Unit 3: Energy Production and Use
Energy calculator part 1 activity guide and worksheet
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This project was funded by the Department of Sustainability and Environment.
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Unit 3: Energy Production and Use
Introduction to the Origin energy calculator part 1 activity guide
Estimated duration: 30 minutes Aim •
To introduce student to the Origin energy efficiency calculator as an energy auditing tool
Outcome By the end of this session, student will be able to: • Understand of the types and quantities of appliances in their own homes; • Have an overview of the energy auditing process
Resources •
CD Rom Origin Energy Home Energy project (available from Origin – see below) Or
Click on the energy efficiency calculator at www.originenergy.com.au/2103/Residential‐Efficiency • • •
Computer Internet access or CD Rom Student worksheet (included below)
Note that an alternative calculator is available from the Environment Protection Authority, on their website and as a CD ROM. However, there are additional computer system requirements for this calculator (at the time of writing) which might create difficulties in using this resource if your computers need updating. We recommend you try the calculator out on the computers the students will use to ensure they work correctly. This calculator is available from www.epa.vic.gov.au/GreenhouseCalculator/calculator/default.asp.
Activity Description 1. Ask one of the students to act as a volunteer for a class demonstration showing how to use calculator. 2. Load the energy efficiency calculator and follow the prompts. Page 2 of 4
3. Show the students how the calculator works by moving through the different rooms and clicking on the icons. Emphasise that this is a demonstration and that they will need to find out the kinds of systems there are in their own homes to complete their personal audit. For example, many students will not know whether their hot water system is gas or electric, or they may have trouble identifying the type of heating system. 4. Show the students the graphs being generated in the reports section. This includes a table of costs per quarter and per year for each appliance. It also includes a pie chart showing how much energy is being used in each area as a proportion of the total energy consumption. 5. Get the students to take the worksheet home and fill it in. They will enter this information into the calculator in Unit 4. Note: There is excellent material for teachers available as part of the Home Energy Project from Origin Energy at www.originenergy.com.au/hep. Support materials are also available at www.originenergy.com.au/education.
Student Roles and Responsibilities Participate in agreed tasks Contribute to class discussions Complete activities and worksheets Work cooperatively with others Participate in survey and collect data Seek teacher assistance and support when needed
Level of Teacher Support Facilitate discussion Organise materials and equipment Provide encouragement Introduce tasks and activities Provide assistance when requested Provide advice on how to research and identify sources of information Teach or reinforce statistical or graphical skills and understanding
Assessment To use these learning activities as assessment tasks, collect evidence such as: Teacher checklist and observation Student research notes and report Copies of student materials and worksheets Student notes
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Unit 3: Energy Production and Use Energy Calculator Part 1 Worksheet
What you need to know to complete the Origin energy calculator The following questions can be answered by ticking the box if it the correct answer. You might know the answer already or you may have to ask someone at home. Knowing the answer will help you complete the Origin energy calculator online later on.
What you need to know
Question
Tick box if answer is yes
Type of hot water system
Is it gas hot water? Is it electric hot water? Is it solar hot water with a gas booster? Is it solar hot water with an electric booster? Is it a gas stove? Is it an electric stove? Is it an evaporative cooler? (uses water) Is it a split system air conditioner? (has a box outside and a unit inside, high on the wall) Is it a wall unit? Is it space heating? (a heater which just heats one room) Is it central heating? Doe your heating run on gas? Does your heating run on electricity?
Type of cooking stove Type of air conditioning
Type of heating
What fuel does your heating use to run?
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