Research Projects

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.

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.

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.

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.

Alaska residents see the cost of energy as a major issue. As utility bills skyrocket, this issue escalates, affecting homeowners, renters, businesses and industry. Legislators are concerned and looking for the best strategy to provide some form of relief to residents. Recognizing the need to take action, the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC) and the Alaska Energy Authority (AEA) asked the Cold Climate Housing Research Center (CCHRC) to sponsor a comprehensive review and analysis of the energy efficiency policies and programs in the State of Alaska.

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.

CCHRC partnered with the Tagiugmiullu Nunamiullu Housing Authority and the village of Anaktuvuk Pass to design and construct an affordable, energy efficient, healthy home that incorporated indigenous qualities like earth-berming and a sod roof. Through a partnership with Iligsagvik College in Barrow, local student labor was trained to build the prototype house in June of 2009.

CCHRC is studying an insulation strategy currently being recommended in Southcentral Alaska that involves insulating with R-38 batts from the rim joist down the foundation wall and four feet horizontally inward along the crawlspace floor.
 

CCHRC worked with the Tagiugiullu Nunamiullu Housing Authority and residents of Atqasuk to create a design for an affordable, energy efficient, and healthy home that reflects the people and place of Atqasuk. As of October 2010, TNHA had begun construction of three of the prototype homes.

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.

CCHRC was funded by Alaska Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC) to undertake a written economic analysis of the proposed changes to the Building Energy Efficiency Standards (BEES). CCHRC contracted with Northern Economic Research Associates (NERA) to complete the analysis. The analysis included life cycle costs of compliance including initial construction costs and long-term maintenance costs.

CCHRC developed a project with the Institute of Northern Engineering/Water and Environmental Research Center and received project funds from AHFC. The objective of the study was to prepare a best management practices (BMP) in regard to materials and methods of rain catchment systems for domestic water collection, storage and distribution. This study was recommended by our board member, Chuck Dearden, from Ketchikan.

The Cold Climate Housing Research Center, the U. S. Department of Energy and Alaska Housing Finance Corporation formed a state/industry partnership to implement the Building America program in Alaska. A "Building America in Alaska" team of building industry professionals from across the state worked with cold climate experts from the Building Science Consortium.

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.

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:

We want to determine if new homes heated with boilers and built by the Cook Inlet Housing Authority (CIHA), as well as new homes heated with furnaces and built by a local CIHA contractor, meet expectations for energy efficiency, homeowner comfort, indoor air quality, and humidity control. Four to six homes of each type will be studied depending on their availability and funding. The project is jointly funded by CIHA and CCHRC. Some equipment is being provided by AHFC and CCHRC.

CCHRC, through a grant from Alaska Housing Finance Corporation, conducted a combustion air evaluation in the Fairbanks area. The purpose of the study was to assess sufficiency of current practices in combustion air supply for atmospherically vented heating appliances, and assess the performance of power-vented appliances. Each house was be measured and evaluated to determine:

This document will explore issues related to insulation and moisture control in crawl spaces in cold climates. The document will contain narrative, pictures, and relevant explanations of building science issues.

CCHRC designed a prototype house for Crooked Creek, a small Kuskokwim village, after flooding destroyed 10 homes in May 2011. The unique design used a single truss system and emphasized energy efficient, affordable, flexible, and quick construction in a remote location. The homes were replaced in the span of four months with the help of many organizations and volunteers. CCHRC is working with the Alaska Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management to develop housing concepts for each region in Alaska that can both respond to disaster and make homes more sustainable in every way.

CCHRC is working with industry partners to identify building envelope designs that can withstand healthy indoor humidity levels. The Mobile Test Lab is a road-worthy trailer with nine test wall bays, each with a different configuration of studs and insulation—including a control wall with fiberglass batt insulation. We designed four walls with spray-foam manufacturers Demilec and Icynene to test how low-density spray polyurethane foam performs in the extreme cold climate of Alaska with healthy indoor humidity levels. Two wall cavities are filled with Thermo-Kool cellulose insulation.

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 goal of this study was to better determine appropriate heating system sizing for the HVAC industry to reduce building costs and improve the efficiency and comfort of homes. A Final Draft was received by CCHRC in July 2002 and was peer reviewed in August.

