We can begin to understand our individual role in society’s energy consumption by analyzing the largest categories of energy usage, such as that used in our homes. In this lab you will calculate your home energy consumption by using an online calculator developed by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Understand that no model can determine your home’s energy usage exactly, nor is that necessary. At this point, you are looking for an estimate that will reflect the magnitude of your consumption. You will also want to determine in what areas you should focus your energy reduction efforts. Because we are interested in performing a proper scientific analysis, you will need to replicate your analysis in order to make conclusions on a broader scale. And of course, you need a hypothesis to test. Just as many scientists do, you will derive your hypothesis from information in the current scientific literature.
To begin, download the Lab Worksheet attached in the link. Complete the lab worksheet and submit it by the due date.
Module Four Laboratory Instructions – Home Energy Use
Step 1 – Creating the Hypothesis
View the table of information in the following website, sponsored by the United States Energy Information Administration (EIA): https://www.eia.gov/consumption/residential/data/2005/c
