wave radiation, dark-colored or light-colored material.
4. What would you do to get this project going? Meet with the principal.
Reach out to the community. Get support from the public. Research
the cost.
5. Use the Sketch Up of the school to make the changes you want. Add
trees, paint the school a different color. Just remember there needs to
be a scientific reason behind every decision you make for changes to
the school building.
Name: _____________________
Earth Science
Date: _____________
Climate Unit
6. Presentation of your project will be to the principal to show what we
should do based on the scientific research you did in keeping our
school building cool on hot days and saving energy. Presentation must
be put together as a Prezi or as a PowerPoint.
Links
1. Need some help with an idea. Go to the following link:
http://www.enviroliteracy.org/article.php/1164.html
2. Ways to keep you cool: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/10-design-tipsto-use-less-air-conditioning.html