Buildings can "Come to Life"

It is probably no surprise to hear that internet usage has surpassed that of watching T.V. with today's youth. One major study indicates that young people spend on average 16.7 hours per week "surfing the web". With the information they see provided in a format that would compete with a major Pixar production it's understandable why kids enjoy this medium.

It's also made a profound impact on the way they expect to see information presented, responding more positively to interactive experiences which "breathe life" into educational topics. This has made it challenging for teachers and parents to compete with the glitz and glamor of the internet when trying to present information they feel is important to their children's development.

This was the dilemma educators at one school district in Houston, Texas faced when planning their new LEED Gold facility. A major emphasis behind the district's desire to obtain LEED certification was to be able to educate students in the merits of energy-efficiency, hopefully positioning them as future leaders in community sustainability. Understanding the need for a high-tech delivery system, but not fully understanding what the message should be or how to convey it, the district turned to Nathan Bailey, Energy Solutions Consultant for Automated Logic in Houston.  

ALC has been a partner with the district for more than 15 years as their Building Automation System provider and was eager to support the owner in their quest for LEED Gold. The goal was to utilize ALC's technology to transform building data into usable information that could be introduced into the learning environment, carrying with it the message of energy conservation and sustainability.

Bailey's concern was not so much the technical issues of this challenge but rather how he could accomplish the mission in a form compatible with the school's curriculum. This led to meetings that included the architect and engineer while reaching out to the school principal, teachers, curriculum developers  and the district energy manager. Bailey recalls, "Everyone was asked for their input. Starting with what it would look like, where and when it would be used and how we could present everything in a way that would be both fun and educational at the same time". 

The basic premise was to help students correlate energy savings into something that would be readily understood. "If we told them they had used 10,000 kWh of electricity they wouldn't understand the impact that had on the environment, but if we told them they used enough energy to power 100-houses, 10,000-TV sets or 100,000-light bulbs they would more likely understand what that meant. The same holds true with water, comparing consumption to things like bathtubs and swimming pools helps them understand and relate this back to something in their everyday life".

What developed from this process was dubbed "EcoScreen", taking hard form as a stylish kiosk display located in the school's front lobby and available to anyone walking through the front doors. Aesthetically impressive, fully interactional and easy to use, it appears "engaging" so as to draw students in for a closer look. 

"We were determined to build EcoScreen so it would appear as familiar and friendly as possible, something students would find immediately recognizable". What better than a giant flat screen with an interactive touch screen display and high-definition graphics.