This project challenged undergraduate students to master specific energy assessment skills, tools, and knowledge by engaging them in real-world experiences evaluating building energy systems in residential settings. Students collaborated to determine methods for testing energy efficiency and conducted assessments in five single- and multi-family homes, focusing on factors such as airtightness, heating and cooling, and ventilation. They created summary reports for each home and chose the most effective way to present the final energy assessment analysis to both the community partner and the homeowners/caretakers. Following initial faculty instruction, each team developed a detailed plan for their first site visit, where they introduced the homeowner or caretaker to the project’s goals, energy testing procedures, and strategies, ensuring comfort and understanding about the overall process.
As a result of this project, program participant Dr. Juntae Jake Son presented at the 2022 IDEC (Interior Design Educators Council) Annual Conference in March. His presentation, titled “Student Project for Sustainable & Energy-Efficient Residential Buildings”, highlighted the knowledge students gained about building energy, the tools they used to calculate energy consumption, and the community-engaged nature of the project, as well as showcasing students’ results.
