Rachel Kingsley, a Senior in Building and Construction Technology, recently returned from presenting her research “Using animation and hypermedia tools to spur the energy retrofit market.” at the International Conference on Sustainable Design and Construction in Kansas City, Missouri last week. The work was co-authored by her faculty advisor Dr. Simi Hoque, in the Department of Environmental Conservation.
Kingsley’s research provides an assessment of the causes of consumer reticence to avail themselves of government funded programs to make their homes more energy efficient, and explores the possibility of using a tool that has proven effective in the medical field, educational animation. Studies show that educational animation can be the most efficient way to deliver lessons on complex processes because it reduces data losses in working memory due to insufficient or inaccurate stores in germane load. This is why the medical field is producing educational animations for teaching both those in the field and laypersons who need instruction in outpatient after care.
The research is an outgrowth of a practicum, developed by Kingsley and Hoque, that is helping to create educational videos with animations illustrating the stack effect, moisture problems to avoid and address, and where to find financial assistance to begin efficiency upgrade projects.