Stephanie Romero EVR1001L Introduction Green Building Lab Report The Environmental Protection Agency describes Green Building as a way of designing and managing buildings so that they use resources efficiently and limit their impact on the environment This idea applies to every stage of a building s life including construction daily operation and future renovation or removal Green Building focuses on reducing the use of energy water and other materials while creating healthier spaces for the people who live and work in them This approach is important because it helps address major environmental problems such as high energy consumption carbon emissions and the large amount of waste produced by buildings Making homes and other structures more efficient can lower long term environmental damage and reduce the strain on natural resources The purpose of this lab was to examine how changing different features of a virtual home could improve its sustainability increase energy efficiency and lower overall costs The following sections summarize the process used in the activity and the outcomes of those changes Materials and Methods The lab activity was completed using a virtual home simulation that allowed different parts of the house to be modified in order to improve overall energy efficiency and sustainability Each room in the home contained several features that could be adjusted replaced or upgraded The process involved selecting a room choosing one change at a time and recording the resulting energy or cost savings shown by the simulation This procedure was repeated throughout the entire house so that every modification and its economic impact could be documented for later analysis Energy efficiency in the lab was quantified by the program s calculation of annual monetary savings after each change was applied When a feature of the home was upgraded such as installing triple glazed windows or switching to CFL lighting the simulation displayed how much money would be saved over time due to reduced energy use These values were recorded to compare the contribution of each improvement and to determine which modifications produced the greatest environmental and economic benefits Results Room Object Item Change How does the change make the Value Stephanie Romero EVR1001L 1 2 Lobby Foyer Windows Living Room Plasma TV Double glazed to triple glazed Turn off after 1 activity 25 10 3 Living Room DVD Player Switch off 10 4 Living Room Lounge floor 10 Adding a carpet 5 Living Room Ceiling Fan Adding a Lower cooling 25 house more sustainable or energy efficient Better heat retention less energy used for home heating Lower electricity consumption less energy wasted when the TV is left on or idle Reduced standby power use turning off the DVD player prevents unnecessary electricity loss Improved insulation carpet provides better heat retention than laminate flooring reducing energy needed for heating Stephanie Romero EVR1001L ceiling fan 6 Kitchen Refrigerator 30 Replace the Door Gasket 7 Kitchen Dishwater 40 demands ceiling fans use far less energy than air conditioning while still improving comfort Improved cooling efficiency a new door gasket prevents cold air from escaping reducing energy needed to maintain temperature Replaced with a more efficient model Reduced water and electricity use an ENERGY STAR rated dishwasher operates more efficiently and lowers overall energy consumption Clean the oven Better heating performance a clean oven uses less energy to reach and maintain cooking 8 Kitchen Oven 30 Stephanie Romero EVR1001L 9 Kitchen Light Bulbs 10 Change the lightbulbs to CFL 10 Kitchen Windows Double glazed to triple glazed 11 Dining Room Thermostat Upgrade to a newer model temperatures Lower electricity use CFL bulbs require less energy than halogen bulbs while providing the same level of lighting Better insulation triple glazed windows reduce heat loss lowering the energy needed for home heating Improved temperature control a newer thermostat reduces unnecessary heating and lowers overall energy use 25 200 Stephanie Romero EVR1001L 12 Dining Room Windows Double glazed to triple glazed 13 Bedroom Laptop 14 Bedroom Hair Dryer Enable hibernation mode Unplug and put away 35 10 10 Enhanced insulation triple glazed windows retain more heat reducing the energy needed to warm the home Reduced standby energy use hibernation mode lowers electricity consumption during periods of inactivity Lower phantom energy use unplugging the hair dryer prevents unnecessary electricity consumption Table 1 Summarizes 14 home improvements made during the simulation showing how each change increased energy efficiency or sustainability and the amount of money saved as a result Discussion The results from Table 1 show that certain modifications offered stronger improvements in sustainability and energy efficiency than others The most effective changes were upgrading the thermostat and replacing double glazed windows with triple glazed ones both of which improved the home s ability to retain heat and reduced the need for continuous heating These upgrades lowered overall energy use because temperature regulation is one of the largest sources of energy consumption in a home Stephanie Romero EVR1001L Adding better insulation through carpet and improving the refrigerator door gasket also contributed noticeable benefits by reducing heat loss and preventing unnecessary cooling cycles While smaller adjustments such as switching bulbs to CFLs placing a laptop into hibernation mode or unplugging a hair dryer saved smaller amounts of energy individually together they demonstrated how many small habits and upgrades can add up to meaningful improvements in sustainability In considering changes that could be applied in a real household several options stand out for both their advantages and limitations Replacing older windows with triple glazed models would reduce heat loss and lower heating costs although the installation expense may make it challenging for some households Upgrading an older thermostat to a modern model would allow for more precise temperature control and prevent unnecessary heating but it requires purchasing a new device and possibly professional installation Switching to more efficient appliances such as an improved dishwasher would reduce electricity and water use over time although replacing appliances before they fail can be costly Despite these drawbacks these real world changes offer long term environmental