NREL Visitor's Center

Riley Conrath

Natalie McQueen

Jeffery Smith

RMCAD / SUMMER 2012

James Harris

Andy Merskin

Ian Tan

DESIGN SYSTEMS / CD 3040

YOU ASKED US to solve a few problems

1 Create a new way to promote the Visitors Center.

2 Engage a 20-to-30-something demographic.

AS DESIGNERS our first step was to research

SITE VISIT / AUDIT

EXTERNAL RESEARCH

Build Awareness

“ the VISITORS CENTER aims to...”

Engage Visitors Educate on Renewable Energy Foster Community Have Fun

NREL Visitors Center Experience Map

Sees banners

Planned school trip

Sees signage Encounters sculpture

Media (article, news feature)

Join event

Invited to VC event by friend

Sees pre-event content, materials and comments posted on Facebook

Searches NREL in Facebook

Sees banners

Sees signage Encounters sculpture

Enters and sees front desk

Tours exhibit

Recieves game to take home

Plays game at home

Enters and sees front desk

Tours exhibit

Sees identity on event collateral (presentation, handouts, etc.)

Sees post-event content on Facebook

Sees identity on event collateral (presentation, handouts, etc.)

Sees post-event content on Facebook

Attends event

Posts follow-up comments and questions on Facebook

Shares content on his/her own Facebook page

Word of mouth

Media (article, news feature)

Join event

Invited to VC event by friend

Sees pre-event content, materials and comments posted on Facebook

Searches NREL in Facebook

Sees banners

Sees signage Encounters sculpture

Enters and sees front desk

Tours exhibit Attends event

Posts follow-up comments and questions on Facebook

Word of mouth

Media (article, news feature)

Join event

Invited to VC event by NREL

Sees banners

Sees signage Encounters sculpture

Enters and sees front desk

Tours exhibit Attends event

Sees identity on event collateral (presentation, handouts, etc.)

Established relationship with NREL

Become Aware

Anticipate

Arrive

Engage

Stay Connected

Shares content on his/her own Facebook page

PERSONA: AGES 6–17 COMMUNITY

Game, Identity

ENGAGE

FUN

Exhibits

EDUCATE

INFORM

Exhibits

Facebook, Events

PERSONA: AGES 18–35

COMMUNITY

Identity, Events

ENGAGE

FUN

Exhibits, Events

EDUCATE

INFORM

Events

Identity, Facebook

Facebook, Events

PERSONA: AGE 35+

COMMUNITY

ENGAGE

FUN

Exhibits, Events

EDUCATE

INFORM

Events

Identity, Facebook

Facebook, Events

PERSONA: INDUSTRY

COMMUNITY

ENGAGE

FUN

Events

EDUCATE

INFORM

Events

Identity, Facebook

CREATING THE first point of contact

1 It reaches out to a wide demographic.

U.S. FACEBOOK Users by age

13–17 35+

50.94%

of the U.S. is on Facebook.

THE AVERAGE FACEBOOK USER: Has 130 friends. Spends over 700 minutes/month on Facebook. Creates 90 pieces of content each month.

18–34

Source: Facebook

2 It functions as a hub for NREL events and information.

3 Delivers a rich experience to our target audiences.

WEB 2.0 COMPANIES

4 It’s free!

PERSONA PROFILE

THE STRUCTURE is the symbol of the VISITORS CENTER

IDENTITY IDEATION

ENERGY SOURCES SYSTEM

Geothermal

Solar

Biomass

Wind

Hydro

SIGNATURE DEVELOPMENT

Solar

Biomass

Geothermal

Wind

Hydro

GIVING YOUR VISITORS A

memorable

EXPERIENCE.

ENTRANCE BANNERS IDEATION

ENTRANCE BANNERS DEVELOPMENT

Geothermal

Solar

Biomass

Wind

Hydro

ENTRANCE BANNERS IMplementation

IDENTITY IMPLEMENTATION

ENTRANCE SCULPTURE

EXHIBIT CURRENT Layout

EXHIBIT CURRENT

EXHIBIT CURRENT FLOW

EXHIBIT INVENTORY

EXHIBIT CATEGORIES

Introduction Who we are.

Application How we harness it.

Generation Where it comes from.

EXHIBIT NEW FLOW Introduction

Application

Generation

EXHIBIT NEW Layout

EXHIBIT COMPARING FLOWS

BEFORE

AFTER

EXHIBIT CURRENT SIGNAGE FORMAT

EXHIBIT PROPOSED SIGNAGE FORMAT

EXIT BANNERS IMplementation

TAKING HOME the EXPERIENCE.

this formula: kilowatt-hours it uses per year. Use for each appliance is how many 4HE NUMBER YOU WANT TO ÚGURE OUT

EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENT GAME Decide how you’ll spend the same amount of money on yourself next year…

5. Add up the savings!

7.

2. Cut out achievement cards (see inside this sheet) and write rewards on them.

RICHES through ENERGY EFFICIENCY a family game

1. Brainstorm some rewards your kids will want. (For example: Trip to the ice cream store, family game night, etc.)

3. Explain to the kids that you’re sending them on a scavenger hunt for opportunities to save energy. However much money they can save the family over the next year, you’ll buy them something worth that much. Show them the achievements, too.

RICHES through Cut out achievement cards (see inside this sheet) and write rewards on them.

2.

EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENT GAME

7. Decide how you’ll spend the

5. Add up the savings!

same amount of money on yourself next year…

4HE NUMBER YOU WANT TO ÚGURE OUT for each appliance is how many kilowatt-hours it uses per year. Use this formula:

4. Help out with the scavenger hunt. They may need help with math and electrical safety.

(Wattage × Hours Used Per Day) ÷ 1000 × Days Used Per Year = Yearly Kilowatt-hour (kWh) consumption

6. Award achievements. (Put

If your appliance lists amps instead of watts, multiply the amps by 120 to get the watts.

them up on the fridge.) Help the kids decide how to spend their windfall, and make the purchase with them.

EFFICIENCY IMPROVEMENT GAME

ACHIEVEMENT

Sensor Sweep

Sleuth

Junior Electrician

Senior Electrician

Awarded to: ________________________

Figure out the yearly energy draw of five (5) appliances in your home.

Find 3 appliances that still use power, even when they’re turned off.

Replace a traditional (incandescent) bulb with a CFL bulb.

Replace five (5) traditional bulbs with CFL bulbs.

REWARD: __________________________

___________________________________

ACHIEVEMENT

Energy Hacker

Thermal Engineer

Photon Scavenger

Toasty

Awarded to: ________________________

Change the settings on your computer so it uses less energy.

Find your hot water heater and lower the thermostat to 120° F.

Get rid of a lamp you can replace with sunlight.

Buy a space heater for your room and use it instead of centralized

Build Awareness: Identity, Facebook Engage Visitors: Exhibit, Events Educate on Renewable Energy : Exhibit, Events Foster Community: Facebook, Events Have Fun: Identity, Game

Questions?

Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook