When we want light, we open the curtains (if it's daylight) or turn on a light switch (if it's overcast or dark outside). In most parts of the world, we have periods of ... ...more

When we want light, we open the curtains (if it's daylight) or turn on a light switch (if it's overcast or dark outside). In most parts of the world, we have periods of lightness and periods of darkness. What if we could manipulate light so that it provided a consistent source for lighting a home or building at a minimal cost? It would certainly save much energy and money. This lesson and its associated activities teach students exactly how engineers work to conserve energy on a regular basis. From daylighting techniques to reduce the need for costly artificial lighting or carefully selecting light fixtures to meet the lighting needs of particular rooms to using more energy-efficient bulbs to reduce the operation costs of a building's lighting and contribute to a cleaner environment, students understand yet another way in which engineering contributes to our health, happiness and safety. Students learn about the concept of daylighting as well as two types of light bulbs often used in energy-efficient lighting design. They explore the many different ways that engineers provide natural lighting to interior spaces as they construct model houses and greenhouses and design daylighting systems based on their observations and calculations of the optimal use of available sunlight. Students also learn about heat transfer and the greenhouse effect, and are introduced to global issues such as greenhouse gas emissions and their relationship to global climate change. What a fun, comprehensive lesson! ...less