Students will be assigned to choose one material represented by each of the three case study groups: glass, metal, or rubber. Each group will research one aspect of the chosen material and make a group presentation at the end of the corresponding unit.

Each week’s readings will be accompanied by a set of guiding questions. As you read the materials, take notes about key messages as well as questions you have. Class discussions will center around these.

Come to class knowing what dataset you are working on, an outline of the story, and a sketch of what you want to make.

Finish your sketch.

Write up your project on the class blog. Start with a summary sentence in the form: "The data say ________. We want to tell this story because _____." Include a 300ish word summary of your data sources and why what you made is an appropriate and effective way to tell the data story.

The fourth week of our airflow lab is in two phases: 

1. Please prepare an occupants’ manual for your Chinese apartment. Passively conditioned buildings require occupant involvement, much more than buildings with mechanical systems that ensure thermostat set points are maintained. Your apartment occupants can inhabit any of the rooms and can adjust the balcony openings and apartment windows and doors in a number of ways, for different wind and outdoor temperature conditions. 
2. Please consider the effect of airflow on the rate at which a miniature structure (even smaller than our elf houses) cools off. This is intended to combine thermal and airflow analysis.