CCHRC, through a grant from Alaska Housing Finance Corporation, contracted with Alaska Building Science Network (ABSN) to monitor 100 relatively new homes in 3 different climatic regions in Alaska (Anchorage/Matsu, Juneau, and Fairbanks). Monitoring consisted of relative humidity, particulates, and VOC's.

CCRHC tested eight types of common window insulation treatments during a Fairbanks winter to see how they handled heat loss and moisture buildup. Each window insulation was evaulated based on six criteria, so homeowners can select insulation based on factors most important to them. Exterior insulation methods, like shutters and storm windows, tended to perform the best and have the fewest condensation problems. 

This project enables CCHRC to establish a method for measuring the moisture content of foam insulation. Establishing this technique will enable CCHRC to better evaluate building science issues relating to various product combinations.

The Yukon Flats School District has asked CCHRC to help develop an affordable, energy-efficient model for teacher housing in the region. Yukon Flats not only has a shortage of teacher housing but also has some of the coldest temperatures in Alaska and extremely high heating costs. The YFSD teacher-housing model will maximize the use of local materials and will be constructed by local labor in the villages of Fort Yukon and Venetie in Summer 2012.

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 (FPSF) is that suitable insulation placed outside of a shallow (hence, less expensive) foundation can protect it from heaving due to seasonal freezing.

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 (AHFC).

The Cold Climate Housing Research Center worked with GW Scientific, the City of Fairbanks, and the Fairbanks Soil & Water Conservation District to develop plans for ten designs home owners can implement to reduce rainwater and pollutant runoff from their property. This project is made possible by funding from the Alaska Department of Natural Resources. Several of the designs will be demonstrated at sites throughout Fairbanks.

CCHRC and the Alaska Center for Energy and Power conducted the first in-depth assessment of ground source heat pumps (GSHP) in Alaska. GSHPs extract heat from the earth (with the help of electricity) and use it for space or water heating. The study found that GSHPs offer an economically viable heating option in Alaska locations with high heating costs and relatively low electric costs, such as Juneau, Seward, and Fairbanks.

CCHRC researchers are also studying the performance and impacts of a hybrid GSHP-solar thermal system at Weller Elementary School in Fairbanks. CCHRC also plans to install a GSHP at its facility in Fairbanks in 2012 to offset oil consumption.

Through a grant from Alaska Housing Finance Corporation, CCHRC contracted with Alaska Energy Associates (AEA) for data collection of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) in various new homes in Fairbanks and Juneau. The purpose of this project was to assess the effect that different ventilation strategies have on indoor air quality. The study dwellings in both communities included a "Health House," a non-mechanically ventilated 5 Star home, and a 5 Star-Plus home with a heat recovery system for ventilation.

CCHRC partnered with the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation (AHFC) on the Healthy Homes Initiative in Fairbanks and Hooper Bay in 2004-2005. This was a two-year project that included the University of Alaska and state weatherization agencies.
 
The purpose of the program was to demonstrate cost-effective, preventative measures to correct health hazards in the homes that lead to serious upper respiratory illness in children. It also addressed how changes in indoor air quality affected the health of residents.
 

The goal of this project is to observe actual patterns of wood heating appliance use in the Fairbanks vicinity. To achieve this, CCHRC monitored approximately twelve homes over the winter of 2009-2010 to determine the hourly frequency of wood heating appliance use versus that of other heating sources. CCHRC will also provide an estimate of the mass of wood used during the study period. Discussions with Sierra Research are currently on-going for a larger heating appliance study for the winter of 2010-2011.

This project consists of developing a manual that covers relevant topics related to residential HRV systems. It includes a general overview of system functions, sizing, and codes relating to installation and operation. In addition, it contains a collection of photographs and written information detailing the various processes and issues involved in retrofitting an HRV and the associated ducting into an existing home. In conjunction with the manual, CCHRC was featured in a collaborative article with Ventilation Solutions in the Journal of Light Construction in the July 2010 issue.

CCHRC, through a grant from Alaska Housing Finance Corporation, contracted with Arctic Energy Systems to develop computer software that calculates the design heating load of a home, so that the home's heating system is properly sized. The software presents the results in an industry-accepted report. The software is operated via the user's Internet web browser and is freely accessible to all users across the Internet.

Two coating products, Nansulate® Home Protect Clear Coat and Super Therm®, were evaluated to determine whether they contribute insulating properties to the building envelope when applied as an interior coating. Each coating was tested to determine whether it fits the definition of a radiant barrier, changes the R-value of material it coats, or reduces heating demand within an insulated miniature structure.
 

