Final awards announced for 2014 Massachusetts Green Dollhouse Challenge
Submitted by Susan Reyes
2014-04-15 17:00:01
Awards have been announced for the several entries in the Massachusetts Green Dollhouse Challenge, held at the Science and Sustainability Expo, March 1, 2014, in Greenfield.
Green Dollhouse Challenge is a non-competitive activity for all ages, for exploring sustainability through play. More than just architectural models, entries are fun to build and/or play with. To learn more about the challenge, please see the web page: http://energyteachers.org/greendollhousechallenge.php
All 8 exhibits earned awards for including aspects of sustainability in their playful designs. See photos below.
Greenfield High School submitted "Sustainable New GHS." It was a model of a sustainable high school with a living grass roof, solar electric panels and a windmill for heat and light, a raised garden, and plans for motion detector lights. It was commended for "Good combination of technologies, which is necessary for a good design."
GHS earned the Integrated Technologies award.
Also from GHS "Sustainable Home" was an elaborately landscaped solar and wind home and small farm. Included was a pig pen, fruit and veggie garden, and rain collection barrels. The building was made of local and recycled materials.
It was commended for an "excellent job of integrating sustainability throughout the house, with a solar panel, windmill, food grown on-site, and water collected for the pigs and gardens."
"Sustainable Home" earned awards in Integrated Technologies, Clean Energy, On-Site Food, and the Kid's Choice - 2nd Place.
GHS also submitted "Hobbit Home," an underground home insulated by the earth with a living roof, compost and gardens. Also included was a stream for washing and generating power. "Hobbit Home" was commended as "a well researched design that is resilient for off grid living or sustainable living on the electric grid. Innovative concepts."
"Hobbit Home" earned the Innovation award and the Effective Research award.
"House on Stilts" from GHS was a house on stilts to protect from flooding, using local materials, with a roof overhang, intended for a Cape Cod location. It was commended for "effective sustainable home design for flood plains."
"House on Stilts" earned the Flood Plain Design award.
"Hay Bale House" from GHS was a "black and dark green sustainable house with hay bale insulation, a large windmill, and PV panels. It is described as being part of a community development where families relate to one another." It was commended for "innovative sustainable community living - multi-family housing and land design." "Hay Bale House" earned the Sustainable Community Living award.
"Green Living Farm" from GHS was made of all recycled material. It is a small farm with a silo, a composting outhouse, and a thatch roof. It has a remote wooded location. It was commended for "Effective integrated sustainable living design - green home, local food, waste recycling and sustainable transportation."
"Green Living Farm" earned the Integrated Sustainable Living award.
"Sustainable House" had a unique rain-water collection system for domestic use that pumped automatically both hot and cold water. There was a solar hot water panel and a wind generator. It was commended for "effective passive solar, renewable energy, and rainwater collection system design."
"Sustainable House" earned awards for Passive Solar, Rainwater Collection, Effective Research on Sustainable Home Design, and 1st Place Kids Choice.
Math Science Academy exhibited "Cube House" a house with both wall and ceiling insulation and three large solar panels that could be either electric or hot water. It was commended as displaying "terrific energy efficiency concepts! Included insulation and the essential but often overlooked sealing of air leaks. Nice solar on the roof, too."
"Cube House" earned awards in Energy Efficiency and Solar Integration.
The organizers wish to thank everyone who helped the 2014 Science and Sustainability Expo:
EVENT ORGANIZER
Greening Greenfield.
CO-SPONSORS
EnergyTeachers.org – The Green Dollhouse Challenge (GDC).
Greenfield Community College – site use, workshop hosting, publicity, tours.
Hitchcock Center for the Environment – publicity, workshop hosting.
KidWind.org – The KidWind Challenge (KW) – materials, prizes, workshop & event support.
Massachusetts Association of Science Teachers (MAST) –publicity, volunteers.
Pioneer Valley STEM Network (PV STEMNET) – publicity, brochure publication, materials, trophies, ribbons.
UMass Amherst Chemistry Club – Chemistry Demo at 11:30am.
UMass Amherst Wind Energy Center – judges/volunteers.
DOOR PRIZES & GIFTS FOR PARTICIPANTS, TEACHERS & VOLUNTEERS:
A2Z Science Store, Northampton, MA – 2 $20 Gift Certificates.
Sara Campbell – books – Sundaes to Spacestations.
The Greenfield Solar Store – Eat More Kale & Solar Store Tee Shirts, and 3 books.
World Eye Bookstore - $15 Gift Certificate.
GG Event/ Susan Reyes – Solar Lights, Solar Battery Charger.
GG/Event - Mechanical pencils.
Greenfield Farmer’s Cooperative Exchange - seeds.
ANNOUNCER
David Knowles
GREENING GREENFIELD PLANNING COMMITTEE
Barbara Francis, GG
Nancy Hazard, GG
Carol Letson, GG
Susan Reyes, GG Expo Project Director
KIDWIND JUDGES
Bryce Arquino, UMASS Wind Energy Center
Maija Benitz, Engineering Student
Dylan Chase, UMASS Wind Energy Center
James Clark, Chicopee Comp
Lynn Ditulio, WMECO
Lynda Elie, KidWind Tunnel
Fred Letson, UMASS Wind Energy Center
Peter Letson, Retired GCC Physics Professor
Ray Pitcher, KidWind Tunnel
Gordie Stewart, UMass Wind Energy Center
TOUR OF GCC RENEWABLE ENERGY
Christine Copeland
SHOWCASE INTERVIEWERS AND COMMENTERS
Sally Pick
Ambrose Spencer
GREEN DOLLHOUSE CHALLENGE INTERVIEWERS AND JURORS
Steve Kurkoski
Lynn Benander
Sara Campbell
John Lapore
Anne Perkins
Phillippe Rigollaud
MORE AMAZING VOLUNTEERS
Louise Amyot
Christine Harris
Cynthia Jacelon
Dorothy McIver
Pete and Beth Ouillette
Eduardo Reyes
Malcolm Reyes
John Ridgeway
Jeff Skelskie
Gallery
credit:Greenfield High School
credit:Greenfield High School
credit:Greenfield High School
credit:Greenfield High School
credit:Greenfield High School
credit:Creater unknown
credit:Math Science Academy
credit:Greenfield High School