On a field trip with Andria Johnson and Karen Fabianski, ConVal Physical Science students recently had an opportunity to explore several aspects of sustainable building practices that are incorporated in the Harris Center for Conservation Education in Hancock.
Students learned how to conduct an energy audit by working their way through eight stations located throughout the building. Harris Center guides taught students how to measure electricity usage with Kill-A-Watt monitors and how to evaluate the energy savings of LED lights. Students got to test the interior and exterior temperatures of single-, double-, and triple-pane windows to measure heat loss. In other areas, they applied their math skills to determine how much water the Center’s composting toilets save, and to work out how much forest area is required to sustainably grow the amount of wood used to heat the building with the pellet boiler.
Thank you, Harris Center, for this unique applied learning experience!
