"Going Green": How We're Building a Better World
Students can learn about "green" building with these lessons and activities.
By Jacqueline Dwyer
For centuries people have built their homes with nothing more than their own two hands and locally available natural resources. Necessity caused people to combine artistic beauty and practical form to construct adobe pueblos, Pennsylvanian barns, Mongolian yurts and Indonesian stilt houses, long before the word “green” was ever fashionable. Studying structures like these with my children taught them the basics of “green” building while also sparking important conversations regarding the need for buildings to be socially conscious, rather than just aesthetically pleasing.
In order to understand how architecture and environmentally responsible design is currently making a difference in people’s lives, we looked at a map of the world. Using this map, we categorized continents and communities. Next, we studied innovative projects, like the fiberglass domes designed to house the homeless of Los Angeles, and a water pump in South Africa that is powered by children playing on a merry-go-round. We looked at low-cost, people-centered projects spearheaded by humanitarian groups. For example, when an earthquake rocked Afghanistan in 2002, a humanitarian group built permanent housing for about $610 a house, which is about the same as the cost of a winterized canvas tent! They also constructed 5,000 adobe shelters in 76 villages over the course of a four-month period that not only became people’s homes, but which were also sustainable and energy efficient.
We also looked at the goals of the U.S. Green Building Council. This group is comprised of leaders from every sector of the building industry. They work together to promote buildings that are environmentally responsible, profitable, and healthy living spaces. This led us to study two local businesses. We chose a farm and a recycling plant, both of whom had won 2010 “green” awards, due to their commitment to reducing fuel costs and pollution. One of the farm’s statistics was particularly startling: a typical carrot has to travel 1,838 miles, using 650 gallons of diesel fuel, when supermarkets don’t buy locally. The following are some wonderful ways to teach children the importance of "green" building.
"Green" Building Lessons:
Designing "Green" to Save Our Planet
Students learn about energy conservation and design a practical, environmentally friendly home.
Students create an environmentally responsible corporate interior, using guidelines from the U.S. Green Building Council.
Students use an interdisciplinary approach to learn how climate, natural resources, and culture affect the design of a building. They build a model city of the future.
Students read an article to learn how a Florida couple built their home using "green" technology.