Green dorm project grows in Wallenberg Hall classroom

Sean Doolan stands at the front of the Peter Wallenberg Learning Theater displaying his "green" designs and associated research results on energy savings, which appear on giant adjacent projection screens. As he and his classmates taking "3D Modeling Plus Analyses" have found, designing the energy efficient construction of an environmentally friendly dormitory requires equal parts of science, art and technology.

Here in Professor Martin Fischer's Civil and Environmental Engineering class each student has researched and contributed to the design of a new project that will eventually result in the building of a campus residence showcasing projects by the Civil Engineering Department.   The Green Dorm, as it has been dubbed, aims to incorporate the most advanced materials, energy and water technologies available today in what would become a "living laboratory" to continuously monitor, analyze, modify and study the sustainability of the Green Dorm.

"Being able to present a concept and related examples right next to each other is very effective for teaching," says Fischer. "It gives students the conceptual (or theoretical) and practical (or applied) understanding of the course material needed for true learning. Being able to switch easily between group work, discussion, presentation from laptops and computers, and searching the web makes the classes more engaging and hands-on."

As Director of the Center for Integrated Facility Engineering, Fischer has engaged his students in the ongoing project that is part of his work brining together faculty, researchers, students and industry participants from diverse domains including civil engineering, architecture, computer science, business and law to collaborate on a variety of projects. The Green Dorm Project is becoming a favorite among students, and at the same time fits with the University's recently announced environmental initiative.

Graduate student Rashel Cordova shows off her analysis of natural lighting luminance levels in an architectural model she has designed using several software programs. Her 3D model explores natural light in different areas of the building, leading her to recommend the creation of more surface area, smaller second floor overhangs and more leveraging of natural light.

Throughout the quarter, Fischer has utilized the technology tools in the Learning Theater to facilitate his classes. By playing videos of highly orchestrated events such as a football game and a symphony, then showing the play book and the musical score on adjoining screens, Fischer makes the point that schedules and plans are necessary for all forms of planning and implementation. His use of multimedia has led his students to think in terms of multi-dimensional presentations, an approach they will find valuable in many areas of study.

Students frequently used the breakout areas in Wallenberg Hall to meet as teams and then reconvened in the Learning Theater to share their work.

At several points in the quarter, students interacted with remote guests, each of whom offered a particular insight to the class.   Early in the quarter, some students participated in a videoconference with a leading 'green' architecture and design firm based in Charlottesville, VA, a conversation that gave students the opportunity to explore the differences between theory and practice.   In the middle of the quarter, students heard a remote presentation from a Finnish executive who shared his approach and experience on managing the design and construction of high-performance or sustainable buildings.   Near the end of the quarter an architect and engineer from Finland was brought in by videoconference to discuss a 'green' building that his firm had recently completed.

"For me, getting students and professors away from using only single screen, single page thinking is important," Fischer explains. "It is important, of course, to focus on a specific issue or aspect, but I find that multiple screens with multiple views sometimes explain an issue more deeply or broadly than is possible with a single screen. I will definitely teach in Wallenberg Hall again."

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