Designs for Rural Alaska Walls CCHRC has used spray polyurethane foam insulation to build affordable demonstration homes in rural Alaska since 2009. While spray foam has a high insulation value and competitive shipping cost, it requires skill to install and any errors can result in a drastic drop in energy efficiency of the building. This…
Evaluating Window Insulation Moveable Insulation Study CCHRC evaluated eight types of common window insulation methods, including interior and exterior types of moveable insulation. Windows are an expensive part of the building envelope to replace, so people in cold climates often resort to cheaper methods, such as shutters or curtains, to reduce heat loss. Others may…
Frost-Protected Shallow Foundation Study This project used funding from AHFC to purchase equipment and drilling services to install and monitor five thermocouple strings at each of two houses. This was part of a larger project that in turn is part of the PhD project of Mr. Paul Perreault. The basic idea behind frost-protected shallow foundations…
Wood Storage Best Practices Burning wet wood contributes to harmful PM2.5 pollution, a problem that has plagued the Fairbanks airshed over the past few winters. Burning dry wood produces fewer emissions and more heat energy, a benefit to both homeowners and all borough residents. CCHRC completed a study on multiple wood storage methods to see…
Geopolymer Cements CCHRC is performing a high level analysis of the local market potential for geopolymer cements. The analysis includes an assessment of available local materials, potential of local product manufacturing, and potential economic feasibility. This is a sister project to the Magnesium Phosphate Cement Testing and Application project funded by Alaska Housing Finance Corporation…
Passive Refrigeration This project looked at ways to use the cold temperatures during Alaska winters to lower the electrical demands of residential refrigerators and freezers. CCHRC worked with industry partners to test a prototype of a passive refrigerator/freezer that used electricity only when the outdoor air temperature is too warm to sustain refrigerator temperatures. The…
Mold Survey In early March, 2003, we were contracted by the HUD Office of Native American Programs (through Magna Systems) to do a rapid survey of mold problems in Alaska Native Housing. We contacted 73 of 88 regional or village housing authorities in Alaska and documented over 1700 apartments or homes that had some level…
Evaluating Residential Heating Systems CCHRC, through a grant from Alaska Housing Finance Corporation, contracted with Arctic Energy Systems (AES) to measure the actual design heat load of houses by monitoring the runtime of the furnace in relation to outdoor temperatures. The study monitored 20 houses in the Anchorage area during the very cold weather. The…
Evaluating Ventilation Systems & IAQ Indoor air quality is one of the greatest challenges in cold climate homes. Not only do people spend more time indoors, but they also tend to live in more efficient, airtight homes that can trap excess moisture and pollutants indoors if not properly ventilated, leading to problems for the both…
Wall Moisture Studies CCHRC studies various building envelope designs in the Mobile Test Lab, a trailer with nine test wall bays that allows us to test multiple insulation strategies under the same conditions. During active studies, we simulate conditions of a “normal” house inside the Mobile Test Lab. Sensors embedded in the walls record temperature,…
