Design & Materials: Homes for Different Climates
Why and how are houses different around the world? Here are homes and shops in Yangshuo, China.
Students learn about some of the different climate zones in China and consider what would be appropriate design, construction and materials for houses in those areas. This prepares them to conduct the associated activity(ies) in which they design, build and test small model homes for three different climate zones.
Engineers design houses to shelter people from specific environmental conditions. Their objective is to help keep people comfortable in all weather and seasons, so they are safe and protected from windy, rainy, snowy, wet, dry, cold and/or hot weather. To design homes that are appropriate for the local climate, engineers must fully understand the unique characteristics of the climate, as well as the availability and suitability of the building materials and resources.
After this lesson, students should be able to:
- Explain why engineers design different types of homes in different locations (to meet the needs of various climates).
- Give several examples of different home designs engineers might use for different climates (such as thick walls for desert climates, peaked roofs for snowy areas, elevated foundations for tropical climates).
- Explain the wide range of building materials used to construct homes in different climates (to take advantage of local materials and labor).