Students Scrutinize Family Energy Use
On May 5, 2008 middle students from across Colorado received awards for evaluating the energy efficiency of Colorado homes. The middle school students measured home energy use and recommended improvements in home energy efficiency for hundreds of households and families.
For the Contest, students interviewed homeowners to gather data about the age of the home, the number of occupants, the depth of insulation in the attic, the age and style of windows, and other energy consumptive activities. Then the students figured out what was necessary to make the home more energy efficient. “What’s neat about this project is that kids see where the family money goes each month, and they realize that they are responsible for saving energy at home as well,” stated April Lanotte, teacher in Simla High School located in east central Colorado who returned to the Contest for the 3rd year.
“This is one of the few projects where students can walk the talk,” Lanotte added. “Kids walk around saying that they want to save the planet and do something good, and this project produces immediate results. They understand the link between the light switch and the source of energy that powers the electricity.”
The Home Energy Investigation Contest started in 2002 and has grown dramatically. With generous support from Energy Outreach Colorado , the 2008 event shaped up to be the biggest Contest for CESC with nearly 500 students involved. Each student was responsible for evaluating a home, which means that 500 families were scrutinized for their energy consumption habits.