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:

CCHRC is working with Fairbanks builder Thorsten Chlupp to evaluate an interior window shutter system that was designed to reduce heat loss through window while preventing moisture to condensate between the window and the shutter. 

We are solving the most common causes of indoor air quality problems in south-central Alaska through an AFHC-funded study. Project Manager John Davies, working with the contractors, Wisdom and Associates, monitored 100 homes during the 2003-04 winter for carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, temperature, relative humidity, and radon. Each home underwent a BEES ventilation check, an ultra-fine particle sweep, and a pressure imbalance testing.

CCHRC is developing a computer model that can compare different masonry heaters of the same overall design and later branching to compare multiple designs. Researchers are intending for their model to eventually include overall efficiency of the appliance, and not just limit itself to combustion efficiency.

CCHRC was retained by the Newtok Traditional Council and the Newtok Planning Group to prepare a design for the Mertarvik Evacuation Center. The evacuation center will serve the village in several ways as they plan to relocate due to coastal erosion:  first as an evacuation center in case of emergence, second as a staging facility during the relocation, and third as a community center.

CCHRC contracted with UAS to continue Marquam George's work in testing wall sections appropriate to SE Alaska in CCHRC's Mobile Test Lab. The data logging design, equipment acquisition and set up were contracted to Balanced Solutions.

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 is Alaska Native Housing. By mid-March we contacted 73 of 88 regional or village housing authorities in Alaska. In total, we documented over 1700 apartments or homes that had some level of mold problem.

CCHRC has partnered with the Tagiugiullu Nunamiullu Housing Authority (TNHA) to design homes in six North Slope villages. The homes feature a unique foundation system adapted to the permafrost conditions in the high arctic.Homes were constructed in Atqasuk over the 2010 and 2011 building seasons. The design will be expanded to the communities of Wainwright, Point Lay, Nuiqsut, Kaktovik, and Anaktuvuk Pass.  

This project will explore ways to use the cold temperatures during Alaskan winters to lower the electrical demands of residential refrigerators and freezers. CCHRC is partnering with industry to test a prototype of a passive refrigerator/freezer. This refrigerator uses electricity only when the outdoor air temperature is too warm to sustain refrigerator temperatures. The unit is set up in CCHRC’s Product Testing Lab and monitored for interior temperature and energy consumption.

The Permafrost Technology Foundation (PTF) granted CCHRC funds to archive and digitize the information and reports the PTF collected over the 20 years of its existence. CCHRC will digitize and catalog this information, then house it on the CCHRC website for access by researchers and others.

CCHRC developed a model to estimate PM2.5 emissions from residential heating sources in the vicinity of Fairbanks and evaluated a variety of policy options aimed at reducing emissions. The analysis concluded that a combination of policy options could result in reduced PM2.5 emissions from residential heating sources of to 422 tons/year, or 52 percent.

A Qingok is a “stove pipe” that created a stack effect in traditional subterranean houses. This effect was possible because traditional houses were not well sealed and the Qingok created a negative pressure by allowing hot air to leave thus pulling fresh air in from outside through any cracks.

The Native Village of Kwinhagak has asked CCHRC to partner with residents to design a super-efficient prototype house, which was completed in 2010. The design features an octagonal-shape, to hold heat and shed wind-driven rain, and an innovative wall system that is light, simple, and mobile.

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.

There are many insulation products on the market that proclaim the benefits of reflective layers or radiant barriers, such as a metal foil skin. Some of these claims are extraordinary and require scrutiny. Reflective layers are known to be effective in reducing solar heat gain in hot, sunny climates, but can they help us in the frigid north? This project will examine the effectiveness of reflective insulations in cold climate construction.
 

This summer 2004 project was initiated in response to and in the midst of the heavy smoke in the Fairbanks area due to wildfires. Bill Reynolds of Solutions and Cathy Cahill of the University of Alaska conducted a emergency study to improve indoor air quality and address simple and affordable filtration strategies. Systems were installed in houses of people with a history of respiratory problems and air quality was monitored.

In 2002, CCHRC undertook a simple study of the performance of two residential dwellings built with different wall systems. One was a standard wall system with an interior vapor/air barrier and the other was a modified PERSIST wall that has been named "REMOTE" which stands for Residential Exterior Membrane Outside Insulation Technique.

