The Muncie Community Energy Assessment project will engage 50 undergraduate students in the Department of Construction Management and Interior Design in a coordinated program of research, hands-on immersive learning in home energy assessment tools and techniques, and curriculum development. It will supplement students’ understanding of energy efficiency assessment and analysis in residential buildings as well as students’ knowledge of renewable energy solutions and their application in a residential setting. The project also will assist ecoREHAB, its community partner, in advancing its mission, “To advance our community through the promotion and practice of sustainable design, rehabilitation, and education” by providing analytical reports of real-world demonstration homes that evaluate and suggest improvements for more efficient home energy consumption to benefit current and future homeowners and builders in Muncie.
The following is part of the content from the students’ final presentation materials. At the end of the semester, students analyzed energy consumption based on the data they collected and calculated how much energy could be saved by changing certain appliances. This gave them an opportunity to make recommendations to homeowners.
MUNCIE COMMUNITY ENERGY ASSESSMENT PROJECT – FINAL PRESENTATION
Presenters: SARAH SCHULTZ, OLIVIA KELLEY, MADISON GOLDEN, DANIELLE STINE, MALLORY LEHMKUHLER
As a result of the project’s completion, the project was presented at the 2022 IDEC Annual Conference.
Starting with this project, we have provided students with a foundation in immersive learning, giving them annual opportunities to independently learn energy measurement methods and identify factors that can reduce building energy consumption. By understanding these elements, students can incorporate them into their interior design work, helping them create not only aesthetically pleasing designs but also energy-efficient, green designs.
