Jazams Energy Parklet May 2017 – October 2017: Learning through play

The Jazam’s interactive energy park was an in-town destination where families explored and participated in active energy creation–a learning place and a fun place utilizing a variety of energy generation technologies  to inform us all of the importance of energy–a transformative place to help us see our world differently.

A series of rooms cascaded down the sloping roadway: 

1. Bike Room:  Repurposed bicycles connected to generators powered a storefront display and some park lighting.
2. Reading Room:  A “community” library stocked with donated books from the Princeton Public Library for lending or reading on site in a comfortable bench.
3. Game Room: tables and chairs with various games provided by Jazams for play.
4. Engine Room:  People power generated real energy to power parklet lights and fans.  Water columns converted hand pumped water to electricity with micro-hydro generators.  Hand-cranked forge blowers made the wind blow on micro-wind turbines mounted on the parklet roof structure.
5. Sun Room: sit and rest here while the sun does the work of generating energy with PV panels mounted on the roof structure.

Behind the scenes, a battery storage system banked the energy generated to be used at various times to power: lights; mini- ceiling fans for cooling; and an active storefront toy display.

Sponsors:

1. Jazams
2. NRG Energy, Inc.
3. The Arts Council of Princeton
4. Joseph  Hobart Weiss, Architect
5. Nassau Inn
6. Princeton University: Dr. Forrest Meggers, Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment