Policy Research Projects
Essential to advancing change in housing and construction is the careful participation in housing and energy policy discussions and development. CCHRC’s Policy Research Program seeks to support the organization’s mission through research, consulting, advocacy, and information systems development. Our policy projects are intimately engaged with key agencies and stakeholders so as to lay a durable foundation for energy efficiency and housing policy, which is grounded in sound building science.
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6-Star Green Program Development At the request of Alaska Housing Finance Corporation, CCHRC is working to develop an outline of a program to add a 6th Star in the home rating system. There are two basic elements under consideration (1) an energy analysis using AkWarm and (2) a green building analysis using the NAHB Green Home Building Standard, the ASHRAE/USGBC Green Building Standard, or other standard approved by AHFC. |
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AHFC Technical Energy Advisory Committee (TEAC) This project provides AHFC with professional technical advice and consultation as needed for developing and implementing energy-related policies and programs. CCHRC is tasked with organizing, facilitating, and providing support for an ad-hoc committee of approximately seven technical professionals from the private sector and ensures that its work is not redundant, but instead well integrated with AHFC and CCHRC’s operations and projects. |
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AKWarm Modernization
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CCHRC has reviewed the AKWarm software that is used during planning to determine a house’s energy usage. We will be reviewing additional features as needed and will include necessary modifications to rewrite BEES.|
Alaska End-use Energy Efficiency Policy Report This project will provide an updated and expanded set of policy recommendations for meeting Alaska’s energy goal of a 15% increase in energy efficiency by 2020. In 2008 CCHRC managed the production of the State of Alaska End-use Energy Efficiency Report with sub-contractors Information Insight and the Rocky Mountain Institute, which provided a review of polices and a set of recommendations for end-use energy efficiency for space heating and electrical power in the residential and commercial sectors. |
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Alaska Retrofit Information System (ARIS) Development CCHRC is managing the development of ARIS on behalf of Alaska Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC). The project goal is to create a means by which to collect, manage, access, and report on information relating to AHFC’s rebate and weatherization programs, as well as other official uses of AkWarm. Once development of the ARIS database is complete, AHFC has indicated they would like CCHRC to maintain and manage the database. |
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BEES Revision At their meeting on November 8, 2006, the AHFC Board of Directors adopted changes to the Alaska Building Energy Efficiency Standard (BEES) proposed by a CCHRC work group. These changes include Alaska Amendments to IECC 2006 and ASHRAE 62.2-2004. Residential buildings must meet this standard to qualify for a low-interest loan from AHFC. Though BEES is supposed to be updated at least every three years, it had been more than a decade since it had been amended. Significant changes had occurred in the ASHRAE ventilation standard and the cost of energy had risen dramatically. |
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Building Energy Efficiency Standards (BEES) At AHFC’s request, CCHRC is providing a host of policy advisory work on subjects such as BEES, Six Star green (discussed above), State Residential Building Codes, and State Commercial Building Codes. Work under this project will include drafting recommendations for BEES changes for public review and in response to public comments, drafting model recommendations for residential and commercial building codes, and estimating the energy efficiency resource for the State of Alaska.
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Building Usage Data System (BUDS) This project will produce a well-integrated, simple building data collection and usage visualization package intended to be the standard used by Energy Raters/Auditors in Alaska. Determining the exact capabilities to be included is part of the project. In general the package will include: |
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Integration of Building Usage Data System (IBUDS) IBUDS is a companion project to BUDS that comprises the steps necessary to integrate AkWarm with the Alaska Retrofit Information System (ARIS) and the data collected through BUDS. The basic scope of IBUDS is as follows: |
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Rebate and Weatherization Program Evaluation Audit Process Development (PEAP) The PEAP project will evaluate AHFC’s weatherization and rebate programs to determine outcomes and develop a feedback mechanism to improve each program. Evaluation topics will include energy efficiency, affordability, safety, and durability outcomes by region, building type, income level, and program. Energy savings and CO2 reduction for each program will be summarized and compared by square foot, dollars invested, retrofit option, and compared to other areas in Alaska, the US, and internationally. |
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