Introduction to Energy Efficiency

Introduction to Energy Efficiency: Classroom Lesson on Energy Use, Efficiency, and Trade-Offs

The Introduction to Energy Efficiency lesson helps students understand what energy efficiency means and why it matters in real-world energy systems. Through hands-on modeling, appliance comparisons, and structured decision-making, students explore how using less energy to accomplish the same task can reduce costs, emissions, and strain on infrastructure while recognizing that energy choices often involve trade-offs.

Students begin by modeling efficiency through a simple design challenge that demonstrates how smarter design can improve performance without increasing effort. They then apply this concept to real household appliances by comparing annual energy use measured in kilowatt-hours and evaluating how efficiency varies across devices that perform the same function.

The lesson emphasizes that energy efficiency is not only a technical issue but also a social and economic one. Students examine barriers such as upfront cost, incentives, and cultural norms that influence energy demand and the adoption of efficient technologies. In a home energy design challenge, students must balance comfort, cost, and energy use within defined constraints, mirroring the types of decisions households and communities face every day.

This lesson builds quantitative reasoning, systems thinking, and evidence-based decision-making skills. It can be used as a stand-alone introduction to energy efficiency or as part of a broader unit on energy resources, sustainability, infrastructure, or environmental impacts. The lesson is appropriate for middle school and high school classrooms and is designed to be flexible for different time frames.

This lesson includes bell ringers, vocabulary support, data analysis, a hands-on design challenge, and answer keys.