More than 400 sensors have been installed in the RTF to make it a living demonstration of building system operations and performance. Michael Lilly of GW Scientific is working with us to monitor this data.

The following products will form the basis of the RTF Legacy Monitoring program:

CCHRC has summarized our latest findings on wall retrofits in a research snapshot. We studied various retrofit techniques over the last two winters in a trailer outfitted with 9 different test walls--each with unique combinations of interior and exterior insulation, some with vapor barriers and some without. Researchers asked two main questions: is there a minimum thickness of exterior insulation that can be added to prevent moisture problems, and will adding exterior insulation create a double vapor barrier effect by trapping condensation in the wall cavity?

The Cold Climate Housing Research Center (CCHRC) commissioned John Freeman of Sunrise Energy Works to study the Skuttle ventilation technique in new housing in the Anchorage area during the winter and spring months of 2004. This study monitored nine houses in a new subdivision to assess the effectiveness of their Skuttle ventilation system and their compliance with the Alaska Building Energy Efficiency Standard (BEES) ventilation requirements.

This project updates and extends the 1991 Housing Needs Assessment Study conducted by the ASK* Marketing Research Group for the Department of Community and Regional Affairs. CCHRC hired Information Insights to assemble the 2000 Census Data and other data sources and conduct an additional survey to fill any gap. The final report of 200 pages with an additional 100 pages of survey results is available from CCHRC in PDF format. An executive summary can be viewed here. The data sets will be archived at AHFC.

CCHRC is gleaning in-house data from three straw bale houses in the Fairbanks area. As part of this AHFC-funded project, researchers are measuring temperature and moisture gradients throughout the straw bale insulation of the exterior walls. CCHRC staff inspected the vapor barrier during construction and performed blower door tests.

Alaska’s rural communities have a shortage of housing. The homes are expensive to build, are poorly-constructed, and are often inadequate for Alaska’s extreme climate. The Sustainable Northern Shelter (SNS) program was established in 2008 by staff at the Cold Climate Housing Research Center and members of rural communities around Alaska. Hundreds of people around the state are collaborating to develop energy-efficient and affordable homes that can withstand the extreme climatic conditions of Alaska while reflecting each community’s lifestyle and culture.

CCHRC researchers recently completed a guide that walks consumers through different types of home heating systems. The in-depth publication, created for the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation, covers heating appliances, distribution systems, and domestic hot water systems that are common in Alaska. It provides information and tools to help homeowners make informed decisions on heating appliances.

CCHRC’s Building Science Research Program is beginning work on a Thermal Storage Technology Assessment.  The study was sparked by a strong interest in using thermal storage to supplement home heating systems. 

CCHRC is working with Fairbanks builder Thorsten Chlupp to enable applied research of a novel heat recovery ventilator (HRV) and ground loop-based air preheating system.   

CCHRC is partnering with the University of Alaska Fairbanks to develop a sustainable student village that includes a cluster of super energy-efficient homes with shared open space, renewable energy sources, and a community garden. The village will be on University property adjacent to CCHRC’s research center off Fairbanks Street. The first cluster of buildings will be constructed in Summer 2012. It will be as much a research project as a development, where students, faculty, and departments at UAF will work with CCHRC building scientists to improve on each iteration of the Village over the coming years.

Burning wood as a heat source is a significant contributing factor to winter PM2.5 in the Fairbanks North Star Borough. Furthermore, burning inadequately cured firewood is a contributing factor that can be curbed by changes in the way borough residents store firewood. Burning dry wood provides immediate benefit for homeowners, however, ensuring an adequate supply of dry firewood requires preparation, planning, and knowledge of appropriate storage methods.

It is thought that burning improperly cured firewood for residential space heating is a significant contributing factor to PM2.5 in the Fairbanks airshed. Because burning properly cured wood improves heat output and reduces the release of particulate air pollutants, it is important to understand current practices of firewood curing and storage in Fairbanks. To this end, CCHRC obtained samples from the wood supplies of fifty homes, characterized the homeowner’s storage methods and drafted a summary report of findings for air quality researchers.

CCHRC is evaluating the economic and environmental considerations of a variety of wood energy appliances for residential use, including wood stoves, pellet stoves, wood boilers, and masonry heaters. The testing will use, lab-comparable testing equipment, but operate the wood-burning appliances in ways similar to their everyday use in homes to see how they perform.